Commercial Roofing: Are Walking Pads Going Away?
Once upon a time, roofing membranes for commercial roofs not covered by ballast or rock required walkway pads around and in between all rooftop equipment. I’m happy to report these days are mostly behind us.
Purpose of walking pads
A decade ago, a typical commercial roof design included walking pads placed around the perimeter of rooftop equipment such as air conditioning units, exhaust fans, and condensers. Basically, any equipment that might require service. To reach the equipment, a defined walkway was created reaching from the roof hatch to the furthest piece of equipment. The purpose was to protect the roof membrane from damage caused by workers traversing it during maintenance or repairs. This was important during the hot Texas summer months when the membrane softens and in winter when colder temperatures make the membrane brittle.
The ability to walk anywhere on a roof for maintenance or repair makes it easier on crews previously limited to predefined routes. Peak Roofing & Construction recently finished a project where we eliminated walking paths but kept the pads around the equipment to protect against dropped tools or instruments. The owner could not stop commenting about what a difference it made to freely walk wherever he wanted.
New materials offer durability
Thankfully, technology, once again, came to the rescue. The advent of TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin), and later PVC (polyvinyl chloride), membranes provided the flexibility and durability needed to withstand the weight and abrasion resistance from people walking on the roofs. This may sound like a small change but eliminating the walkway pads also reduces the cost of a roof by up to 5%. As one of the most trusted commercial roofers in Dallas-Fort Worth, providing our customers a superior roof and a fair price is what we’re all about.
Is your commercial building in need or reroofing or overdue for an inspection? Our team of professionals is ready to assist. Call us or fill out our online form.
About Peak Roofing & Construction
Peak Roofing & Construction is family-owned, with 30-years of experience. Bonded, insured and accredited, we provide roofing, gutter, fence, window and exterior facelift services. Guaranteed. Call (972) 335-7325 in Dallas-Fort Worth (residential & commercial) or 281-290-7325 in Houston (commercial roofing).
Joey Riss
Joey is Peak Roofing & Construction’s “renaissance woman”. She is involved in all aspects of the business decision making as well as her office responsibilities and overseeing much of the marketing efforts. Although she lets Jeff climb the roofs, Joey has a thorough understanding of roofing, gutters, windows, fences and exterior painting. When not in the office you will find her focused on her favorite career, raising their precious son.