Winter Preparation For Your Commercial Roofing

Winter can be brutal on a commercial flat roof if it is not adequately prepared. Roof problems that arise during the winter can impact the rest of your building. To safeguard your investment, have an experienced commercial roofing professional clean and inspect your roof in the fall, or at the very least before the snowfalls. In the fall, gather stakeholders, develop a snow removal strategy, and approve any roof repairs.

While you should hire a professional roofer to prepare your roof for winter, you and the other building stakeholders should also take the time to understand the steps that a professional should take to protect your roof. You must be able to evaluate professional quotes and ask pertinent questions about your specific roof’s requirements.

Is Your Roof Ready For Winter?  

Months of the hot summer sun, stormy weather, ponding water, temperature extremes, and rooftop foot traffic can all harm your building’s roof system. In addition to the usual suspects:

• Was there any recent rooftop HVAC repair or maintenance? After HVAC work, the flashing and surfaces around that equipment must be inspected to ensure no damage on the roof near the units during repairs.
• Have you recently had any renovations to your building, such as adding or other structural changes? These changes can compromise the integrity of your roofing system, so those “transition” areas should be inspected to ensure they remain weathertight.
• Is your roof getting old and needs a general inspection to avoid the effects of weather and aging with timely repairs? Everything exposed to weather and sun deteriorates, especially roof surfaces exposed to UV radiation, temperature changes, and weather conditions. Appropriate maintenance can extend the life of a roof system by several years, allowing a capital portion to be invested in business applications rather than the roofing.

Fall and early winter are ideal times to inspect your commercial roof for any damage or weathering that may be present and to ensure that minor issues do not become major ones. Examining now, before severe weather arrives, makes potential problems easier to identify and correct.

Best Roof For Snow And High Winds?  

• Asphalt shingles – Can withstand high winds.
• Strong enough to withstand heavy rains, hailstorms, and hurricanes.
• Metal – Protects against wind and debris.
• Slate – Prevents the roof from blowing off in high winds.

Top 5 Ways To Make Your Commercial Roofing Winter-Proof  

How would you ensure that your roof has been properly cleaned? What exactly is a proper roof inspection?

We will answer your questions and explain every aspect of commercial roof winterization in this guide so that you are prepared for conversations with your roofer and are more informed about the steps they should take to protect your roof.

Clean Your Commercial Roof

Before your roof inspection, request that your roofing professional clean the roof. Debris removal allows the professional to inspect every part of the roof. Furthermore, cleaning the top prevents rot, mold, moss, blocked drainage, and other problems from developing on the roof during the winter and early spring.

Your roofing professional should look for signs of animal infestation while cleaning. If animals are already familiar with your roof, they may try to take shelter from the cold and cause damage.

Your roofer or an animal/pest removal expert can advise you on keeping animals off the roof. They may recommend the following steps:

• Unless the animal is legally protected, remove any nesting materials.
• Fill in any gaps that allow animals to enter the building through the roof.
• Remove any food or nesting materials that have fallen from a nearby tree, such as nuts or leaves.
• Trim nearby trees that provide a haven for squirrels and raccoons to climb onto the roof.
• Repair ponding and slow drainage so that animals don’t have access to water on the top.

The roofing professional should look for signs of tree damage to the roof while cleaning it. Branches ripped from trees can cause damage to roofing membranes. Trees that are too close to the structure could fall on it. They might also dump extra snow on your roof. To avoid roof damage from trees, have a professional remove or trim the trees on your property.

Commercial Roof Inspection In The Fall

The fall season is ideal for having your professional roofer complete your yearly inspection. Finding and fixing problems before winter will help ensure that your roof’s problems do not worsen over the winter. As melted snow refreezes and expands, small cracks in membranes and gaps in flashing can widen further. Commercial roofing drainage systems may also be jeopardized if water refreezes in them. Finding problems before they cause further damage is an excellent way to reduce the overall cost of roof maintenance.

• Downspouts and gutters must be clean and in good working order.
• Internally draining downspouts should be kept free of debris as well.
• Debris, particularly leaf litter, should be removed from drainage points.
• Roof penetration seals and flashing should be in good condition.
• Punctures, dips, and ponding should be avoided in membranes.
• Roof ventilation should be debris-free.

All roof areas should be inspected for deterioration, weakness, and damage.

Repair Your Roof Before Winter

Is it possible to repair a flat roof in the winter? Yes. However, postponing repairs until then is not ideal. Winter repairs are less than ideal for a variety of reasons, including:

• For building users and occupants, winter repairs are more inconvenient.
• Roofers face additional challenges due to the cold and snow.
• Many roofing materials must be kept warm before or during installation.
• Snow can hide hazards on the roof, so roofers must mark the locations of skylights, equipment, and other roof features.

Because of the additional work, roofers may need to charge more to perform repairs during the winter.

Another reason to get your roof repairs done now is that winter can exacerbate any problems with your roof. Leaks, for example, can be exacerbated by melting snow on the top. If that water refreezes, it can cause cracks in roofing membranes to expand. It is prudent to repair roof dips or low points that cause ponding before melted snow accumulates in them and exacerbates the problem in spring. Any drainage issues will be exacerbated in the spring. In short, the best time to repair a roof problem is when you discover it.

Inspect For Any Damage Caused By Pests

Caulk is another area that a roofing professional should inspect. Caulk is an outstanding way to help prevent leaks, but it must be replaced regularly. If the caulk is wrinkled, crumbling, or missing, it’s time to re-caulk. This would help if you took care of this as soon as possible.

Weather changes can also bring about different types of pests. Chipmunks, rodents, squirrels, and even birds seek safe and warm havens. If you notice any nesting materials, feces, or food, you must contact someone immediately to have the animals removed. You must also close any entry points into your building, trim trees, and repair any slow draining or ponding areas.

Inspect The Flashing

Flashing is a material that forms a moisture barrier between your roof and anything on top of the roof, such as skylights, vents, HVAC units, or vents. These areas are more vulnerable to snow and rain damage because they are not a natural part of the roof and have had to be installed. Some people believe that flashing is unnecessary because caulk or other sealants can be used instead. The issue with the other two options is that caulks and sealants may crack and no longer keep moisture out. Failure to use flashing and having it properly inspected can lead to roof problems and the need to replace it.

ReZa Smart Build Inc are experts in the roofing industry and has been serving businesses throughout Karnatfor more than 29 years. ReZa can help with all your commercial roof needs.  ReZa can help with all your commercial roofing needs.