5 Common Commercial Roofing Mistakes To Avoid

Keeping your commercial or industrial roofing system well maintained is vital to protect your property and business. Getting a survey from highly-qualified commercial roofers can be beneficial to save you further costly repairs and possible health and safety claims. However, there are a number of easy to make mistakes that you can avoid, to help your roofing system’s performance, prolong its life expectancy and minimise the risk of water ingress.

Leaving ice and snow on the roof

A very common issue that’s easy to ignore during the winter months is the build up of ice around your property’s drains.

Harsh winter weather can be a problem for any commercial roof, but by leaving ice to accumulate around your drain system, it could lead to water collecting on the surface of your roof, causing “ponding.”

With poor drainage this could lead to large leaks and expensive repairs, making it critical to clear out any snow and ice from your roof. Also, although not very common, if heavy snowfall does occur, leaving it to accumulate on the roof can stress the structure of your property, potentially splitting the membrane wide open.

Poorly welded membrane

Speaking of the roof membrane, this is an integral component of your entire commercial or industrial roofing system. Especially on a flat roof, as the membrane is pretty much all that protects your entire building.

If the membrane hasn’t been properly welded it can cause the roof to become much more vulnerable to leakage, and damp insulation – putting your property, goods and business at risk.

Too much traffic on the roof

Ignoring excessive foot traffic on your roof can cause damaging wear and tear, which can lead to extensive repairs and even full replacement if left unmonitored.

Lots of foot fall on the uppermost portion of the roof, is likely to result in punctures to the membrane. By taking the appropriate steps to reduce foot traffic where possible, especially during winter, you will make a big difference to the general wear and tear your roof suffers.

Not updating insulation

Checking that the insulation in your roofing system is still adequately doing its job, is another vital task to be included when carrying out roof repairs or inspections.  

Roofing insulation generally lasts for up to four years, and if left to become old and weathered, the insulation can end up damaging your roof over time.

No regular maintenance

One of the biggest and most common issues that leads to roofing problems, is not performing regular maintenance, or sometimes any maintenance at all.

Proper periodic maintenance is absolutely essential for increasing the quality and lifespan of your commercial roof. Without this, it could leave you in a position that shortens the life expectancy dramatically and voids any warranty.

Ensure that you adhere to a regular schedule when it comes to your roof maintenance, to keep your warranty and maximise your return-on-investment.

At NWIR, we understand these and all the common issues you’ll face when dealing with your commercial or industrial roofing system. And we are here to help.

Contact our expert commercial roofers, and take advantage of our nationwide roofing maintenance service to get your roofing system thoroughly assessed.