The roofs of modern lightweight commercial buildings often have cool roofing systems. These are specially designed roofing membranes with lighter colors to reduce heat gain to make buildings more efficient. The roofing membrane on your business may be older and beginning to show signs of its age. The following guide will help you identify wear and areas of your commercial roofing that need repairs:
Wear and Debris at Roof Drain Systems
The roof of your commercial building has a drain system, which allows runoff to flow off the roof and prevents damage. The drainage system also has grates in low areas of the roof, which can collect debris and are vulnerable to wear. These areas should be routinely cleaned and inspected for damage to the drains and roofing around them. If there is wear or damage at drain grates, repairs will be needed before the problem worsens and gets costlier to have repaired.
Wear Due to Routine Maintenance and Damage to Membranes
The roof membrane of your business is also vulnerable to common wear due to maintenance routines. This happens in areas where there is more foot traffic to get to rooftop mechanical installations like an AC or refrigeration unit. With more modern mechanical systems like solar panels for energy needs, there is more maintenance that needs to be done and more potential for problems with the roofing membranes.
Seam Damage to Commercial Roofing Membranes
Seams of roofing membranes are vulnerable to damage and leaks. When the seams begin to separate, they need to be bonded back together to prevent leaks and water damage to property. If there are seams in vulnerable areas, they can be reinforced by doubling them and creating layers that help protect them from wear and coming apart again.
Tears and Punctures in the Commercial Roofing Membrane
Punctures and tears are additional problems that you may have with roofing membranes. These problems can be due to debris, foot traffic, and pests on the roof. Therefore, when inspecting the roof of your business, you will want to look for areas of membrane materials that have tears or punctures. With cool roof systems, there are often obvious watermarks where the roof membrane is punctured. Repair these tears and punctures to prevent the problem from growing and causing more serious damage.
The right repairs and improvements will help you get more from your commercial roofing. Contact a commercial roof repair service to help repair that wear and damage that you have found when inspecting your roofing membrane system.