The roof covering your business is usually much stronger than the roof covering your home. While having a preventative maintenance program in place overseen by licensed and certified roofing professional can help your roof last longer, it can’t make it last forever. Eventually, there will always come a time when your business’ roof will need a full replacement.
Leaks, tears, and punctures caused by a faulty roof can have devastating effects on the entire building, which can in turn cripple the business. With so much at stake, you can’t afford to wait until your roof caves in to start looking for help: you have to be proactive.
If you’re worried about the state of your roof, here are some factors to consider as well as some early warning signs that could indicate that it’s time for a replacement:
Age of Your Roof
Do you know how old your roof is? The lifespan of a roof can vary greatly depending on a number of different circumstances: beyond gradual weathering from natural forces like rain, snow, and heat, your roof is also at risk from severe weather, falling limbs and other debris, trash, and even damage due to abuse or vandalism.
How well your roof stands up against these threats largely comes down to three important factors: the materials used to make it, the quality of the installation, and the climate.
With so many factors in play, it can be hard to accurately determine how much longer you can expect your roof to last; this is why is it’s so important to know how old your roof is.
While there are countless factors that can make one roof outlast another, experts agree that the typical roof will last between 20 and 25 years. If you’ve been under the same roof for that period of time, it may be time to have a conversation with management about getting a full replacement.
Leaks
Regardless of if a leak is created gradually (due to weathering) or immediately (due to severe weather, falling debris, abuse, etc.), even the smallest of leaks can present huge problems for your business. All it takes is a single entry point for water to get into your roof membrane; once inside, your problems will only snowball as it seeps its way throughout the building.
Whether it be damaged equipment, mold, structural deterioration, or a host of other nasty side effects, water damage in the building’s interior is a sign of serious trouble in the roof. After having your roof inspected, if any leaks are found, waste no time getting them fixed. If the damage is too widespread for a simple fix, a replacement might be an unfortunate necessity.
Missing or Damaged Roofing
While your roof will gradually deteriorate over time, this mostly refers to the roof membrane and the entire roof system itself, not to individual pieces.
As the saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Any gaps in coverage caused by loose or missing shingles, flashings, pipe boots, pipe jacks, or other material presents a potential entry point for dirt, water, and even wildlife to get in and wreak havoc. If individual pieces of roofing are constantly falling off and adequate repairs aren’t made, your roof WILL fail.
If you notice any loose panels, missing shingles, or weak adhesives on your roof, replace them immediately. Likewise, if the inner roof membrane is visible from the exterior of the building, patch it as quickly as possible. If the damage is too significant, it may be better to simply replace the entire roof rather than throw away money on constant repairs.
Blistering
Blisters and bubbles can be a serious problem for your commercial roof. Bubbles on your business’ roof is a result of water or air getting in between the roof membrane and the roofing underlayment, which like water can cause structural problems for the entire roof system.
As temperatures rise during the summer months, the pressure inside of theses bubbles increases, causing the bubbles to eventually pop. This blistering causes permanent damage to your roof as your commercial roof becomes weaker and begins to crack.
Luckily, while blisters and bubbles are a serious problem for your commercial roof, they are relatively easy to detect because they are visible on the roof surface. However, as with the other warning signs, if your roof has endured significant blistering over the years without adequate measures taken to repair the problem, a roof replacement may be in your near future.
For more information about how you can get a better, longer-lasting roof over your company’s head, download our free informative guide, The Bone Dry Commercial Roof Maintenance Guide get everything you need to know to take your roof to the next level.
