Roof leak capture device

[marcusb]

Does anyone have anything installed to act as a water capture or early warning for a roof leak?
I am going to be storing some valuable items and I would really like something in place as a safeguard.
My best thought so far is some industrial grade tarps or clear plastic, hung from the ceiling and pitched in a way to divert the water to the front of the unit where there are no items.
It would be even better if it were clear to notice where the leak originates.

Any advice or ideas on this?

[Flying Sky Ranch]

We always recommend plastic painter's tarps. They're an inexpensive way to add a layer of protection. I've had roof leaks where I had to investigate where the leak really was because the water would follow along a seam or beam and it wasn't where you would have thought. The painter's tarps are more of an extra insurance for the customer not so much as a way to find the leak. IMO

[RandyL]

Does anyone have anything installed to act as a water capture or early warning for a roof leak?
I am going to be storing some valuable items and I would really like something in place as a safeguard.
My best thought so far is some industrial grade tarps or clear plastic, hung from the ceiling and pitched in a way to divert the water to the front of the unit where there are no items.
It would be even better if it were clear to notice where the leak originates.

Any advice or ideas on this?

Are you a renter or a manager/owner? If you are a renter, and you have stored somewhere known to have leaks you may want to focus your efforts on finding a different storage unit. If you are a manager/owner and you know your roof has leaks, you should probably spend your efforts fixing the leaks as opposed to try to trying divert the water.

My facilities are 20-25 years old, roof leaks are very rare.

[marcusb]

We always recommend plastic painter's tarps. They're an inexpensive way to add a layer of protection. I've had roof leaks where I had to investigate where the leak really was because the water would follow along a seam or beam and it wasn't where you would have thought. The painter's tarps are more of an extra insurance for the customer not so much as a way to find the leak. IMO

I like this idea and thank you for the feedback.
How do you go about installing it?
If you have pictures that would be great but a good description helps too.

[SBAZ]

Are you a renter or a manager/owner? If you are a renter, and you have stored somewhere known to have leaks you may want to focus your efforts on finding a different storage unit. If you are a manager/owner and you know your roof has leaks, you should probably spend your efforts fixing the leaks as opposed to try to trying divert the water.

My facilities are 20-25 years old, roof leaks are very rare.

I would definitely agree with the above, fix them.

[KrisinCali]

My advice would be to not store valuable items in self storage. Self Storage is great for storing household/business things-the patio set for winter, valuables are really not advised.

[marcusb]

To clear things up:
I am the owner not a renter
I do not currently have leaks
I wish to store items that I want to protect from any future undiscovered leaks

If you have an idea or something you have tried I would appreciate your advice

[KrisinCali]

To clear things up:
I am the owner not a renter
I do not currently have leaks
I wish to store items that I want to protect from any future undiscovered leaks

If you have an idea or something you have tried I would appreciate your advice

Are you in a warm climate or a cool one? Sometimes if there's rapid changes of temp there's moisture formed. Have you ever seen those rigged up water makers? If you're storing furniture etc. I'd recommend something water proof/repellant that's not plastic , then an old sheet and then plastic on top. Don't tape up anything, it will ruin the finish. Even painters tape. (don't ask me how I know )

[KeelHauler1994]

If the unit has no insulation in the roof area, you can close the door and look for any spots of light to seal on the roof.
If the unit has insulation, you can look for discoloring, which might indicate a leak in the roof above this unit. Since the water may have travelled, I mark the edge of the unit walls on the roof with magnets, so when I climb on the roof I know which area that I need to be looking at (and look at areas that drain water into the roof area of that unit) and then seal any questionable areas.

I would use pallets if you have them to elevate your items (since you may have neighbor tenants that have spills). I would put my items in totes if the items fit. If you are wrapping items for long term storage, I would consult a professional. Some types of wrapping are acidic and may discolor items or worse, stick to the items.

I would pick a unit without a foundation relief crack or cracks. I would spray for insects, set glue traps and hang sticky traps. I would think about moth balls or something like that. I had one tenant put down D.E. around the inside of their unit, which was messy and I ended up having to vacuum when they vacated, but they must have had roaches in the past.

You can also put some Damp Rid inside the unit to help control moisture. This does need to be replaced from time to time.

I would cover the items in a tarp that hangs below the level of the items but does not touch the floor of the unit and would not use anything that wicks moisture.

[RandyL]

To clear things up:
I am the owner not a renter
I do not currently have leaks
I wish to store items that I want to protect from any future undiscovered leaks

If you have an idea or something you have tried I would appreciate your advice

I would put pallets on the floor, and some painters plastic over the top of the items. Also don't lean any items against the walls of the unit. If you want some extra protection install Damp Rid or something else similar. I wouldn't do anything additional on top of that.

Is there a reason you are concerned the roofs may leak? Are they getting old?

[marcusb]

If the unit has no insulation in the roof area, you can close the door and look for any spots of light to seal on the roof.
If the unit has insulation, you can look for discoloring, which might indicate a leak in the roof above this unit. Since the water may have travelled, I mark the edge of the unit walls on the roof with magnets, so when I climb on the roof I know which area that I need to be looking at (and look at areas that drain water into the roof area of that unit) and then seal any questionable areas.

I would use pallets if you have them to elevate your items (since you may have neighbor tenants that have spills). I would put my items in totes if the items fit. If you are wrapping items for long term storage, I would consult a professional. Some types of wrapping are acidic and may discolor items or worse, stick to the items.

I would pick a unit without a foundation relief crack or cracks. I would spray for insects, set glue traps and hang sticky traps. I would think about moth balls or something like that. I had one tenant put down D.E. around the inside of their unit, which was messy and I ended up having to vacuum when they vacated, but they must have had roaches in the past.

You can also put some Damp Rid inside the unit to help control moisture. This does need to be replaced from time to time.

I would cover the items in a tarp that hangs below the level of the items but does not touch the floor of the unit and would not use anything that wicks moisture.

These are some great ideas. Thank you very much for these suggestions.
I will do these along with something that hangs as an additional barrier of protection.
It doesn't sound like anyone has done any hanging type of protection, but I am going to try something.
I have read about water diverter hanging tarps but they are very expensive and I would have to buy a large quantity of them.

[RandyL]

These are some great ideas. Thank you very much for these suggestions.
I will do these along with something that hangs as an additional barrier of protection.
It doesn't sound like anyone has done any hanging type of protection, but I am going to try something.
I have read about water diverter hanging tarps but they are very expensive and I would have to buy a large quantity of them.

If you are in a climate that has condensation, you may find that condensation will still form on the bottom of your hanging solution, which could then still drip on items. I would make sure to add a layer of protection directly on top of the items as well as your hanging solution to make sure you are protected either way.

[Flying Sky Ranch]

https://www.selfstoragetalk.com/foru...115#post206115


We simply recommend to our tenants this method. They simply drape the plastic sheeting over their belongings as a layer of protection against the unexpected leak. It also helps keep dust off of things. We always tell tenants whether they rent from us or anyone else remember that storage is just a shed. Unless someone is standing there when a leak happens there's no way for anyone to know until after a leak happens. Our facility is unmanned 90% of the time so we don't sell them but if your office is manned I would recommend selling them. In my experience of 23 years with all kinds of roofing issues ALL ROOFS EVENTUALLY LEAK. A routine maintenance plan is a must but there is still going to be "Murphy's law" play into it. I always remember to "Hope for the best but plan for the worst"