Flat and commercial roof repair for Littleton buildings

Commercial roof repair in Littleton: what this page covers

This page is written for the owner of a small building, not a facilities department: a storefront on Main Street or along Broadway and Santa Fe, an office or medical building, a light-industrial or flex building off Mineral Avenue, a church with a flat-roofed wing, or a two- and three-story apartment or condo building with low-slope sections. Commercial roof repair here usually means a low-slope roof, and it usually comes down to one of three things: hail, snow and ice, or water that does not drain.

The roof systems are the familiar ones:

• TPO, a white single-ply membrane with heat-welded seams, standard on newer retail and office buildings.
• EPDM, black rubber, fully adhered, mechanically fastened or held down with river rock ballast on older buildings.
• Modified bitumen, asphalt sheets in one or two plies with a granulated cap, common on re-roofed older buildings.
• Built-up tar and gravel, still in place on some older downtown buildings and churches.
• Metal panels, through-fastened or standing seam, on shops, warehouses and newer mixed-use buildings.

Some newer buildings also carry a coating system or sprayed foam, though both are less common here than in hotter, drier markets.

What the Front Range does to a low-slope roof

Hail. The thunderstorms that build over the foothills on summer afternoons drop hail across the South Metro most years. On a flat roof, hail punctures or bruises single-ply membranes, fractures the surfacing on modified bitumen, cracks older built-up roofs, dents metal panels and breaks skylights and the fins on rooftop units. Damage is often hard to see from the edge of the roof. A bruise in a membrane can look like nothing until it cracks months later.

Snow and freeze-thaw. Spring storms can drop heavy, wet snow, and the wind drifts it against parapets, around rooftop units and into low corners. When the sun comes out, meltwater runs to drains that may still be frozen, backs up, and refreezes at night. That cycle opens seams, lifts flashing and pushes water under the membrane at the edges. Heavy snow is also a weight question; if you see sagging or doors that suddenly stick, call a structural professional, not just a roofer.

Altitude and sun. At over 5,000 feet, ultraviolet light is stronger than at sea level. It dries out asphalt surfacing, chalks coatings and ages exposed sealant at every penetration. Dark roofs also swing from hot afternoons to cold nights, which works seams and fasteners loose.

Wind. Chinook winds off the foothills in winter can gust 70 to 90 mph, and they test every loose edge. Metal coping, edge flashing and unadhered membrane at corners are where wind gets in first. Loose ballast rock can be blown around and into drains.

The repairs that come up most

Hail damage to membranes and metal. Punctured or fractured single-ply is cut out and patched, or, on TPO, welded with a new piece. Bruised modified bitumen may need new plies over a section. Dented metal is often a cosmetic and insurance question unless seams or coatings are broken. After a large storm, a roofer should walk the whole roof and photograph test areas, the same way hail is documented on a house.

Drains, scuppers and gutters. Clogged or frozen drains are behind many winter and spring leaks. Strainers go missing, debris and ballast collect, and the clamping ring that holds the membrane to the drain bowl loosens. Scuppers rust at their seams. Heat cable is sometimes installed at drains and scuppers; ask what it does and does not solve before paying for it.

Parapet and wall flashing. On the older brick buildings, water often enters through the masonry or the coping above the roof, then shows up inside looking like a roof leak. Loose termination bars and cracked sealant at the top of the membrane are common repairs. On Main Street's historic buildings, check with the City of Littleton before changing anything visible from the street.

EPDM seams and shrinkage. Old glued seams let go, and shrinking membrane pulls tight at corners and curbs until it tears or lifts. Seam tape, cover strips and new flashing at walls are routine repairs.

Rooftop units and penetrations. HVAC curbs, exhaust fans, vents and conduit all pierce the roof. Technicians walk the same path in every season, and snow removal around units can cut the membrane. Curb flashing, pitch pans and pipe boots are among the most common repairs.

Metal panel fasteners and laps. Screws loosen with temperature swings, washers dry and crack under the sun, and water gets in at laps and around skylight panels. Re-screwing, sealing laps and replacing cracked skylight panels keep these roofs dry. The impact-resistant and metal roofing page explains the two main metal systems.

