- December 13, 2018
- Posted by: bmroofing
- Categories: North Carolina, Tips
When it comes to commercial roofing, there is nothing more important than protecting your investment. Roofing isn’t our job; It’s our PASSION. Here are 12 commercial roofing tips.
Commercial Roofing Tip 1: Repair or Replacement
A roof undergoes serious wear and tear throughout its lifetime, with factors such as weathering and degeneration taking their toll. Through scientific testing and analysis, a roofing provider can outline the current condition of your roof and to help you decide if roof repair or restoration is an option or whether roof replacement is necessary. The building should dictate the roofing system, so the roofing provider must be familiar with building codes, energy solutions and various roof systems to help you make the best decision for your specific system and building type. Choosing a roofing provider that offers repair and restoration options, not just replacements, improves the likelihood of an accurate analysis and a successful plan for your roof and your budget. A good rule of thumb is to consider repairing your roof if it will survive its original service life expectancy without exceeding the cost of a new roof.
Commercial Roofing Tip 2: Roof Inspections
You can never visually inspect your commercial roof enough. Getting up on the roof to walk around may be a hassle, but is it more of a hassle than spending the money to replace it in 10 years rather than having it last for 15 or 20?
What should you be looking for? Blocked drains and ponding water would be a good place to start. After a storm, get up on the roof and make sure no damage has been done by a branch or a piece of material that came loose. Clear debris away from any drains to prevent water from sitting too long. The number one cause of roof leaks is weight on one part of a roof that has been there too long. This is the result of someone not being vigilant and checking the roof.
We suggest a roof inspection at least 3-4 times per year. Preventative maintenance is the key to extending the life expectancy of your roofing system.
Commercial Roofing Tip 3: The Importance of Having a Reputable Roofing Contractor
Have a leak? Who are you going to call? How quickly do you expect them to respond to and repair your issue? What will you do if it will take them too long to repair your issue? What tools do you have on hand to fix the problem temporarily? These are all questions you need to have answered in your plan. Without the roof over the heads of the tenants in a building, the structure would be useless and unprofitable.
Having a roofing company that specializes in commercial roofing is important as well, especially having one with a local presence in the area. Having a roofer you trust and can rely on to do the work you need, when you need it done will save you headaches and dollars in the long run.
Commercial Roofing Tip 4: Key Questions to Ask When Choosing a Commercial Roofing Contractor:
- Do you specialize in commercial roofing projects?
- How long have you been in business?
- Are you licensed and insured?
- How many team members do you have handling service work?
- What is the response time for an emergency repair?
- Can you provide references of clients you have been working with for over 2 years?
- Do you have experience working with my type of roof?
Commercial Roofing Tip 5: Choosing a Manufacturer
Partner with an experienced and proven manufacturer. You get what you pay for. Track record, guaranteed thickness, high grade raw materials, state-of-the art production facilities, detailed design solutions, skilled technical teams and a certified contractor base all result in a winning project.
Commercial Roofing Tip 6: Reflective Cool Roofs
Save energy with a cool roof in all climates. Building owners across the US in both hot and cold climates are subject to peak energy demand charges, which can represent 30 to 70 percent of a total commercial user’s electric bill. Reflective cool roofs are an efficient strategy to reduce peak demand power usage and result in a net energy savings.
12 Commercial Roofing Tips
Commercial Roofing Tip 7: In-House Maintenance
It’s always sound roofing practice to develop an in-house roofing maintenance program to increase life expectancy. Cleaning gutters of unwanted debris and sharp objects around mechanical units that could clog or puncture the roofing system is a preventative maintenance fundamental.
Commercial Roofing Tip 8: Initial Cost vs. Life Cycle Cost
Initial cost vs. life cycle cost. In most cases, the lowest cost option appears to be the most attractive, but not always the best long-term solution. Lower cost options tend to have shorter life cycles and increased maintenance costs resulting in replacements that are more frequent and unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. They typically offer the least amount of sustainability value as well. Re-roofing can easily cost 2-3 times that of a well designed system and maintenance program on the front end. Consider life cycle costing for a greater ROI.
Commercial Roofing Tip 9: Roof Overlays
In most jurisdictions, a second roof can be installed over an existing roof saving the owner money on labor, tear -off and land fill fees. Also, make sure a comprehensive moisture survey is conducted before roofing over an existing roof. All wet areas should be removed and replaced to ensure a long lasting new roof installation. Structurally or using tapered insulation slope to drain is always good roofing practice. Ponding water can harbor bacteria, mold growth, dirt build up, etc.
