4 Tips for Extending the Life of Your Commercial Roof

It’s football season, so I’ll start with, “The best offense is a good defense.” One of the best ways to ensure you don’t have to replace your commercial roof early is to take good care of it now. Replacing a roof is expensive, time-consuming, and inconvenient. Fortunately, there are things you can do to extend the life of your commercial roof.

Frequent Commercial Roof Inspections

You will not be able to catch problems while they’re small if you never bother finding them. I’m not trying to be condescending or state the obvious. We all get busy and put it off when there are no signs of problems. You must be intentional and schedule regular inspections. Or let technology do the work and put a recurring appointment on your calendar to call a professional roofing contractor at least once a year to come and do an inspection for you. 

If doing your own inspections, look for cracks, holes, and other similar damage. Sunken areas, whether pooling water or not, may indicate damage. During your inspection, check for clogged drains and clean the debris out of gutters. If your roof has debris and branches on it, clean it off. This simple step extends the roof’s life and protects the warranty if the roofing materials manufacturer includes a “foreign materials” warranty clause.

Prompt Repairs

Whether you notice the need during an inspection or find a leak inside, it’s important to repair problem areas promptly. By taking care of them now, you save yourself money, time, and the hassle of a complete roof repair in the future. A small leak now is a manageable expense. The cost goes up dramatically for a major roofing failure.

Hiring Professionals

It might be tempting to save a few bucks and take care of your roof inspection and repairs on your own, but there are benefits to having professionals do it. First, they know what actual damage looks like as well as the warning signs. Something that may not seem concerning to you could indicate a problem needing attention.

Professionals have the right materials and tools to perform the repair correctly. For example, if an owner attempts a repair and uses the wrong type of adhesive, the patch will not seal correctly, and a leak could increase in size. We did a recent service call in Lewisville for this reason. An owner applied a patch using a silicone-based adhesive instead of an asphaltic or polyurethane product. Without the UV-protection, the silicone product quickly broke down, and the leak returned. The owner called asking us to repair the leak. Fortunately, he had called early enough; it was still a simple repair.  

Another consideration is experience. Hiring a professional roofing company could save time because they will get the job done right the first time, saving you the headaches of dealing with an ongoing problem.

Commercial Roof Maintenance Programs

If your goal is extending the life of your roof, I recommend working with a reputable, experienced roofing company and getting on a maintenance schedule. Not only will it ensure you get the regular checks you need, but also keep your roof in the best condition possible. 

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), including Allen, Plano, McKinney. Be sure and follow us on social media to keep up with all the latest roofing news!