15
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Years of Experience
1,100
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Projects Completed
300
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5-Star Reviews
If you own or manage a commercial building in New Jersey, your roof is probably flat — and probably out of sight, out of mind. That's the problem. Flat roofs rarely fail suddenly. They fail slowly, quietly, and expensively, and by the time water shows up inside, the damage upstairs has usually been building for months.
A professional inspection catches those problems while they're still cheap to fix. Here's exactly what a commercial roofer from WDM Contracting looks at when we walk a flat roof — in plain terms.
Most commercial roofs in NJ use one of three systems, and WDM installs and services all of them:
All three do the same basic job: form one continuous waterproof surface. Which means every inspection comes down to one question — is that surface still sealed everywhere?
Flat roofs aren't perfectly flat — they're built with a slight slope so water drains. When we see ponds of water still sitting 48 hours after rain, something's wrong: a clogged drain, a low spot, or a sag in the structure.
Standing water is the flat roof's worst enemy. It adds weight, degrades the roofing material faster, and if it finds even a pinhole, it has all day to work its way in.
A membrane roof is like a giant sticker covering your building — and like any sticker, it fails at the edges first. We inspect every seam where two sheets join, looking for lifting, gaps, or spots where the bond is letting go. Then we check the perimeter, where the roofing wraps up walls and edges. Wind grabs those edges during storms, and a loose edge today is a peeled-back section after the next nor'easter.
HVAC units, vent pipes, drains, skylights, exhaust fans — commercial roofs are full of equipment, and every piece of it required cutting a hole in the waterproof surface. Each of those holes is sealed with flashing (metal or membrane collars) that wears out faster than the roof around it.
This is where most flat-roof leaks start. We check every single penetration, plus the caulk-like sealants around them, which dry out and crack over time.
Walking the full roof, we're looking for damage you'd never spot from the ground: cracks or splits in the membrane, blisters (air or moisture bubbles trapped under the surface), punctures from dropped tools or foot traffic, and areas worn thin by sun exposure. On older roofs, we also check for shrinkage — membranes pull tight as they age, straining the seams and corners.
Every drain gets checked for debris. Leaves, trash, and tennis balls (you'd be surprised) clog roof drains constantly, and a clogged drain turns a well-built roof into a swimming pool. We also confirm the water is going where it should once it leaves the roof.
A good inspection doesn't stop at the roof. Water stains on ceiling tiles, rust streaks, or musty smells in the top floor tell us water is getting in somewhere — and help us trace exactly where.
After the walk-through, WDM gives you a straight report: photos of what we found, what needs attention now, what can wait, and what it will cost. Sometimes the answer is a simple seam repair or drain cleaning. When a roof is near the end of its life, we'll show you the evidence and lay out replacement options — TPO, EPDM, or modified bitumen — with real numbers.
Most property managers put inspections on the calendar twice a year, spring and fall, plus a check after any major storm.
WDM Contracting handles commercial roofing across New Jersey — plus the trades that often come with commercial work, like electrical, standby generators, concrete cutting, and underground utilities. One team, one point of contact.
Is your flat roof overdue for a look? Request your free estimate or call 848-360-6121.