If you own a commercial building, you may have a lot of questions about keeping the building in great condition. One aspect not to ignore is the roof, but ignoring your roof can lead to many disasters issues, such as drainage problems and unwanted heat gain. If you would like to learn more, check out these three common problems with commercial roofs.
1. Drainage Issues
Commercial roofs are often flat, which leads to one major issue: standing water. Traditional home roofs typically have a slope that allows the water to drain to the gutters. However, with a flat roof, gutters alone are not enough. Many flat commercial roofs do have gutters with downspouts, but they also have scuppers, which allow water to spill off the side of the roof if it gets too full.
Drains directly on the roof are also necessary. These are incredibly important near the center of the roof because that water may never reach the gutters or scupper. If your roof has poor drainage, you will need to fix the issue, but you may also need to repair roof leaks. Standing water can slowly damage the roofing material, wearing it down to create a leak inside the building.
Leaks that spread inside the building can lead to many issues, but roof leaks are often hidden at first, so you may not realize there is a leak until the damage has spread. The first signs of leaks may be water stains on the ceiling or along the tops of walls. There may also be a musty odor. This odor may worsen if mold or mildew stars to grow. If ignored, the moisture from leaks may attract pests or affect the stability of the roof by rotting wood and similar materials.
2. Heat Gain
Heat gain is a common problem for anyone with a roof, and in big factories or buildings, heat gain can quickly make the work environment terrible. This is especially worse if there are lots of equipment that helps add heat. If this is a constant problem for your business, consider a cool roof.
Cool roofs come in many options, and even for commercial buildings, you have multiple options. Some of the most common options include membranes and modified bitumen. For protection against heat gain, however, a thermoset roof membrane or a thermoplastic roof membrane are the better choices.
Both are excellent at resisting UV light. UV light does not only add heat to the building; it can damage the roof. These roofs often come in white, so they are also highly reflective.
3. Expansion and Contraction
A lot of materials expand in the heat and contract in the cold. This can become a problem for your roof. The repetitive stress from expanding and contracting can lead to problems like loose screws, loose flashing, loose shingles, and loose roofing material.
If left ignored, this loosening can increase the risk of the roof blowing off in a storm. Metal is more likely to expand and contract, so if your roof is metal, you may need to maintain it a little more carefully than a bitumen or membrane roof.
Thanks to the nature of their design, membrane roofs, in particular, are great at withstanding expansion and contraction. Not only does this mean less maintenance, but it means your roof may last longer or you can go longer without repairs.
If your commercial roof is getting worn, or it needs a few repairs, don't wait. A minor issue can lead to an expensive repair in the future. For more information about how we can help,
contact us at Cochran Construction Company today.
