Dealing with a commercial building's roof may seem like a daunting task. Especially for new business owners who lack exposure to these kinds of issues, the learning curve can be significant. While commercial roofing and residential roofing do have some similarities, there are some stark differences as well. It's important that you understand the most common roofing issues that you may encounter with a commercial roof so that you know what to watch for with your building. Here are some of the issues that you need to be attentive to.
Pooling Water
The vast majority of commercial roofs are flat. That creates an inherent vulnerability for standing water. Especially if wear and tear have created any low spots in the roofing surface, water will travel to the lowest point and collect there. Left standing long enough, you'll find that water can seep through the roofing material and cause leaks and water damage inside your building.
Commercial roofing water leaks and repairs are often on a much larger scale than you'd face with residential roofing. After all, you're dealing with more square footage and the potential for more water travel inside the building, too. Addressing pooling water right away can minimize the risk of water leakage inside your building and the subsequent, costly roofing repairs.
Poor Maintenance
Far too many business owners believe that their commercial roof is just an afterthought. As a result, they don't keep up with the maintenance and care that the roof really needs. Like a residential roof, a neglected commercial roof will have a shorter lifespan, may suffer damage, and can be problematic.
You should have your commercial roof inspected annually for any signs of wear and tear or damage. When you first move into your commercial building, you should schedule such an inspection, unless the prior owners have a record of that maintenance. If not, the sooner you can start inspections and routine maintenance, the better it will be for your roof and your building.
Roofing Traffic
Because commercial roofing is typically flat roofing, many business owners see the roof as an extension of the building. This often leads to having people on the roof on a regular basis, including hiring security teams to patrol the property. A lot of foot traffic on your building's roof can lead to punctures in the roofing material. This can cause your roofing to deteriorate, create vulnerabilities for leaks, and more. It's best to avoid unnecessary foot traffic on your roof since they aren't typically designed to withstand that added weight and stress on a regular basis.
Shrinking Roofing
Many types of commercial roofing material will expand and contract with temperature changes. That means the roof will see a lot of changes throughout the different seasons. Unfortunately, this repeated expansion and contraction can sometimes result in roofing material that shrinks and doesn't fully expand back to its normal state. This leaves you with roofing edges that aren't fully protected, edges that may be vulnerable to moisture penetration, and more concerns.
In most cases, this problem is uncovered during an annual roofing inspection and maintenance appointment. Sometimes, your roofing contractors can seal the edges and restore integrity to the roof, but in other cases, you may need to have a new roof installed to fix the problem. Your roofing contractors can advise the best solution if your roofing material has pulled away from the edges of the roof.
These are a few of the many things that you should understand about commercial roofing. There are a lot of misconceptions out there, and commercial roofing gets neglected far too often. With these tips and the help of a local roofing contractor, you can get your commercial roof into good condition and take the steps necessary to keep it that way. Reach out to a local commercial roofing contractor to learn more.
Share31 March 2022
When you want to make your home shine, there are some very important basic components you should be mindful of. For starters, you should evaluate the exterior of your home to determine whether or not the siding or exterior cladding needs to be replaced. Next, you should check to see if the roofing needs to be replaced, since it really can make a powerful difference. Roofing can take up a great deal of the visual space from the outside, so think carefully about how yours looks. Pay attention to issues like aged, curling shingles or roofing that contains dips or divots. Check out this blog for great tips about roofing.
