Active Leaks Threatening Inventory or Equipment
Emergency
Water is coming through the roof assembly into occupied space, onto racking, server rooms or production equipment. It usually starts at a failed seam, penetration or drain and travels along the deck before it drips, so the drip is often far from the actual entry point.
Why it's common here: Spring and early-summer storms in central Indiana can dump inches of rain in an hour. Leaks also show up mid-winter, when ice dams at parapets and gutters force meltwater under flashings. Because large flat roofs hide their damage, owners usually find out from a stained ceiling tile, often days after a storm has already let water in. Warehouses along the I-70 and I-65 corridors run 24/7, so a single leak over stored goods can cost more than the repair itself.
Warning signs
- Stained or sagging ceiling tiles
- Drips onto racking, floors or equipment
- Musty odor in upper floors or mezzanines
- Water trails on walls near roof drains
- Tripped electrical or wet light fixtures
- Ice buildup at parapets with interior drips
Local patterns: We see these most after spring hail and wind events and during late-winter thaws. They hit hardest on warehouses in Plainfield and Whiteland, on 1980s strip retail on Washington Street in Lawrence and Cumberland, and in downtown buildings where internal drains run through finished space.
Our solutionWe do emergency tarping or temporary patching to stop the water, then leak detection to find the true entry point, followed by a permanent seam, flashing or drain repair with photo documentation.
Hail and Wind Damage to TPO, EPDM and Edge Metal
Serious
Hail fractures and bruises single-ply membranes, crushes insulation boards and dents metal panels. High winds lift perimeter edge metal, peel back membrane at corners and blow off coping, which opens the roof to water intrusion and further uplift.
Why it's common here: Central Indiana sits on the eastern edge of the active severe-weather corridor. Golf-ball-size hail hits the metro in some years, and derechos like the June 2022 event push straight-line winds across hundreds of buildings at once. Aged, UV-brittle EPDM and older TPO crack much more easily under hail than new membrane does. Hail damage on a flat roof is rarely visible from the ground, so it often goes unreported until the claim window is closing.
Warning signs
- Star-shaped cracks or bruises in membrane
- Loose, bent or missing perimeter edge metal
- Lifted or billowing membrane at corners
- Dented metal panels, vents or HVAC fins
- Granule loss on mod-bit cap sheet
- Debris punctures near rooftop units
Local patterns: Damage shows up across big-box roofs in Park 100 and Brownsburg/Whitestown, office parks at Keystone at the Crossing and Castleton, and exposed industrial sites near Speedway. Clusters follow named storm tracks from spring through midsummer.
Our solutionWe do a documented post-storm inspection with core samples and photos for your insurance adjuster, then targeted repair, edge-metal re-securement or replacement of damaged sections.
Ponding Water and Clogged Internal Drains
Moderate
Ponding is water that stays on a low-slope roof more than 48 hours after rain. It speeds up membrane aging, adds structural load, feeds vegetation and turns any small defect into a constant leak.
Why it's common here: Indianapolis gets about 40–44 inches of precipitation a year, with heavy convective downpours in spring. Many older buildings have deflected decks, settled insulation or internal drains sized for different codes. Cottonwood and maple debris from nearby trees clogs strainers, and winter ice blocks scuppers. Every freeze-thaw cycle then works standing water deeper into seams.
Warning signs
- Water standing 48+ hours after rain
- Dirt rings or algae on the membrane
- Missing or clogged drain strainers
- Sagging deck areas between joists
- Overflowing scuppers or downspouts
- Vegetation growing in roof low spots
Local patterns: Common on Mile Square and Fountain Square buildings with parapets and internal drains, on mid-century plants on the east side, and on 1970s–90s strip centers along US-31 in Greenwood and in Southport, where decks have deflected over decades.
Our solutionWe clear and rebuild drains, add tapered insulation crickets or saddles, and correct deck deflection during repair or replacement so water reaches the drains.
Failing EPDM Seams and Shrinking Flashings
Moderate
Older EPDM roofs rely on seam tape or adhesive that dries out and lets go over time. As the rubber ages it shrinks and pulls away from walls, curbs and penetrations, a condition often called bridging or tenting at the flashings.
