A common condition inherent with flat or near flat roof design is the inability to pinpoint the origin and cause of subsurface moisture damage and roof leaks. Water that enters a building at location X can be caused by a leak at location Y, fifty feet away.

In the past, conventional roof maintenance practice has been to explore the roof visually and/or cut several holes in the roof in a hit or miss effort to locate moisture. The result was often a patch work repair which did not work or a program of complete roof replacement where a small, precise repair might have been sufficient.

A roof that looks dry could contain moisture within the insulation, and/or the roofing felts and/or between the plies of roofing felt. Detected in the early stages, small problems can be corrected before excessive damage occurs and repair costs become prohibitive.

Moisture located within a roofing system reduces thermal efficiency, thereby increasing heating and cooling costs and contributes to the deterioration of the roof membrane and roof deck.

Non-destructive moisture detection roof surveys enable the building owner to determine the location and extent of moisture within a roof area. By zeroing in on the portions of roof containing moisture, a roof moisture survey can prevent dry insulation and/or good roofing system from being removed unnecessarily.

At one time an aged roof membrane that showed deficiencies and suffered an occasional leak was considered beyond its useful waterproofing life. Commonly, roofs like these were replaced without further consideration.

Today, however non-destructive moisture surveys can provide us with the information necessary to consider alternatives to simple roof replacement such as roof maintenance, roof restoration and roof retro-fit.

Properly utilized in a timely manner, it can locate the source of a roof leak within the roofing system before substantial interior damage results.  It should be an integral part of any roof management program, as it provides a true picture of a roof systems current condition. It is invaluable in establishing a preventive maintenance program, as well as a useful diagnostic tool to review the condition of an existing roof prior to the expiration of a warranty, or a new roof application prior to final acceptance.

A roof moisture survey will also aid in establishing the extent and nature of required roofing work and as such is an effective budgetary tool. Roof moisture surveys can be conducted with both destructive and non-destructive testing.