Caring for Your Commercial Roof

A proactive approach to commercial roof maintenance will ensure that no unforeseen problems affect your business operations or the comfort of employees and customers. While some commercial roof care tasks can be performed on your own, others should only be completed by an experienced roofer. Taking care of your roof by maintaining it regularly will not only save you money over the short term, it will benefit you in the long term as well—studies show that well-maintained roofing lasts an average of 21 years longer than roofing that is not cared for regularly.

Maintain Your HVAC Equipment

Many commercial buildings have HVAC systems located on the roof. Although you may not think about how you HVAC system affects your roof, problems with roof-mounted air conditioners, fans, and air handlers can damage to your roof as well. Condensation or ice formation on a poorly-maintained cooling system can cause water damage and promote the growth of mold and mildew, which could lead to deterioration of roofing materials. Excessive vibration from an overworked or aging HVAC system can cause cracks or other damage to the material of your roof as well, leading to air and water leaks that cause further trouble. Thus, maintaining your top-level HVAC equipment is an important step toward both indoor comfort and roofing integrity.

Trim Your Trees

If the landscaping around your commercial building includes tall trees with overhanging branches, keeping these trees maintained will also protect your roof. Avoid letting branches get so long or heavy that they bow down close to your roof, as poorly-supported branches could snap off in a storm or high winds, causing damage. Gutters can easily become clogged with plant debris from overhanging branches, which could cause leaks that damage your property and invite the growth of mold. Furthermore, pests and insects could use overhanging branches to reach your roof, damaging it and paving the way to larger pest problem as well. Keeping any trees located near your building healthy and well-trimmed will reduce the risk of damage to your roof.

Inspect Your Roof

At least once a year, perform a thorough visual inspection of your roof. Look for areas of pooling water, bowed or sloped roofing, missing gravel or other roofing material, and other signs of damage that should be addressed. If your roof includes chimneys, check the condition of the flashing and mortar around them as well. Don’t wait to schedule repairs if you think your roof needs them—letting small problems grow into large ones by ignoring them will only cause you more stress and cost more to repair in the future. If you aren’t able to inspect your roof on your own or aren’t comfortable doing so, talk to a professional roofer about scheduling an annual roofing inspection.

Caring for your commercial roof will reduce the cost of annual maintenance by up to 11 cents per square foot. Additionally, regular care and repairs will increase the longevity of your roof and improve the appearance of your commercial property. Click through our website to find out more about commercial roof installation, roof repair, and roof maintenance in Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, and McLean.