Commercial Flat Roof Maintenance
Flat Roof Maintenance For Commercial Properties
Commercial flat roofs have to be taken care of to ensure they don’t break down on you. It is normal for property owners to assume a flat roof is going to last a long time but it is important to think about your maintenance strategy right away. It is not always as easy as it seems.
When there is a flat roof, you will have to check on the roof at all times. This is to ensure potential cracks or debris don’t become the root cause of major damage later on. You will want to ensure all safety requirements are kept in mind when it comes to how the flat roof works out.
If you have inclement weather in the area, you will know how important it is to get on top of things. This is why the flat roof maintenance schedule has to be settled as soon as possible.
Here is a look at a few tips that will help out over the long haul.
Manage the Ponding
When there is precipitation, you will have to start thinking about where the water is collecting. The water may be going to get into areas that will lead to major issues. This is what is known as ponding. You see water collect near the lower roof areas and it is important to clear them out as soon as you can.
You don’t want ponding to become a long-term issue as that is when the damage goes out of control. The best option is to strengthen the lower areas of a flat roof for this reason alone.
Include Air Gaps
A commercial flat roof is going to be made of timbers, which means it can rot. You have to think about adding air gaps between the timbers. This is to ensure condensation doesn’t become an issue later on.
To do this, you will want to add the air gap during the construction phase within the underside of the deck. This allows for easier ventilation. It’s essential to do this as a way to avoid a situation where damage becomes a real concern.
Clean The Drains
It’s important to understand how messy drains can get and the impact this has on a roof. Commercial roofs are larger and tend to take on the brunt of the damage when it comes to ensuring water flows through as expected. IT is important to maintain the drain, scuppers, and gutters at all times. You do not want anything in the gutters as that is when the damage is done.
The drainage system getting blocked is common whether it is trash, mud, or general debris. You might even have to deal with snow that freezes inside the gutters. It is important to make sure you are maintaining the drains for this reason alone.
Maintainance for Cracks
When there is bad weather around, you will also have to account for freezing. This means the roof begins to crack in odd places and that is the last thing you are going to want with a flat roof. If there were issues when building the flat roof, the stress may be going to cause breakage.
Even small cracks can start to open up with time if they are not taken care of as soon as possible. This is where patch kits do come in handy. When there are bigger cracks, it is going to lead to additional issues that have to be accounted for.
Blisters
Blisters are often associated with the skin and that is indeed one type of blister. However, there is also what is known as a roofing blister, which happens when there is moisture or air trapped underneath the first layer of the roof. This leads to serious damage that will start to weaken the rooftop. You have to be careful when doing this as that is the only way to avoid additional damage when it comes to the roof.
Always assess the roof and avoid a situation where cracks develop. This is when major breaks happen and that is a costly repair to deal with at the best of times.
Handle The Debris
It is important to think about where the snow is collecting when it comes to debris on the flat roof. You don’t want a situation where there are spots that start to break down as that is when you are going to struggle a lot.
it is essential to think about how you are maintaining a flat roof and how it all works out over the long term. If you are not clearing out the roof, it will only get worse and the debris is going to pile up.
In addition to the common flat roofing materials like BUR, modified bitumen, TPO, EPDM, PVC, green roofs, and metal roofing, proper flat roof maintenance includes regular inspections, debris removal, good drainage, preventive maintenance, roof coatings, snow removal, and professional assistance.
Final Thoughts
Maintenance tips are a must when it comes to managing commercial roofs. You cannot leave them as-is because that is when things spiral out of control. You need to go with a qualified roofing expert in Ohio such as Apply Rite Roofing. This is one way to ensure the results are in your favor. To learn more, give us a call as soon as you can.
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