Skylights and Commercial Roofs: How to Prevent Leaks

When it comes to your business, putting a skylight in the roof can be a nice touch. Skylights allow natural light to flow into your space, which can save you money by not requiring you to use as much artificial lighting as you normally would.

That said, making holes in your roof for skylights can introduce problems like condensation and leaking. Because a commercial roof is typically flat, skylights leaking in heavy rain is a very real concern. Here are some ways to prevent your building’s skylights from leaking.

Make sure they are properly installed

When hiring a company, you’d do well to call on professionals with commercial skylight installation experience. Commercial skylights are quite different from residential skylights due to their size, number and the pitch of the roof.

They also likely serve different purposes and functions, which can make the process more complicated. Doing extensive research before hiring someone to install skylights for your business can definitely pay off in the long term.

Have your roof inspected regularly

The standard recommendation for commercial roof inspection is twice a year. You may think that you can get by with having your roof inspected annually, but to prevent your roof or skylights from leaking, once a year is often not enough.

Maintaining your company’s roof is like maintaining your property’s interior, because over time, if neglected, what’s outside your building (like rain, snow, ice or sleet) can find its way inside. Regular roof inspections, when done safely and with the proper precautions, can help prevent small problems with your skylights from turning into larger issues.

Have the flashing checked

The flashing around a skylight is a flat metallic material that provides a seal for the skylight. All skylights have this, and its function is critical to preventing leaks. Unfortunately, over time, a skylight’s flashing can become damaged and stop functioning effectively. This is usually due to the amount of sun and moisture it’s exposed to. Luckily, you can replace the flashing without replacing the entire skylight.

Manage humidity with proper ventilation

The environment inside your commercial space can influence whether condensation forms on your skylights. Too much humidity and not enough air circulation can lead to condensation, which can turn into droplets of water that eventually drip down into your building if the water builds up enough.

To avoid this problem, you can have your HVAC system inspected by a professional, who can give you pointers on making sure the air in your commercial space isn’t too humid and is recirculating sufficiently.

Call to have your skylights installed or inspected today

Don’t become a victim of skylights leaking in the heavy rain. Let the professionals help you install, inspect or repair your business’s skylights. Call the experts at R & H Roofing, LLP to schedule an appointment. We know that your company’s roof is just as important as its interior, and we want to provide you with the sturdiness and reliability that’s befitting of your business, all at a reasonable price.

Categorised in: Commercial Roofing, Skylight Repair

This post was written by Writer