Pest Management Professional, May 2018
Photo PUtNAM CoNStRUCtIoN CoNSULtING PROBLEM SOLVERS Flat rooFs An architects dream a PMPs nightmare By Dr Doug MaMpe Contributor Flat roofs have become the new normal on many modern building designs both residential and commercial Theyre becoming common for hospitals hotels restaurants office buildings and warehouses Although they look stylish and are less expensive to construct they eventually leak Pest management professionals PMPs all know moisture attracts many insects and permits breeding Common pests include fungus gnats fungus beetles psocids and springtails The presence of psocids and springtails sometimes attracts and enhances the breeding of erythraeid mites which become a problem when they invade buildings Unlike pitched roofs which cause leaked water to run off flat roofs cause water to pool in low areas and wet the underside of the roof structure Leaking pitched roofs can cause indirect problems in the structure below but only seldom do they permit the breeding of moisture loving insects Flat roofs usually have a rubber membrane that keeps the water out The problem is that the membranes crack and or have weak seams that leak with age The water seeps downward into the substrate The substrate can be insulation wood decking or combinations of materials concrete often is directly below the organic substrates Organic materials such as wood and some types of insulation support mold growth when wetted continuously Flat roofs seldom have any provision to breathe so once the substrates are wet they never dry out Patching such roofs does not solve the pest problem because the wet substrate beneath will continue to support pest problems Don Putnam an Austin Texas based construction consultant performs a roof moisture survey using a Tramex Dec Scanner First things First When encountering such problems you must conduct a thorough inspection to determine the nature and source of the problem Begin by identifying the pests If it is a moisture loving pest then you must track down the moisture source This is not always easy If the substrate of the roof lies atop concrete you cant measure the moisture in the substrates from below The rubber membrane on top may not show you where moisture problems lie either A moisture reader on a roller can quickly traverse a flat roof and detect areas of moisture Sometimes you must bite the bullet and ask the customer to open up the roof so it can be inspected and the moisture level determined That becomes a challenge in most cases If drop ceilings are present you can remove random panels and look upward to find signs of insect activity Look in the area of vent 46 May 2018 Pest Management Professional mypmp net
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