Ponding and drainage

A little water after a storm is normal. Water still standing about two days after the rain or melt stops is the commonly used warning sign, and in winter that water can freeze into a sheet of ice on the roof. Some manufacturer warranties exclude damage from long-term ponding, so read yours. Causes range from a clogged drain to a deck that has sagged between joists, to insulation that compressed under years of foot traffic. Tapered insulation or crickets can move water to the drain; a sagging deck needs a structural look first.

A good repair visit, step by step

1. Start inside. Note where the water shows up, when (in rain, during snowmelt, or after wind) and for how long it has been happening.
2. Walk the whole roof. Water travels along the deck and through insulation, so the entry point is often away from the stain.
3. Check every drain, edge and curb. In winter, that includes whether drains are frozen or packed with ice.
4. Look for trapped water. Probing seams, pressing for soft spots, and where needed a moisture meter or a small core cut shows whether insulation is wet.
5. Photograph and mark a roof plan. Each problem on a simple sketch of the roof, with a price beside it.
6. Recheck after the next storm. A careful roofer checks the repair after rain or melt, or asks you to.

How commercial repair bids differ

Three different jobs can all show up called "repair":

• A spot repair names each item and its price: this drain, these seams, that curb.
• A restoration or coating adds a coating over the whole roof after repairs. It only makes sense on a roof that is dry underneath, and the bid should name the product and how thick it goes on.
• A re-roof or recover replaces the membrane, or installs a new one over the old where that is allowed. Check with the City of Littleton building division, or the county the building sits in, whether the job needs a permit, and ask who pulls it.

When bids are far apart, they are usually different jobs. Ask each contractor which one they are proposing and why, and ask for the photos. A bid for a new roof should point to wet insulation, widespread hail fractures or a worn-out surface, not just age.

Questions to ask on any bid:

1. What caused the leak, and where is it on the roof plan?
2. Is any part of this a coating or patch over wet insulation?
3. Which products go on, by name?
4. Does the HVAC contractor need to be there for curb or unit work?
5. How will the crew handle snow, ice and short winter days on the schedule?
6. What does the workmanship warranty cover, and for how many years?

Warranty types

Commercial roofs often carry more than one kind of paper. A workmanship warranty is the contractor's promise about their installation. A material warranty from the manufacturer covers the membrane or panels themselves, often not the labor. A system warranty from the manufacturer covers both on some jobs, usually only when an approved installer did the work and the manufacturer inspected it. Hail is often excluded or limited, so read that line closely. Before anyone cuts into a roof that already has a manufacturer warranty, find the paperwork, because a repair by a different contractor can affect it.

After a hail storm

Photograph what you can see safely from the ground and from inside, call your insurer, and get a written repair estimate from a contractor licensed for your building's city or county. The adjuster decides what is covered. Commercial policies vary a lot in deductibles and in how they treat older roofs, so read your declarations page or ask your agent. The hail damage page explains how hail is documented on a roof.

Inspection routine

Twice a year is the usual pattern for a low-slope roof here: in spring after the snow season, and in fall before it, with a look after any hail storm or major wind event. Each visit should clear drains, gutters and scuppers, check seams, curbs and edges, and photograph standing water. Keep the photos together by date; a roof history helps with insurance, refinancing and new tenants.

Leases, licensing and this guide

Who pays for roof repairs is a lease question. Many leases split maintenance and replacement between landlord and tenant, so read the roof clause before ordering work and ask an attorney if it is unclear. Condo and townhome buildings answer it through the association's documents.

Colorado has no state roofing license; cities and counties license contractors. Ask which jurisdictions a contractor is licensed in, and ask for a certificate of general liability insurance before anyone goes up. This site is a free guide, not a roofing contractor; an estimate request goes to an independent local contractor partner who inspects, quotes in writing and performs the work. Describe the building, its roof type and roughly how big it is when you ask. Houses with a flat section over a porch or addition are covered on the roof repair page.