Rooftop Equipment & Penetrations
Almost every commercial leak we diagnose starts at something sitting on the roof rather than in the roof itself. Equipment arrives, gets set, gets serviced, gets replaced — and the membrane absorbs every one of those events.
The usual failure points
- HVAC curb flashings, the most common single leak source on commercial roofs
- Conduit and gas line supports resting directly on the membrane, abrading it
- Pipe boots, where the sealant wears out long before the surrounding membrane does
- Solar attachments installed without a roofer involved in the detail
- Abandoned equipment, dead anchors and orphaned conduit left behind after a remodel
- Condensate discharge running onto the membrane instead of into a drain
Coordinate before the equipment arrives
A new rooftop unit is a roofing event, not only a mechanical one. The curb detail, the flashing and the warranty implication all need deciding before the crane arrives, because afterwards the options narrow to repair.
Where a manufacturer system warranty is in force, a penetration made by an unauthorised contractor can jeopardise it. That is worth one phone call before the work, not a claim argument after it.
Walk pads are not optional
HVAC techs, hood cleaners, telecoms crews and window cleaners all walk the roof, and none of them report the damage they cause. Walk pads from each access point to every serviced unit cost a fraction of the repairs they prevent.
Common questions
Will a new HVAC unit void my roof warranty?
It can, if the penetration and flashing are made by a contractor not authorised under that warranty. Coordinate the roofing detail before installation and the warranty stays intact.
Does solar damage a commercial roof?
Not when the attachments and flashings are designed with the roofing system, and when the roof's remaining life is long enough to justify mounting twenty-year equipment on it. Installed without that coordination, it is a common source of new leaks.