If you own a commercial business, warehouse, or other large commercial structure, then it’s important to understand the ins and outs of your commercial roof. A commercial roof is an essential part of a business’ operation, as any leaks or issues can lead to costly repairs and disruptions of your day-to-day business operation. While the function of a commercial roof is the same as a residential roof – to protect the contents and occupants from the elements – the installation and care of a commercial roof requires expert technicians. That’s where we come in!
For more than 30 years, we’ve proudly provided the highest quality roofing and waterproofing solutions throughout the western U.S.
Our highly skilled team provides decades of experience coupled with cutting-edge technology to provide the most comprehensive roof repair and waterproofing possible. We’ve put together a guide to help provide an overview of everything you need to know about caring for your commercial roof!
Successful Maintenance
A commercial roof is a large investment, and one of the best ways to protect that investment is through routine maintenance. Often, people don’t think about their commercial roof until there’s an issue, but by then, there may already be extensive and costly damage. That’s why we created our maintenance program. Some of the services included are:
- Complete roof assessment
- Drain inspection and cleaning
- Inspect all flashings at all penetrations and curbs, including pipes and skylights
- Inspect seams in the roof field and expansion joints
- Re-secure loose sheet metal roof flashings and reseal cracked or missing caulk joints
- Advise the client of any repairs exceeding the scope of this agreement
- Copy of Field Report or Formal Assessment with photographs
While most roof systems come with a manufacturer’s warranty – usually between 10-20 years – the most common causes of leaks are not covered by a warranty. Our maintenance program helps our customers proactively identify potential issues in their early stages so they can be corrected before they become catastrophes.
Financing Your Commercial Roof
Your commercial roof is a large investment, and financing is often a necessity. There are many reasons why financing your commercial roof makes sense, and there are a couple of ways you can do it:
- Property Assessed Clean Energy Programs (PACE): This program provides commercial building owners with low monthly payments as well as the option to defer payments on projects that improve building efficiency or add storm damage protection.
- Bank Financing: this is the most common form of financing, and it’s done through a qualified lender. This financing is credit-based, which means interest rates vary from customer to customer.
Identify Flashing Concerns
Flashing is a thin metal material that helps direct water away from your commercial roof’s critical areas, such as walls, vents, skylights, and roof valleys. Flashing is installed everywhere the roof plane meets a vertical surface and can be done with a few different types of flashing materials: copper, aluminum, and steel. When installed properly, commercial roof flashing can last up to 30 years. We inspect all flashing as part of our maintenance program and will address any concerns with our customers in our field report.
Leaks and Other Issues
A leak in your commercial building’s roof can impact your staff, customers, inventory, and business hours. And if left unrepaired, cracks or leaks can cause catastrophic damage in the following ways:
- Mold and Mildew Growth
- Wasted Energy
- Ceiling and Wall Damage
- Electrical Shorts
If you have any concerns about a possible leak in your commercial roof, we have a 24-hour Emergency Response service to help customers manage leaks.
Assess the Condition of the Insulation
Another important aspect of your commercial roof is the insulation. Regardless of the type of roofing system you have, insulation provides numerous long-term benefits such as:
- Heat retention
- Heat prevention
- Energy savings
- Added protection
If you’re unsure about the quality of your commercial roof’s insulation, our team can help provide an assessment and give recommendations on ways we can help improve your building’s insulation.
Need Help with Your Commercial Roof?
We understand that your commercial roof is a big investment, which is why maintaining it makes good business sense. If you have any questions or concerns, our team of experts is here to help!
