Discovering a leak in your roof can be terrifying – and catastrophic if not treated promptly. With proper help, however, the damage can be treated properly. We’ve helped a lot of homeowners and business owners in the Twin Cities area to protect their belongings after a leak was discovered. Here is one example of our work:
Emergency Repair Phone Call
We received a call from Highcrest Manor, requesting emergency flat roof repair services. Located in the north Twin Cities metro area, the flat roof of this complex was leaking at an alarming rate into the tenants’ apartments. The top floor tenants were out of town, which unfortunately enabled the leak to go unnoticed until it penetrated through the second story of the complex, causing even more damage.
Locating the Source
Upon receiving the phone call, our estimator and flat roof expert, Aaron, was out at the property within the hour and meeting with the maintenance supervisor. Once he got up on the roof, the location and cause of the leak was fairly obvious. A pool of water had been collecting at a low point in the flat roof – the low point seemed to be caused primarily from the age of the roof, as it settled. The aging membrane was cracked in many areas, and the melting snow had nowhere else to escape.
Stopping the Leak
Aaron went inside to inspect where the interior leak was generating and how it was traveling to the second story below. He discovered that the water was traveling from the roof, to the rafters, down the wall through the studs, and onto the rafters of the next apartment.
At this point, the melting snow on the roof was causing water to literally pour into the building. There was no time – this situation required an immediate, temporary, fix to give us time to assess the best way to proceed with repairs and/or replacement.
Back on the roof, Aaron decided that using Quick Dry roof material would be the best way to immediately stop the water flow. Quick Dry is a material that is laid down and expands to quickly fill any holes and block the roof leak. Within a few hours, the combination of Quick Dry and a drop in temperatures, leading to water refreezing, allowed more time for an exact repair proposal to be approved by Highcrest Manor.
The Full Roof Repair
Once our estimate got the go ahead, Midwest Roofing, Siding & Windows began a thorough roof repair:
Step 1: Since the water had frozen, our first action was to salt the ice enough to loosen it so we could chisel it out.
Step 2: We removed the perimeter flashing and laid down hot asphalt roofing over the 10 square foot area where the flat roof membrane had cracked.
Step 3: Rock was laid down over the asphalt roofing.
Step 4: The final step in the repair consisted of re-installing the perimeter flashing to seal the edges.
A Satisfied Customer
A leaking roof is a disaster that no one wants to experience – but without constant inspections it can be nearly impossible to prevent, especially when the roof is covered by snow. The owner of the property was so pleased to have this repair completed quickly, saving the complex from further water damage.
Contact Midwest Roofing, Siding & Windows for help with your roof repair needs.
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Originally published: March 25, 2013
Information updated: July 29, 2015