What Does Storm Damage Look Like on a Commercial Flat Roof?

A severe storm recently rolled through Metro Detroit over the 4th of July weekend, and you might be wondering if your commercial building’s flat roof took a beating. You might even be worried about whether a leak is due to the storm or if the previous roofing contractor just did a poor job.

At Four Seasons Kanga Roof, we believe in radical transparency. We aren’t here to automatically tell you to file an insurance claim, because the truth is, not every roof failure after a storm is actual storm damage. Sometimes, it comes down to poor craftsmanship. Knowing the difference can save you time, headaches, and thousands of dollars.

Here is an honest guide on what commercial storm damage actually looks like, how to identify it, and the exact steps you should take next.

Types of Storm Damage on a Commercial Roof

When major weather events hit Michigan, commercial flat roofs typically face four main threats:

• Wind uplift
• Ice damage from ice dams
• Hail impacts
• Punctures from falling debris

Craftsmanship vs. Weather: How to Properly Identify the Damage

If you want to know what to do next, you have to identify whether the issue was from craftsmanship or weather. Trusted industry authorities like the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and Roofing Contractor Magazine frequently emphasize that proper identification is the cornerstone of a successful insurance claim. Here is how to tell the difference:

1. Wind Uplift

Wind damage is fairly obvious. It is most common around the edges or an open seam.

• What to look for: Billowing membrane can also be a sign. Wind blowing over a parapet wall on a roof creates negative air pressure and can cause uplift.
• The hidden damage: Even if the membrane is still secure around the seams and edges, if it is no longer adhered to the field of the roof, that is storm damage. Major manufacturers like GAF and CertainTeed stress that if a roof was installed perfectly but still detached from the field, you are looking at legitimate wind damage.

2. Ice Damage

Michigan winters are brutal, and ice dams are a commercial roof’s worst enemy.

• What to look for: Look for ruptures of the seams and membranes around drains and edges of the roof. This is exactly where the ice built up and caused the seams to separate.

3. Hail Impacts

Hail damage looks very different depending on the material used by manufacturers like Elevate or Carlyle.

• EPDM Roofs: Hail is hard to spot on EPDM. You have to see if it damaged the insulation board in a significant way.
• PVC Roofs: On PVC, they will have circular impact cracks from the hail. TPO membranes can have a similar effect depending on their age. 

4. Punctures from Debris

This is the easiest to spot.

• What to look for: Normally, punctures come from a tree limb and are normally still affixed to the puncture it created. You may also find blowing debris also still in the puncture or around the roof.

What to Do If You Have Damage

If you spot any of the signs above, here is exactly how you should handle it:

1. Call a Professional First: Call a qualified roofing contractor to take immediate action to prevent further damage. Getting the roof temporarily watertight is critical.
2. Get a Real Assessment: Get a qualified roofing inspector to assess: was it actually storm damage? If yes, make the claim.
3. Hold Off on the Insurance Call: Do not start by calling your insurance company. If it turns out to be craftsmanship error or general wear-and-tear, filing a claim could negatively impact your premiums for no reason.

Will It Qualify for a Full Replacement?

We hear this question every day: “Will insurance pay for a brand new roof?”

The honest answer? It depends on many factors, including the age of the membrane, severity and scope of damage, composition of the roof, and the terms of coverage included in your insurance policy.

Your best bet is to call our team of storm damage experts to assess the damage and guide you through the claim process. We pride ourselves on taking the burden off the building owner. As one of our customers, Robert C., recently said in a Google Review: “From the estimate to the completion, everything was done as promised. All matters with our insurance company were handled quickly and professionally… The entire staff and Bill Jr. were amazing and very helpful through the process.”

Don’t guess when it comes to your commercial property. Get an honest inspection today. We’re ready to “Hop To It.” You can give our local Metro Detroit team a call at 586-566-0308 or book your inspection online at kanga-roof.com/schedule-inspection-now/. As always, I hope you have a Kanga-Rific day!

Sincerely,

Bill Burkhardt, Jr.

VP & Owner, Four Seasons Kanga Roof