How To Maintain Your Commercial Roof This Summer

Every season has its effect on your commercial roof. As one season fades to welcome another, the wear and tear on your commercial roof increases. You should be prepared to mitigate some, if not all of these effects, to prolong your roof’s lifespan. Your roof is stressed due to falling temperatures in autumn, snow and ice during the winter months leave their harsh marks, and springtime brings rain showers that cause leaks and other water damages. The summer months are no different. Summer has the worst effect on your roof, and this is perhaps more reason you should take action.

The Effect Of Summer On Your Commercial Roof

Thermal Shock

Most roofing companies near me agree that summer months bring a combination of heat, humidity, and prolonged sunshine exposure. These three factors can break down your commercial roof membranes and expose them to greater levels of wear and tear. As the summer temperature rises, your roof membranes are subjected to higher levels of expansion and contraction, which repeatedly happens until the season’s end. The repeated expansion and contraction can cause fractures in different parts of your commercial roof resulting in leaks or other extensive damages.

Sun Damage

The sun is known to be rich in UV rays. During the summer months, your commercial roof is exposed to longer hours of UV exposure, which can quickly degrade your roofing materials. Roofing materials that aren’t treated are at a greater risk of damage. With extended exposure, your roof materials may become bleached or blackened.

Drying

The continuous exposure of roofing materials, roof linings, and other structural materials can cause them to dry out during the summer months. Dried-out roof materials become brittle and easily crack. These cracks often compromise the roof’s integrity and may expose it to greater damage during subsequent seasons.

Moisture Retention

Commercial roofs are at a high risk of retaining moisture during the summer months due to the high level of humidity. Retained moisture can further compromise the roofing materials, create leak holes, and may result in roof collapse when undetected or left unattended.

Popped Seams And Loose Screws

Summer months are known for a combination of high heat, prolonged UV ray exposure, and continuous expansion and contraction of roofing materials in response to heat changes. This combination may result in the gradual movement of screws along the roofing materials’ surface. They can also lead to popped roof seams which leave the commercial roof to greater dangers if unattended.

To protect your commercial roof, hiring a commercial roofing company for roof inspections is recommended. Commercial roofing companies know what to look for and can perform repairs and preventive maintenance ahead of the summer season.

Why Invest In Roof Inspections Ahead Of Summer?

Your commercial roofing system is one of the most expensive installations in your commercial building. Any problem with your roof can compromise the comfort and safety of inhabitants and users of your commercial building. Added to these, your roof has an impact on the value of your property. Leaving your roof unattended has a lot of risks. A commercial roof inspection will help identify potential problems with your roof and encourage repairs before they become worse. Stalling on routine inspections can expose your roof to greater damages that will cost much more to repair.

Inspections also improve your roof maintenance practices. With roof inspections, you get a clear picture of your commercial roof’s condition, thus encouraging you to take maintenance actions. Roof maintenance is often a great way to save money and prolong your roof’s lifespan. Routine roof maintenance ensures that minor roof problems are quickly addressed before they become a major problem.

Commercial roof inspectors are trained on what to look for during inspections. These signs help them understand the condition of your commercial roof and the actions that should be taken. During an inspection, the inspector looks for the common signs of commercial roof damage. Some of these signs include:

  • Damaged roof membranes (e.g., cracks, punctures, or blisters)
  • Water damage to the walls and ceilings
  • Discoloration of walls and ceilings
  • Cracks in walls
  • Damaged or loose flashing
  • Cracks in parapets
  • Caulking gaps around any units on the roof
  • Loose nails or screws poking through the roof membranes
  • Bald or bare spots
  • Deterioration of the walls below the roof deck

These damages could be caused by extreme heat but can be made worse over time and due to seasonal changes. The key to protecting your commercial roof and investment is calling on a commercial company for a roof inspection and maintenance service. These can save you a lot of money while also preparing your roof for the summer season.