COMMERCIAL ROOF LEAK & MOISTURE DETECTION
Roof membranes and waterproofing systems are supposed to keep water out of your building, but history shows half of all systems installed start to leak in the 1st year. Whether trying to find leaks on older roof and waterproofing membranes or to meet the test specifications on newly installed membranes it can be difficult and stressful without the right set of tools, expertise or solutions. Older solutions such as flood testing may be very time consuming, costly, or unachievable due to access constraints.
Human error, inexperienced installers, poor materials or sloppy workmanship can cause endless types of damaging roof leaks. Luckily modern technology combined with the right expertise can greatly improve leak detection results and significantly reduce the risk of future water damage or failure of the waterproofing membrane, saving time, money and hassle. We utilize capacitance surveys, high voltage leak detection, and low voltage leak detection to help our customers ensure their buildings are dry.
Infrared Roof Moisture Surveys:
For the majority of roofing systems, Infrared Moisture Surveys are the most effective way to locate and document water intrusion. Infrared Roof Surveys help avoid unnecessary repairs and premature roof replacements. This can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings.
Use Infrared Roof Moisture Surveys to:
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Locate damaged roof areas and quickly repair them
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Determine acceptable roof areas that can be kept
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Provide a quality assurance report after new installations
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Verify roof condition before a building purchase
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Verify roof condition before warranty expiration
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Determine the extent of storm damage for a claim
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Provide legal documentation on the condition of the roof
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Dispute resolution
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New building enclosure commissioning
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Real estate transactions
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Building maintenance
Impedance Roof Moisture Surveys
use electrical capacitance (impedance) moisture meters to detect the presence of moisture within roofing and waterproofing systems. Our state-of-the-art capacitance surveys test both capacitance and resistance for the most accurate results in a wide range of materials and constructions. This technology can rapidly detect small amounts of moisture to provide an accurate picture of the internal condition of the roofing or waterproofing assembly.
Low Voltage Testing
Low voltage testing is similar to high voltage testing in that it uses moisture to complete a circuit between two pieces of equipment, in this case, a grounded power source and an exposed wire. The roof is then covered in a thin layer of water to create an electrically charged surface, and leaks in the roof allow water to enter which will complete the circuit. Detec’s IntegriScan is the most advanced and accurate Electronic Leak Detection (ELD) testing method available. The portable IntegriScan confirms waterproofing membranes are free of breaches, holes, or seam voids during construction and can be used to locate active leaks in existing buildings. The low voltage IntegriScan scanning platform tests horizontals and is the only method capable of testing semi-conductive membranes including black EPDM! The low voltage IntegriScan vertical roller (aka VSU) tests non-conductive verticals, horizontals, transitions, and details. The IntegriScan complies with ASTM Practice D8231 and ASTM Guide D7877.
High Voltage Testing
High voltage testing involves “brushing” the roof area with a charged broom, which is connected to a grounded power source. The theory behind this method is that the electrical circuit between the power source and the metal broom will only be completed by moisture beneath the roof membrane in the building material or insulation. A completed circuit triggers an audible noise which will alert the technician to a confirmed leak.
This leak detection method is highly versatile and extremely accurate, it can be used to test vertical membrane surfaces, and it can even detect weakened areas of the roof that haven’t begun leaking heavily yet.
