It’s almost that time of year again when local commercial roofing companies begin to book appointments for the next several months to patch roof leaks in Boise, Idaho. With more than40,000 businesses across the city, roofers will be pegged out for the spring and summer months, repairing and preparing the roofs of our area’s commercial properties for the next winter.

Chances are high that over the winter, as snow accumulated on the mostly flat roofing systems of many businesses, the weight of the snow piling up has compromised the integrity of many of them. Due to the large number of businesses operating throughout the city, commercial roof repair in Boise during the spring months is essential to keeping the city’s marketplace running.

Spring is just around the corner, and with temperatures rising, all the snow that built up on your business’s roof is going to start melting soon – if it hasn’t already. And with that thawing comes the hazard of ice dams. Ice dams form as rising temperatures cause the underside of the accumulated snow to melt. Water then trickles between the snowpack and roofing material looking for a place to go.

Normally, on a roof with a steep pitch like those found on residential properties, this wouldn’t present such a problem, as gravity allows the water to runoff for the most part. But because commercial roofs are mainly flat, with just the slightest angle to allow for some runoff, the water doesn’t have as much opportunity to travel. Instead, it either pools in dips on the roof’s surface, or re-freezes when it reaches gutters, drain spouts, or scuppers.

That re-freezing produces mounds of ice called ice dams which then cause further pooling of water, and eventually leaks. When enough water gets backed up behind an ice dam, it begins to seep through roofing material – particularly through poorly sealed seams and edging. It will drip down into interstitial spaces, through insulation, and eventually to interior ceilings and walls. Not only will it ruin interior sheetrock, but it can also eventually promote substantial mold growth, further complicating the issue and putting at risk the health of employees and customers.

You may not have any issues with your business’s roof right now (that you know of), but it’s best to be proactive. Calling in a commercial roof repair specialist in Boise is the best way to nip any problems in the bud. Preventive assessments cost much less in the short term than a faulty roofing system might cost in the long term. If excessive leaking is allowed to continue for extended periods of time, the result could be complete roof failure and eventual collapse.

Roof leaks in Boise, Idaho are one the top grievances of commercial property owners, and although some repairs can prove costly, they can also be a business owner’s wisest investment. Because ultimately, by taking care of your business’s roof, you are also taking care of your employees, inventory, and customers – the very things that keep you in business in the first place.