Your commercial roofing system is one of the most important features of your building, so keeping it maintained is crucial. Regular maintenance is key for peace of mind, safety, protection and will ultimately prolong the lifespan of your roof. So, use our advice below to effectively maintain your roof and keep it in immaculate condition.
Making the most of your commercial roofing system
Retaining your commercial roof’s integrity is made easy with regular maintenance checks and swift repairs. If you notice an issue with your roof early on and fix it as soon as possible, this is more financially advantageous. If a problem is left to worsen over time as you have not carried out a thorough inspection, you are at risk of paying out a fortune on repair costs later down the line. In terms of inspecting your roof, we advise how you can carry out your own ‘mini inspection’ below, but we highly recommend leaving this to a professional when possible. In the roofing industry, the standard rule of thumb is that you should have your commercial roof inspected at least twice a year. Most people have their roof examined in spring or autumn as it ensures all issues are resolved before entering each extreme season. In the summer and winter months, your roof will be forced to withstand a shift in temperature, and possibly very extreme weather conditions, so you need to be 100% sure it is in great condition. Now, without further delay, here are our top tips for maintaining your commercial roofing system.
Create a strategic plan
Maintaining your commercial roof should not only be implemented when there is obvious damage but should instead be consistent and well-planned out beforehand. By creating a strategic maintenance plan, you can keep your roof looking attractive, avoid costly repairs and improve safety. When creating your maintenance plan, there a number of things you should take into consideration that does not only concern the roof but the entire structure.
Climate
It is vital to align the feasibility of maintenance procedures with the climate and weather conditions. Inspecting your roof on a rainy and windy day, for example, is probably not the best idea as it is inevitable for pools of water to build up and debris/dirt to be present. Instead, you should aim to implement your plan on a fairly sunny day where you can fully assess the condition of the roof. Moreover, you should take note of the parts of the roof which are exposed to extremely harsh weather, as you may need to schedule more regular maintenance checks for these areas.
Building Size
Taking the building size into consideration when devising your plan will help you determine how many hours/days/weeks are needed to perform the necessary maintenance tasks. Factoring in the size of the building will allow you to create realistic and specific timelines, making the process more organised and refined.
Business Operations
One of the most important factors which you should acknowledge when creating a maintenance plan is the day-to-day routine of those working inside the building. By doing this, you will be able to effectively carry out maintenance at times and days, which is unlikely to cause major disruption and allow employees to continue working without distraction.
Know what to look for
To keep your commercial roof in pristine condition, we highly recommend carrying out regular inspections. Although conducting simple visual inspections yourself can be beneficial, the process should ideally be handled by experts. We advise having your inspection carried out by a reputable roofing contractor because, if done correctly, roof inspections can help extend the roofing lifespan. However, there is no harm having your own ‘mini inspection’ every now and then to make sure everything is as it should be. When inspecting the roof yourself, you should try and look for the following:
- Visible damage and debris
- Exterior structural components
- Interior roofing components
How to improve your roofing system
If you think the exterior of your commercial building needs some TLC, then you have come to the right place as we have a number of services which can help. As experts in cladding spraying, we can transform your property and give it a new, refreshing look, which is guaranteed to make a lasting impression. All of our exceptional cladding coatings can be accurately colour matched to your preference, leaving stunning results. Alternatively, if you find your cladding needs more than a little makeover as it has been damaged in some way, we offer seamless cladding panel repairs. It is not uncommon for cladding panels to suffer from accidental scratches or dents, or roofing to leak, which is why our repair service is vital for keeping your property looking brand new. It is of utmost importance to us that our repair services do not disrupt the working day of anyone in the building. To ensure our repair process does not become a distraction, we use the latest state of the art equipment as it allows us to complete repairs in minimal time.
As previously mentioned, keeping your roof maintained is vital to the safety of those inside the building. If you are looking for more ways to protect the structure of your property and make it a safe working environment, you should consider fire protection spraying. Corporate premises are filled with a whole host of potential fire risks, so implementing preventative measures which minimise the risk of a fire is an absolute must. If your building becomes exposed to high temperatures, our fire protection coating will act as a protective layer of low conductivity foam. This then allows more time for evacuation and effectively prolongs the structural materials ability to withstand the impact of the fire.
Common commercial roof problems
The two most common types of roofing are sloped and flat, but flat roofing is more widely used in commercial and industrial properties. With this in mind, we thought it would be useful to inform you of common issues many business owners encounter with their commercial flat roof:
- Leaks
- Surface Degradation
- Pooled or Stagnant Water
- Holes, Blisters, Dents or Punctures in the Membrane
- Flashing and Membrane Damages
- Blocked Drains
- Plant Growth (Algae, Moulds, Mildew, Fungi etc.)
Keeping your commercial roof in pristine condition
Maintaining your commercial roof may seem like a trivial, tedious task, but the end goal has beneficial results – making it very much worth the effort! Although you may be under the impression that there is a lot to consider and implement when inspecting your roof, once you incorporate it into your business routine, it will become second nature. We hope our guide has helped you understand the importance of maintaining your roof and enlightened you on the many ways in which you can keep it doing its job for as long as possible.