3Important Commercial Roof Maintenance Tasks
All that is standing between your commercial space and the elements is the roof on your building. Commercial roofs provide essential protection for employees, customers, and valuable assets housed within a commercial building at any given time.
A commercial roof failure has the potential to financially cripple your business. Many major commercial roof failures start as small issues that could easily be repaired by an experienced roofing technician.
It's important that you identify some of the critical maintenance you should be providing your commercial roof so that you can extend the lifespan of your roofing materials well into the future.
1. Visual Inspections
Frequent visual inspections are your best tool when it comes to spotting potential commercial roof damage early. Too many business owners never take the time to look at the surface of their commercial roof.
The roofing material should be smooth and continuous. Any cracks, holes, or gouges in the rubber membrane found on most commercial buildings could spell disaster for your roof down the road.
The type of minor damage that can be identified during a routine visual inspection is relatively easy to seal off. An experienced roofing contractor will be able to address small areas of damage using specialized patching material to prevent moisture from seeping through the roofing materials and into your commercial space.
Patches are much more affordable than a new roof, and they can help prevent further damage to your building's roof decking and joists.
Carefully examine your commercial roof regularly so that you can spot minor damage before it develops into a major problem.
2. Infrared Inspections
Along with routine visual inspections, your commercial roof should receive frequent infrared inspections.
These inspections are conducted using specialized thermal imaging equipment. The heat signature emitted by your commercial roof is evaluated by a professional roofing contractor during an infrared inspection.
Dry roofing insulation tends to heat up and cool down faster than wet insulation. Any cold spots found on your roof could be areas where a leak has gone undetected and saturated the underlying roofing insulation.
Infrared inspections allow your roofing contractor to identify leaks that may not be visible to the naked eye. The sooner a leak is repaired, the less damage the moisture can cause to your commercial building.
A comprehensive maintenance program will always include regular infrared inspections that can help extend the life of your commercial roofing materials.
3. Regular Cleanings
You must keep your commercial roof clean if you want the roofing materials to last. Regular cleaning sessions can eliminate any contaminants that might cause your roofing materials to deteriorate.
Debris should be manually removed from your commercial roof often. If branches, leaves, and other debris aren't eliminated, they could become lodged in your roof's drains. Clogged drains can lead to pooling water, which could cause your commercial roof to leak.
You should also scrub your commercial roof regularly with specialized cleaning agents.
Many commercial roofs house air conditioner units, vents, and other devices that help facilitate the function of interior systems. Unfortunately, these components contain harmful chemicals that can leak out onto your commercial roof over time.
You must clean antifreeze, grease, oil, and any petroleum-based products off your roof's surface regularly. These chemicals and solvents have the potential to break down the molecular structure of the rubber roofing materials used on many commercial buildings.
As the rubber membrane deteriorates, your roof is no longer able to protect against leaks.
Preventative and regular maintenance are essential to the longevity of your commercial roof. Work closely with your roofing contractor to ensure you are completing regular visual inspection, infrared inspections, and cleanings that will keep your commercial roofing materials healthy over time. Contact a commercial/industrial roofing company in your area to learn more.