It is all too common in our industry to come across customers looking for a sundeck replacement due to leakage; most commonly on decks with vinyl or a combination of torch-on roofing and pavers.
While Flexstone is an excellent alternative to these systems and we applaud customers for choosing to step outside of these antiquated options, we come across far too many homes where water damage is extensive. It’s important to identify the early signs of leakage and address those issues early. Every day that goes by where leak issues are ignored or put on the back-burner costs customers more and more money.
If you see any sort of staining on a ceiling below a roof deck or sundeck, call a contractor immediately. If you see any moisture around joists in an exposed ceiling, call a contractor immediately. While these issues may seem minor at a glance, the consequences of delaying action on repairs or resurfacing can be enormous.
We encounter far too many scenarios where a sundeck has leaked for weeks, months, or in some cases even years without being properly addressed. What this leads to is a costly tear-off of the existing waterproof membrane, replacement of some or all plywood, and in extreme cases the replacement of one or more supporting joists. In addition to structural repairs, there are also risks of mould – another dangerous and expensive issue to sort.
These repairs are expensive, time-consuming, and entirely avoidable.
Do yourselves a favour. If you spot even the tiniest of stains on your garage roof ceiling or even a single drop of water falling from a joist, call someone. It would also be wise to check out the membrane on top. If you have a vinyl deck you can often spot a split seam or a tear that may be allowing water in – this can be temporarily fixed with some urethane or silicone caulking. If you have a deck with torch-on and pavers; it becomes a bigger task and you may want to lay a tarp over the surface to mitigate the ingress of water.
Regardless of your membrane, do not take water leakage lightly – it can be serious and acting fast can save you a fortune in the future.