If your commercial roof begins to leak during a snowstorm, your first priority is to ensure the safety of your employees and customers by marking off the area, moving valuable inventory or electronics away from the water, and placing a bucket under the drip to prevent floor damage. You should never climb onto the roof during a storm, as snow hides dangerous skylights and ice makes the surface incredibly slippery.
Key Takeaways: Managing Roof Leaks During a Snowstorm
- Safety is the Top Priority: Your first move should always be to secure the interior. Mark off wet floors to prevent slips and move electronics or high-value inventory away from the dripping water immediately.
- Stay Off the Roof: Never attempt to climb onto a commercial roof during a snowstorm. Snow hides dangerous hazards like skylights and trip hazards, and ice makes the surface life-threateningly slippery.
- Avoid “Quick Fix” DIYs: Standard hardware store sealants and patches usually fail to stick to wet or frozen surfaces. Amateur repairs often do more harm than good and can even void your roof warranty.
- Manage Water Flow: If a ceiling tile is sagging or pooling with water, carefully poke a small hole in the center to drain the water into a bucket. This prevents the weight of the water from causing a sudden, dangerous ceiling collapse.
- Prepare an Emergency “Leak Kit”: Keep buckets, heavy-duty plastic tarps, duct tape, and “Wet Floor” signs on hand. Using these tools to “tent” inventory can save thousands of dollars in property damage.
- Call Professionals Early: Don’t wait for the storm to end to call for help. Contacting a professional like Solid Rock Commercial Roofing immediately ensures you are on the schedule and can receive expert guidance on stabilizing the building.
- Document Everything: Take photos and videos of where the water is entering the building. This documentation helps roofing technicians find the source of the leak faster and provides essential evidence for insurance claims.
- Don’t Shovel the Roof: Using a shovel to remove snow can easily puncture the roof membrane. Let professionals handle snow removal if the weight load becomes a concern for the building’s structure.
What are the most important safety steps to take inside the building?
The most important safety steps inside your building are identifying electrical hazards near the leak, clearing a wide radius around the drip to prevent slip-and-fall accidents, and moving any expensive equipment or documents to a dry location. Water and electricity are a deadly combination, so if a leak is near a light fixture or outlet, you must shut off the power to that area immediately.
Once you have secured the area, place a “Wet Floor” sign and use a large plastic container to catch the water. If the water is pooling on a ceiling tile, the tile might become heavy and fall; in a hypothetical situation, a water-soaked 2×4 ceiling tile can weigh over 20 pounds, which is enough to cause injury. It is often safer to carefully poke a small hole in the center of the sagging tile with a screwdriver to drain the water into a bucket, which prevents the entire ceiling from collapsing.
Why is it dangerous to attempt a DIY roof repair during a snowstorm?
Attempting a DIY repair during a snowstorm is dangerous because snow hides “trip hazards” and skylights, ice makes the membrane impossible to walk on safely, and the cold temperatures prevent standard hardware-store sealants from sticking to the roof. Most commercial roof falls occur when a person loses their footing on a “hidden” patch of ice or steps through a snow-covered skylight.
Furthermore, many “quick fix” products like standard silicone or asphalt patch don’t work on a wet or frozen surface. In a deep freeze, these materials will simply sit on top of the ice and slide off when it melts. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls from heights are the leading cause of death in construction, and those risks are magnified by 100% when snow and ice are present [Source: OSHA Fall Protection: https://www.osha.gov/fall-protection]. The best thing you can do for your building is to stay on the ground and let a professional with the right safety harness and equipment handle the situation.
How can I temporarily protect my inventory and equipment from a leak?
You can temporarily protect your inventory by covering large items with heavy-duty plastic tarps, using “water diverters” to channel leaks into trash cans, and setting up temporary shelving to get products off the floor. If you have high-value electronics or servers, you should prioritize moving them to a completely different room until the leak is addressed.
In a large warehouse in Wichita, you might not be able to move every pallet. In this hypothetical case, keeping a “leak kit” on hand is a smart business move. This kit should include 5-gallon buckets, several large rolls of plastic sheeting, and duct tape. By draping plastic over your shelves, you can create a “tent” that allows water to run off the sides rather than soaking through your boxes. This simple step can save you thousands of dollars in ruined inventory while you wait for the roofing crew to arrive.
When is the right time to call a professional roofing contractor?
You should call a professional roofing contractor as soon as you notice the first drop of water, even if the storm is still going on, so you can get on their emergency schedule and receive advice on how to minimize damage. While the crew may not be able to perform a permanent weld in a blizzard, they can often perform “emergency stabilization” to stop the flow of water.
In Wichita, a major snowstorm often leads to hundreds of local businesses having leaks at the same time. The longer you wait to call, the further down the list you will be. A professional contractor like Solid Rock Commercial Roofing will ask you specific questions over the phone to determine the severity of the leak. They can help you decide if you need an emergency crew immediately or if the roof repair can wait 24 hours until the winds die down.
What information should I provide to the roofing crew when they arrive?
When the roofing crew arrives, you should provide them with the exact location of the leak inside the building, the approximate time the leak started, and any photos or videos you took of the water entering the ceiling. This information helps the technicians “back-track” the water’s path to find the hole on the roof.
Water rarely travels in a straight line. It might enter a hole on the south side of the roof but travel 30 feet along a metal beam before dripping in the north corner of your office. By showing the crew exactly where the water is coming out, they can use their experience to guess where the “entry point” is located. If you can, show them the roof access point (like a ladder or hatch) and clear any boxes or furniture out of the way so they can work quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can a roofer fix a leak while it is still snowing?
Yes, in many cases, we can perform an “emergency tie-in” or use specialized “wet-surface” sealants that are designed to stop leaks even in standing water or snow. These are temporary measures designed to get you through the storm. Once the roof is dry and the sun is out, we will return to perform a permanent, heat-welded repair or patch.
Should I try to shovel the snow off my roof to stop the leak?
No. Shoveling a commercial roof is one of the easiest ways to accidentally puncture the membrane with the edge of the shovel. Furthermore, piling snow into one area can create a “concentrated load” that puts too much weight on one part of the roof deck. It is much better to leave the snow where it is and let a professional handle the removal if it becomes a weight concern.
Will my insurance cover the damage to my inventory?
Most commercial insurance policies cover damage to the interior and inventory if the leak was caused by a “sudden and accidental” event, such as a heavy snow load or wind damage. However, you must show that you took reasonable steps to stop the damage (like using buckets and tarps). This is why calling a professional immediately is so important for your insurance claim.
How do I find the leak if it’s not dripping consistently?
If a leak only happens during a snowmelt, it is likely an “ice dam” issue or a problem with the roof drains. We use infrared cameras and moisture meters to find the water that is hidden behind your walls or in your insulation. Even if it’s not dripping right now, the moisture is still there, and we can find it.
Conclusion & Call to Action: Stay Safe and Act Fast
A roof leak during a Wichita snowstorm is a stressful emergency, but following a clear plan can prevent a small drip from becoming a total disaster. Remember to focus on interior safety, protect your inventory with plastic, and—most importantly—stay off the roof yourself. The risks of a fall or further roof damage are simply too high for anyone but a trained professional to handle.
Contact Solid Rock Commercial Roofing today if you experience a leak or suspect winter damage. Our emergency response team is ready to help Wichita business owners stabilize their buildings and perform the high-quality repairs needed to survive the season. We have the tools and the experience to handle Kansas winters, and we are just a phone call away.
Call us now for emergency leak assistance and protect your business from the storm!
