Temperature fluctuations have serious impacts on your commercial roofing throughout a season. In the winter this is even more drastic when you consider the day and night temperature swings. These temperature changes coupled with water are the reason it’s so important to make sure your commercial roof is maintained and in proper working conditions.
Here is how you can prepare your commercial roof for the winter months to ensure problems don’t arise.
Roof History
Knowing your roofing history is important to paint an overall picture. When was the current membrane installed, what is the inspection history, and very importantly, what is the maintenance history of the roof?
While signs like ceiling stains due to water can be an obvious indicator that it’s time for repair or maintenance, we would recommend you hire a roofing contractor to do inspections in the fall.
Scheduled Inspections
It’s very important that you schedule this inspection mentioned above before the freezing temperatures come in late fall. A professional inspector will look for issues with seam quality, traffic areas, base attachments, and drainage systems. With regular inspections of your roof, you will be made aware of small issues before they become major issues, saving you money and hassle.
Perform Any Recommended Repairs ASAP
Performing repairs immediately before the onset of freezing temperatures should go without saying, as any delay and onset of wet and then freezing temperatures accompanied with fluctuations will result in worsening problems as your roof membrane expands and contracts, allowing for water to freeze in the problem areas to only make the damages worse.
Make sure all drainage is kept clear throughout the winter, come spring if there are any drainage issues, they will amplify as the snow and ice melt and could leave considerable amounts of pooling water on the roof which could potentially leak in great amounts into your building, causing further damage and money loss.
Keep up on Maintenance
Once you have had your roof inspected it’s important to keep up on regular maintenance. If you have maintenance technicians on-site, you should have them check for things such as branches and ensure that the draining systems are working properly, and gutters are cleaned out.
You might be better off hiring commercial roofing professionals to do these inspections as well, they will make double sure that all maintenance needs are properly met.
Creating a snow removal plan for large snow buildup throughout the winter can also help prevent damage. Snow accumulation adds massive amounts of weight and strain to your roof, especially if winter storms leave 6 to 12 inches of snow in a short amount of time. It should be noted that improper and hasty snow removal could potentially damage the membrane of your roof. Snow guards can help with issues like drifting snow on your roof, ask your roofing contractor if they would recommend adding snow guards to your roof.
Check Your Surroundings
Check the surroundings of your building for potentially damaging tree branches or nearby trees. During high winds and ice buildup, a tree branch could break and severely damage your roof.
If you have any tree branches in the near vicinity it might be a good idea to trim any potentially damaging limbs or possibly the entire tree.
Conclusion
Knowing your roof, scheduling regular inspections, keeping up on maintenance, and addressing repairs quickly will help keep your commercial roof in-check throughout the year, not just for the winter months.
Talk to a roofing professional that specializes in Duro-Last Roof Systems about your options to extend the life of your roof and protect it through the harsh winter months.
Questions about your commercial roof or Duro -Last? MacDermott Roofing can help! We are leading experts of the Duro-Last Roof System. As an Elite Master Contractor, we have been providing commercial roofing installation, replacement, and repair throughout Michigan for over 40 years. We have the highest quality work, reputation for service, technical skill and product knowledge ensuring your commercial roof is in good hands. Call us today for a Free Estimate and speak to a roofing expert!