Does your home or business have flat roofing material? If so, it likely uses membrane roofing material. While membrane roofing material can be an efficient and cost-effective way to protect your building, the material is susceptible to damage over time, such as blisters. Here is what you need to know about blisters concerning your flat roof.
What Are Roof Blisters
The blisters found in flat roofing material are small sections that are raised, which looks very similar to a blister that would form on your skin. They can stick up a few inches from your roof's surface and are places where the roofing material is no longer attached to your roof. That raised portion of roofing material often has air underneath it, but sometimes the blisters can fill with water.
The risk of leaving a blister is that it will eventually burst. That part of the roof will then be exposed, leaving an opening where rain water can get into the building. If you do not catch the problem early enough, it can cause significant damage to your building due to water damage.
How To Prevent Roof Blisters
As a building owner, there are several things you can do that will prevent this roof blister problem from happening. It starts with the installation of the roofing material. You want to ensure that the membranes are installed when the weather outside is dry. Dry conditions allow the flat membranes to stick to the roof rather than have issues sticking to the surface.
The roof also needs proper ventilation so that your roof does not get too hot. If heat cannot leave the attic space beneath the roof, air trapped under the roofing material can get hot and expand to the point of creating a roof blister.
Look into the drainage system of the roof and make repairs as necessary. Pooling water is a big problem to be concerned about, even on a flat roof. There should be a big enough slope that water flows toward the drains instead of forming a puddle in random places.
You can also have a professional residential roof inspection done each year to make sure that the roof is still in good shape. If problems are caught early enough, new membrane material can be installed to ensure it is attached to the roof and will not form a roof blister. Drainage and ventilation problems can also be fixed at the same time.