Commercial Roofing Tip 10: Proactive vs. Reactive Roof Maintenance
Proactive versus reactive maintenance is key to extending the life of your roofing system. Owners and facility managers who react to problems as they occur, pay an average of 25¢ per square foot annually for maintenance. Owners and facility managers who inspect and repair routinely (proactively) – before problems happen – spend an average of only 14¢ per square foot annually. Plus, proactively maintained roofs last an average of 21 years compared to an average lifespan of 13 years for reactive maintenance. The longer you can extend your roof’s life before replacement, the more your overall savings increase, and your life cycle costs decrease.
Commercial Roofing Tip 11: Roofing Technology
A roofing provider that has made an investment in technology can help take the guesswork out of your roof repair and maintenance decisions. Online software can help you manage roof assets easier, and through a variety of tracking and reporting options, including inventory management, in-depth reporting, invoice tracking and data tracking, you can more accurately determine your roof’s lifespan and avoid unexpected costs associated with emergency repairs.
Commercial Roofing Tip 12: Experience Matters
Surprisingly, weather is not the most common threat to a roof’s durability. Approximately 40% of all roof problems occur because of human error due to workers going on your roof for window washing, HVAC repair, etc., faulty maintenance or poor installation in the first place. Therefore, proper training, experience and consistent performance are all essential when choosing a roofing provider.
When looking for a new commercial roof, the overall message is: do your homework. Make sure you research everything from the type of roofing material that is best for your commercial building, to the professional that Is going to install it. Once you get your roof, take care of it, maintain it and keep up with inspections.
Donald – I agree! This is so important! A roof is a BIG investment and should be taken proper care of!
Matt of Fort Wayne Roofing Contractors
I didn’t know that a roof undergoes serious wear and tear throughout its lifetime, with factors such as weathering and degeneration taking their toll. My brother has a restaurant and its roof has holes and leaks because of the storm. My dad suggested having roofers to install a new commercial roof and shared this article with him.
When you have a commercial roof then property managers must be proactive and must have a maintenance contract with a trusted roofer who would visit the property twice a year and carry out maintenance task. This would ensure that all problems are timely identified and rectified and roof stays strong and stable for a long time.
Thanks a lot for sharing these tips. Here in Toronto, we have problems like ice damming during the winter. But we have roof rakes to remove the ice from the rooftops. We also used to get seasonal repairs for the roof.
thank you so much for sharing this great article
I’m glad that you mention using proactive maintenance in order to extend the life of your roofing system, which can help you increase savings. In order to do this, you’d probably want to talk to your roofing installation company to see if they offer maintenance and repairs or whether they have any recommendations for any other professionals. If you do this, it could help you start taking care of your system when it’s installed so that it will last as long as possible.
Thank you for all these fantastic tips to finding a roofing contractor! One thing that really stood out to me is that you say to find out if they have experience with your type of roof! It would also be nice to see if they have been in your area long enough to find out what materials work best for the weather.
I’m glad that you mention using proactive maintenance in order to extend the life of your roofing system, which can help you increase savings. Thank you so much for sharing this great article!
Thanks for these tips for a commercial roof. I’m glad you explained that you should look for blocked drains on the roof. I’m kind of interested to know what these could look like, especially for really small blockages.
I like that you said you can never inspect your commercial roof enough. I’m sure that is true because your roof is a very important part of your building. If there is something wrong with the roof, it could cause damage inside your commercial building as well. Leaks could become a very serious issue if they aren’t caught right away.
My roof is starting to fall apart! If it wasn’t for my dad I wouldn’t care, but he told me it can lead to more problems than just an unattractive roof. I love the advice in this artical about saving energy with a cool roof in all climates. I didn’t know that both hot and cold climates are subject to peak energy demand charges. That reflective cool roofs are an efficient strategy to reduce the energy I am using! I will need to find a good roofing company to help me install my roof.
This roofing article is very informative and helpful, this will help you a lot if you are looking for a great contractor
This is some really good information about getting a commercial roof repaired. I liked that you stressed the importance of experience when you are looking for a roofer. Personally, I would just look at the price. But it seems it seems like it would be smart to check the price and experience.
Thanks for the tips on roofing, especially for commercial roofs. I agree that you should be inspecting your roof as much as possible so you can find drainage blocks or other signs of needed repairs. In my opinion, you should have a professional come by at least twice a year to inspect the roof.
Thanks for your comment about how a roofing contractor should be experienced doing these types of services. I also like how you said that they should be insured and licensed as well. My husband and I are looking for a roofer to install a new roof on our house.
I have been researching commercial roofing for a little while now. It would be nice if I had a clear understanding of what to look for in a company. What you mentioned about the types of technology that the service has is a great starting point for me.
Camille, Thanks for asking. Here’s an article that can help you make your decision.
Hiring a commercial roofer nowadays is a tough task. One must need to be careful and thorough in choosing. There are lots of scammers out there waiting for their next target. Thank you for sharing this helpful article!
