Valdosta Commercial Roofing
Leak repair

Seam repair

On any sheet system the seam is the weakest line on the roof, and the great majority of low-slope leaks start there rather than in the field. Seams fail from poor welding at installation, from thermal movement working them over years, and from standing water sitting on them continuously. Probing them is the single most useful diagnostic on a commercial roof — it finds failures that are not yet leaking and are far cheaper to address now.

Call (706) 696-1888

What the job involves

  • Mechanical probe of every seam across the roof
  • Mapping of failed and marginal seams, not just the leaking one
  • Repair matched to the membrane system
  • Identification of the cause — welding, movement or ponding
  • Prioritised schedule where multiple seams are marginal

Signs you need it

  • A leak that appears along a straight line rather than at a point
  • Visible gapping or lifting along a seam
  • Previous seam repairs that have not held

Where we cover

Each area has its own page for seam repair.

Questions

Why probe seams that are not leaking?

Because a marginal seam is an order of magnitude cheaper to fix than one that has let water into the insulation. Probing the whole roof costs a visit and tells you what the next two years look like, which is exactly the information a planned maintenance budget needs.

What causes seams to fail in the first place?

Most often under-welding at installation — a weld that held for five years but never had full strength. After that it is thermal movement at T-joints and changes in direction, and standing water sitting on a seam continuously.

Related work

Describe what you are seeing

Low-slope roofs in this climate fail at details rather than in the field, and the damage is usually well advanced before water reaches a tenant space.

Call (706) 696-1888
Call (706) 696-1888