Your commercial property is often the (overlooked) lifeblood of your enterprise. Any damage to your property causes damage to your business and its income-earning potential. The roof is arguably the most important aspect of your commercial property, due to the role it plays in protecting your building and business from outside elements.
Failure to look after your property’s roof is a failure to look after your commercial interests. A fully functioning roof allows your property to enjoy maximum uptime, operate efficiently and ensure the safety of the building and the safety of your employees. On the other hand, a faulty roof opens you up to internal damage, loss of working hours and possible injuries to your employees.
Here are a few tips on ensuring that your commercial roof is able to do its job and take care of your most valuable asset.
Signs of a Commercial Roofing Leak
- Damage to roof flashings: The flashings on your roof play an incredibly important role in weather protection. The flashing is the weather resistant material that is placed over the joints of the roof and if this is damaged your commercial roofing is far more susceptible to water infiltration. You should check your flashing for damage frequently, especially after a dose of extreme weather such as hail or strong wind.
- Bubbling and Tearing: The presence of little bubbles or tears, or raised sections on your roof is a sure sign that there is moisture trapped inside the surface of your roof. During heavy winds these bubbles and tears can be torn and provide the perfect entry point for water during the next heavy downpour. You should always check for tears in your roof after heavy winds.
- Puddling: If you notice any puddles on your roof you should call out a commercial roofing contractor straight away. Not only do puddles increase the rate of roof deterioration and rusting, they can lead to roof collapse due to the increase of weight caused by excess water retention.
Signs You Need A Commercial Roof Replacement
While all the above problems can be addressed using patch ups and quick fixes, sometimes the best course of action is to rip up your old roof and give your property a brand new one. Temporary fixes may save you in the short term but those repeated calls to the commercial roofing contractor do add up and eventually the degradation will become so severe that you will be forced to foot the bill of an interior repair job as well as a new roof. Here are some sure fire signs that you need a commercial roof replacement, not simply a roof repair:
- Constant Leaking: A one-off roof leak can probably be fixed with a patch-up job. If you are constantly noticing leaks all over your roof it is time for a commercial roof replacement. During a light shower a leak wont cause too much damage, however, if your property is subject to heavy rain that leak could quickly become a waterfall that will cause huge damage to your property.
- Sagging: Sagging is a more severe form of puddling. If you notice depressions in your roof you should get your roof replaced as quickly as possible or your roof could collapse. There really is no time to waste if you notice any sagging, don’t risk the safety of your property call out a commercial roofing contractor as soon as you can.
- Age: Even the most fastidious of property owners will have to replace their roof eventually. No two roofs are the same but chances are, if your roof is over 25-years old it is probably due for a replacement. The repair bills for old roofs can quickly add up and you may find that a one-off outlay for a new roof will quickly pay for itself.
The hardest part about looking after your roof and protecting your property is that the roof is largely invisible. On a large commercial property you have to go to considerable lengths to inspect the health of your roof but this effort is definitely worthwhile when you consider the damage you can prevent just by carrying out a check.
If you’re unsure about anything or don’t have the time to carry out a through inspection, contact a quality commercial roofing company in Melbourne, like ACR Roofing. A little bit of advice could go a long way to preventing the operation, efficiency and safety of your property form being compromised.