I really liked the tips in the article regarding how to choose decent commercial roofing contractors. In fact, the tips mentioned above stand true for any kind of construction company out there. I’ve hired a roofing company about 4 months ago to reinstall the roof of my garage and the top #3 questions I always ask are:
1. Are they licensed?
2. Can they provide me with at least 5 references
3. How long have they been in business for and can they prove that
An additional question I would also recommend asking is are they accredited by the major business referral companies like the Better Business Bureau. There are not many companies out there that have the A+ rating like this company here: https://aplusroofinggutters.com/ or bmroofingcontractors.
Great article and advice.
My roof is old and fraying, so I’ve been looking to get it replaced. You made a great point when you said that I’ll want to find a roofer that has a local presence, as it shows they are more reputable. Another great tip I’ve heard is to ask them for previous client referrals, so you can get an in depth review of their services.
Roof maintenance ensures that your home remains strong and is capable of withstanding harsh weather conditions over the rest of the year. That is why it is essential to perform roof maintenance regularly to avoid future damage that will cause harm and will make you spend a lot of money on repairs. Thank you for sharing this information.
People are often quite lazy to check the roof of their home, but it might feel like a better idea if you think it as a way of saving money. Like you said, having the roof last for 15 to 20 years rather than 10 years sounds like good deal, and all you need is to check your roof few times a year. Thank you for also clearing what you should try to look for, like blocked drains. By noticing the small issues early enough you might survive with only a small repair instead of more expensive re-roofing.
The roof in my sister’s bakeshop is leaking after the storm last week and it’s causing discomfort to some of her customers. It was mentioned here that it’s important to hire a reputable roofing contractor because she can trust and rely on them to do the work. Furthermore, it’s ideal to hire professionals when dealing with roofing problems.
It’s really interesting that by having your roof inspected at least 3 times a year, you are able to extend the life expectancy of your roofing system by 5 or more years. This sounds like a great idea to me since it will save costs in the long run. I would imagine that businesses would rather hire a roofing contractor to inspect the roof than do it themselves because a contractor will understand what they are looking for.
I like how you said that You can never visually inspect your commercial roof enough. I am getting my roof checked out this year. Thanks for the tips on roofing.
Our roof was badly damaged because of the storm last night. It was explained here that it will be best to have the roof repaired to expand the life expectancy of the roof. Furthermore, it’s recommended to hire professional general contractors for quality work.
Blocked drains can be a nightmare for a roof. I will have to be on the lookout for that the next time I am on my roof. When is a good time to replace a roof?
Thanks for commenting. If your area has been subject to high winds, tornadoes, hail storms, or hurricanes, you would be wise to schedule an inspection immediately! Regular roofing maintenance and inspections have been proven to increase roof longevity significantly. Check out our commercial roofing inspection article for more information.
It makes sense that commercial roofs may be flat. Proper maintenance for those would be important! You wouldn’t want to have to worry about water puddling up there or anything, after all.
I was talking to a friend the other day about her interest in getting roofing. She wants to make sure that she is getting the right service for her needs. It might help if she knew that choosing someone with the right technology will make things easier.
Thanks for providing an excellent list of questions to ask a potential roofing contractor. I appreciate how thorough the questions are. I think that I will have to remember these the next time I am looking for someone to fix my roof.
Such a great and informative post. This can be a big help for me with my future project
I love how I learned so much while reading this. l must share post! A must share post
You are very right that with any commercial roofing job, you should have a reputable roofing contractor. That way, you can be sure that the job will get done right and done on time. I know that when the day comes to where I’ll have to get my roof redone, I would for sure get the help of a contractor.
That was a nice information, thank you for sharing. It’s a pleasure to visit here.
Clay and tiles roofs last much long than other roofs but nowadays metal roofs are very popular and people consider choosing those roofs which are popular and enhance their home look. Thanks for sharing these tips
Yeah, I agree that for people in Canada the damage to roofs must be fairly extensive with all the snow! Hadn’t thought about that. The top Key Questions to Ask When Choosing a Commercial Roofing Contractor are also great to get you started in selecting a good roofer.
I liked what you said about needing someone who works with commercial roofing. I never really thought about how there’s a difference in the work that a residential roofer does over a commercial one. It’s something that I’ll keep in mind for future projects.
What a great piece of content. Being a roofers in Chennai we would like to thank you bmroofing professionals. This article deserves to be a shareable one. Keep up the good work!!!
Always make sure they are licensed! Also, ask for references. A reliable roofing company will be happy to provide you with that Reliable Fence Company
My sister is worried about her roof because it was badly damaged last winter. It was explained here that she needs to consider if the roof needs to be repaired or replaced. Furthermore, it’s recommended to hire professionals when in need of roof contractors.