When the weather gets cold, roofs take a beating. Between extreme cold, snow, and ice, there is a lot that can damage your commercial roof, and this can lead to high repair and replacement costs.
However, fortunately, you can do a lot to prepare your roof for the oncoming cold weather and help prevent damage. Whether it is a flat or shingled commercial roof, suitable preparation can help prevent leaking, loose seams, and damage to flashing. Let’s look at a few ways you can help prepare your commercial roof.
Schedule a Professional Inspection
The best way to start off is to have a professional roofer inspect your roof for damage. This can reveal minor and difficult to detect issues that can worsen down the line.
Cleaning
When the weather starts to become freezing, debris can freeze, becoming heavy blocks of ice that can easily cause damage. This debris can also serve as a breeding ground for mold and mildew that can eat away at roofing materials leading to damage.
In order to prevent this, consider having your roof professionally cleaned. It is particularly important to ensure thorough cleaning of flat roofs that can more easily collect debris.
Maintain Your Gutters
While cleaning your roof, don’t forget to inspect your gutters as well. Debris will often accumulate in gutters and downspouts, resulting in clogs. In addition to potentially causing damage to your roof, the water will run down the side of your building, potentially causing damage to your walls and, with time, the building foundation as well. So, before winter gets started, ensure your gutters are professionally inspected and cleaned.
Replace Broken and Missing Shingles
Shingles can become brittle, bent, and eventually broken from exposure to the sun’s rays. These shingles, as well as outright missing ones, can allow leaks to form, plus the underlayment will be directly exposed to moisture, risking more damage to your roof and a hefty repair bill. By catching this early and having damaged and missing shingles replaced quickly, you can avoid these repair costs.
Inspect Insulation
It is a good idea to have your roofing contractor inspect your roof’s insulating material as well. When this is damaged, water can penetrate the underlayment allowing moisture in. This can cause mold and mildew to grow and allow your home’s heat to escape raising your energy bills as well.
Replace Defective Sealant
Wherever your roof has any fixtures, such as plumbing stacks, it will also have a sealant that prevents moisture from entering your roof. With time and the elements, this can decay and break. So, before winter comes along, make sure to have this inspected and replaced wherever necessary before winter begins.
Final Thoughts
Winter weather can really put your commercial roof through its paces, so before the temperature really starts to drop, make sure your roof is prepared. By ensuring your roof and gutters are in good condition, you can prevent costly maintenance and emergency repairs down the line while ensuring your roof provides many more seasons of protection.
Contact Us
If your roof is in need of any inspections or maintenance to get ready for the cold ahead, contact North Shore Roofing. We have had more than 30 years of experience helping businesses and homeowners in the Greater Boston area prepare their roofs for the harsh New England winters. Call us at (978) 977-3816 and connect with us on Facebook.
