Way Up on the Roof

Commercial buildings often have flat roofs on them, and because of that, maintaining and replacing them is different from a residential roof. When you need a commercial roof replacement, you must hire a contractor specializing in these types of roofs to ensure the work is completed correctly.

Roof Inspection

The first thing the roofer needs to do when they arrive is to inspect the roof of the building. The roofer is looking for damage that will need repairing before the new roof to get a sense of the time involved in the job. It is also essential that they do a thorough inspection to give you an accurate price for the job.

Flat roofs often have low spots that accumulate water, and if the drains are clogged with debris on the roof, the water can sit there until it finds a way under the roofing material and then into the building. Many times the water will travel along structures inside the building, and the leak you see may not be where the roof is leaking. This is one of the things the roofing contractor will be looking for as they assess the need for a commercial roof replacement. 

Removing the Old Roofing

Once the roofing contractor is ready to start the job, they will remove the old roofing material and inspect the containing off the sub-roofing under it. Commercial roof replacement jobs can involve removing stone from the roof if it was put there to protect the rubber roofing, and often there are multiple HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) units to work around.

The contractor and their crew will cautiously remove any flashing that needs to be saved and reused, and then remove the membrane from the roof in sections. Once the old membrane is off the roof, and any repairs are made to the sub-roof, the contractor can begin replacing the roofing material.  

Talk to the contractor about whether or not you need to put the stone back on the roof. Modern roofing materials are more durable than older materials, but the stone does help protect the roof from damage and may still be appropriate for your roof. Installing the New Roofing

Commercial roof replacement typically requires a large area of coverage, and the best material for that is a rubber roof membrane that is stretched over the entire roof. The membrane is sealed together using heat and a sealing agent at the seams, and on most commercial roofs, the membrane is secured at the edge of the roof with aluminum edging to keep the membrane from pealing up.

Once the membrane is down and sealed, it will last many years, but maintaining it and removing debris from the roof will help extend the life of the membrane and the roof overall. Visit a website like http://www.durafoaminc.com for more information.