Commercial Roof Repair – Flat Roofs
Flat roofs are used on both commercial and residential buildings with the majority being on commercial buildings. Flat roofs require professional commercial roofers with flat roof experience. Unfortunately, many commercial flat roofs are installed by roofing contractors with only general roofing experience or other general contractors or custom home builders with limited experience in commercial roofing applications. The results are repairs that are needed not long after the roof has been installed.
Most leaks that need repaired are from commercial flat roofs that use a single ply rubber membrane. This new type of roofing material replaces the older base sheet and multiple layers of felt paper applied with hot asphalt or coal tar. This was then applied with gravel to extend the life of the roof. This roofing method is called “built up roofing” or BUR. Many times this type of roof out lasted the single ply rubber membrane roof even though less high-tech materials were not used.
If the cost of having your commercial flat roof outweighs the cost of having a new one installed, be sure to hire a roofing contractor that is experienced with commercial flat roofs and knowledgeable in the materials that are used.. Be sure to get plenty of referrals from other companies in the area that have used the roofing contractor that you have chosen. You will also want to get a bid from several commercial roofing contractors to be sure they will use the materials required. Ask as many questions as possible about the contractor’s experiences with commercial flat roofs, and their knowledge of flat roof materials and systems.
The commercial flat roofs of today use many different materials. There are some commercial roofers that still claim single ply membrane is still the best choice for commercial roofs. However, other commercial roofers insist that the newer materials such as TPO or thermoplastic polyefin, SBS or self adhering membrane and even PVC membrane which uses hot air as a welding for seams, are the perfect commercial roofing systems. Every commercial roofing contractor has their preferred roofing system. When looking for a commercial roofing contractor, look for a long history of service in your area and talk to their customers. Also keep in mind the climate in your state or region. Any roofing system whether it be for residential or commercial can only be successful if it’s made out of material that is specific for the climate in your area. The roofing contractor that you choose should know how to install and repair that roofing system.