Why it's common here: Indianapolis's summer heat and UV exposure age black EPDM quickly, and the cold winters make it stiff and brittle. Dozens of freeze-thaw cycles each year flex the seams again and again. Many 1970s–90s office parks and retail centers still carry their original EPDM, which is now well past its expected service life.
Warning signs
- Open or fishmouthed seam laps
- Membrane pulled taut at wall bases
- Cracked or brittle flashing at curbs
- Loose termination bars
- Patches layered on old patches
- Chalky, crazed membrane surface
Local patterns: Very common on suburban office buildings along 86th Street and Keystone, strip retail on Washington Street in Lawrence and Cumberland, and older church and school low-slope sections across Marion County.
Our solutionWe re-seam with new primer and tape, re-flash curbs and walls, or apply an elastomeric coating restoration if the membrane and insulation are still sound.
Rusting Fasteners and Leaking Seams on Metal Buildings
Serious
Exposed-fastener and older standing seam metal roofs develop rust at screws, laps and panel ends. Neoprene washers break down, and panels move with thermal expansion, which elongates holes and lets water in at every fastener line.
Why it's common here: Metal roofs in central Indiana swing from summer heat to below-zero cold, so panels expand and contract dramatically. Humid summers and condensation speed up corrosion, and ice in gutters and at eaves backs water up into laps. Many pre-engineered metal buildings from the 1980s–90s are now showing this all at once.
Warning signs
- Orange rust at screws and laps
- Backed-out or loose fasteners
- Leaks along panel end laps
- Ice buildup in gutters and at eaves
- Corroded or split gutters
- Drips that come and go with temperature
Local patterns: Typical on light-industrial buildings near Speedway and Park 100, ag and equipment buildings toward Mooresville and New Palestine, and older warehouse stock in Lawrence near Fort Harrison.
Our solutionWe replace fasteners, seal laps, re-flash panel ends and apply a silicone or acrylic restoration system. Where corrosion has gone too far, we re-panel with standing seam metal.
Wet Insulation Under Aging Built-Up Roofs
Serious
Moisture trapped in the insulation under BUR, coal-tar pitch or older single-ply roofs destroys R-value, adds weight and quietly corrodes steel decks or rots wood decks. It's the biggest factor in deciding whether a roof can be restored or recovered, or has to be torn off.
Why it's common here: Indianapolis dew points in the 60s–70s°F drive condensation into roof assemblies, and small leaks that go unnoticed for years soak boards from below the membrane. Many older roofs already have two coverings, so code won't allow a third overlay. Older built-up roofs in the metro often hide decades of moisture.
Warning signs
- Spongy or soft areas underfoot
- Blisters in built-up or mod-bit surfaces
- Rust staining on deck underside
- Rising energy bills on upper floors
- Persistent leaks with no visible entry
- Gravel displaced over swollen areas
Local patterns: Most common on pre-WWII buildings in the Wholesale District and Mass Ave/Chatham Arch, mid-century industrial plants on the east and west sides, and 1970s schools and churches with BUR sections.
Our solutionWe use infrared or core-cut moisture surveys to map the wet areas, replace saturated insulation, and recommend restoration, recover or tear-off depending on how much of the roof is wet.
Leaks at Rooftop HVAC Units and Penetrations
Minor
Every curb, pipe, conduit and equipment support is a hole in the roof. Failed pitch pans, cracked boots and flashing that service technicians have disturbed are some of the most frequent sources of commercial leaks.
Why it's common here: Large Indianapolis facilities often have dozens of rooftop units, and mechanical crews walking the roof year-round puncture and scuff the membrane. Thermal movement between hot summer days and freezing nights breaks sealant at penetrations, and ice dams form around curbs in winter.
Warning signs
- Dried, cracked sealant at pitch pans
- Puncture marks along service paths
- Leaks below rooftop units
- Loose or missing curb flashing
- Abandoned penetrations patched over
- Condensate lines draining onto membrane
Local patterns: Very common on new mixed-use buildings in Carmel City Center and the Fishers Nickel Plate District, medical buildings across the north side, and retail at Castleton and Broad Ripple with dense rooftop equipment.
Our solutionWe re-flash curbs and penetrations, replace pitch pans with prefabricated boots, add walkway pads along service routes and coordinate with your mechanical contractor.