A leaky roof is a stressful situation and one that can turn into a watery nightmare and costly repair if not addressed quickly. However, sometimes a homeowner isn’t aware there’s a problem until telltale signs appear which is usually after a few days of heavy rainfall. No one in Jamaica wants to see water leaking through their concrete slab roof. Even with regular roof maintenance, harsh weather can roll through, and you can find a puddle on your floor or stain marks running down your walls.
The most common complaint with regard to both concrete tile and flat concrete roofing in Jamaica is water leaks. When there are leaks in a flat concrete roof, the fast fix is usually to apply some kind of sealant or waterproof cement at the site of the leak. Most of the times, cracks can be filled with similar caulking materials to prevent further damage to the roof but this is only a temporary fix.
Looking for concrete roof repair solutions in Jamaica? Speak with us by calling 876-926-7252.
Quite a few homes in Jamaica are made with slab roofs and overtime these roofs will begin to show signs of leaking. You may see from inside that the roof paint begins to fall of or you will see a line in the roof with the paint elevated. If you are seeing water stains of various shapes size and color in your house, you need to investigate the source. The stains may appear as discolored rings or in various hues including gray, yellow or brown.This is a sign of a hairline crack in the roof and now water is settling in the cracks to cause the discoloration of the paint or the lines in the roof.
Keep in mind that even concrete that is free of cracks or damaged is still very porous and able to retain moisture. The next time rain falls, we suggest that after the rain stops falling that you go on top of your roof and you will see puddles or small pools of water. This is where water can soak through the porous roof and travel the the small holes and cracks and eventually leak inside of your house or building. The best option is to waterproof the entire roof, regardless of the where the leak sites are present. For this, you will need to first clean the entire roof surface with a pressure washer. Fill large cracks with mortar or roofing cement, and then apply a good prime. The next step if to apply Sika Roof Primer and then once it dries you apply the Sika Roof Membrane
Signs Of A Leaking Commercial/Residential Roof In Jamaica
Stained Walls – Whether you have ceiling tiles or other types of ceiling systems in your facility, extended exposure to water will create a discolored area of your ceiling.
Odor/ Mold – A foul smell in your home or office could be a red flag for hidden mold. Mold grows in moist environments, so if water is continuously entering your building, there is a high chance that mold could grow and spread.
Light Bulbs needing to be changed often – Have you noticed that you have to change your light bulbs more often than normal? This could be sign that your slab roof is leaking or allowing water seepage and this now destroys the bulb. You should check the light socket for any signs of unusual rust.
Do Find the Exact Leak Source
One common practice when repairing roof leaks in Jamaica is to check and repair the area just above the leak. This is less costly and labor intensive, but the actual source of the leak may be somewhere else. When you have a leak make sur to have the roofing specialist, check your plumbing lines, check for ponding (puddles of water), and check the entire roof surface.
Open Penetrations
Roof penetrations are found on many flat concrete slab roofs. Roof penetrations are AC units, vents, drains, pipes, steel protuding from the roof and other systems that come through the concrete roof. If you have a look t some of the houses in Portmore you will see the steel protruding from the roofs. Most times these homewowners are planning to add another floor but unknown to them the water will seep where the concrete meets the steel and cause leaky roofs in these Portmore homes.
CESCO Limited Jamaica is pleased t introduce the Sika line of products. Sika provides solutions for even the most challenging requirements with its unique waterproofing product portfolio, contributing to efficient, long-lasting infrastructure, be it for drinking water facilities (fulfilling the most stringent drinking water approvals),tunnels, bridges, basements, or balconies.
Sika offers a unique range of complete systems and products based on extensive experience and supports owners, engineers and contractors in the design and construction process.
Waterproof Roofing Systems In Jamaica That Repair Roof Leaks
Sika Roof Membranes In Jamaica
Sika has a decade-long tradition to take Sarnafil® roofing membrane samples from certain roofs in North America and Europe to document durability of Sika’s roofing membranes in exposed applications. With average tested roof age being over 20 years old, the oldest is 49 years old, which was installed in 1967 on a project in Persoucio, Switzerland using Sarnafil® G 410-12 PVC membrane. Considering the age and the condition of the roofs analyzed, the data indicates that a properly formulated, properly maintained, reinforced vinyl roof membrane system performs in excess of 20 to 30 years in various climates throughout Europe and North America.
Durability is a key component of sustainability especislly here in Jamaica with our tropical weather conditions. The longer a product lasts, the better it generally is for the environment, providing its original production and embodied energy create minimal environmental impact. Durability adds value to a property.
Solutions For Solar Roofs
ROOFTOP SOLAR INSTALLATIONS
These are becoming increasingly popular in Jamaica West Indies. More and more building owners see the opportunity to make effective use of their roof space to make a contribution to the environment through sustainable electricity production. Such installations are investments intended to provide a return over the long-term.
Therefore, the roof itself needs a proven track record of high performance with low maintenance requirements as a critical component of solar applications that have an expected service life of 20+ years. Sika has years of experience in the manufacture of liquid and single ply membranes
that can live up to the demands for performance and life expectancy not only as stand alone waterproofing systems, but also ideal substrates for
a variety of solar applications. For the main Photovoltaic technologies currently available, Sika can o«er an ideally suited solution that ensures the overall performance of the solar application with as little maintenance and interruption as possible.
Sika has created “Solar Parks” at its own facilities to showcase its expertise and flexibility of dealing with solar systems used in rooftop applications.
HIGHLY REFLECTIVE LIQUID AND SINGLE PLY ROOFING MEMBRANES
Certain rooftop solar systems absorb light not only from the sun to produce electricity but also from the reflective roof surface itself – in some cases
increasing the e¹ciency of the solar cell up to 15% (depending on the local conditions). Sika’s highly reflective liquid and sheet membranes make a significant contribution to increased electricity production from the same area of solar roof space.
Call CESCO Limited today at 876-926-7252 for all your roof membranes and primer solutions from Sika.
