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The Most Damaging Weather Factors To Your Commercial Flat Roof

The Most Damaging Weather Factors To Your Commercial Flat Roof

October 17, 2019

As an owner of a commercial facility with a flat roof, you know, through experience, that damage will be done to the structure. The threats come from different areas, but they will be the cause of a commercial flat roof repair. A commercial flat roof repair in Toronto can be necessitated by the weather. Specifically, hail and lightning will create the need for commercial flat roof repair services. A lightning strike or intense hail shower will leave your roof seriously damaged. Once the membrane system is breached, roof leaks will occur, and they demand a roof leak repair. One threat to your roofing system that lurks daily is UV rays. The sun, while the provider of many nice days, is also your roof’s worst enemy. The constant pounding of UV rays will slowly degrade your roofing system.

Realizing the threat, and acting on, will create the need for a consultation from a qualified contractor. The contractor’s experience should be aligned with commercial roofing in Toronto as a means of validation of reputation. One thing to know, the threats outlined here are common, but the threats abound. Other factors damage a roofing system that you may be unaware of.

Roofing system threats, a guide

Wild temperature swings not only wreak havoc on people, they severely impact a commercial flat roofing system. The difference between night-time and daytime temperatures creates a phenomenon called thermal shock. The swings from low to high temperatures are very hard on a roofing system. When your roof heats up in the daytime sun, it will expand. When it cools, a contraction takes place. This creates stress on all components of the building. The roof will bear the brunt of the damage. The greater the disparity in temperature fluctuations, the greater the damage will be to the roof.

The constant expansion and contraction will show up in damage to the flashing, the joints, and deterioration of the roof membrane. Water will enter the areas that have been opened through the temperature swings, and the problems escalate. To overcome the problem of thermal shock, a reflective coating for your roofing is recommended by all reputable roofing contractors. The coating will do two things.

  • First, it will extend the life of your roof by preventing damage.
  • Second, it will flatten the temperature swings that are destabilizing your roofing system, reducing maintenance costs.

In the winter, your risks only increase when the roof is experiencing thermal shock. Rainwater and snow contribute to the problem in a damaging way. Rainfall during warm temperatures will flow to the lowest point on a roof. If it can find an entry point, it will invade your roof’s structure. In the evening, the water that has entered will freeze when temperatures decrease. Once inside the cracks and crevices, the ice will expand the openings. Throughout a severe winter, a hairline crack becomes an open wound.

A way to eliminate the problem is through timely roof inspections. Certainly, a roofing contractor will advise that an inspection be conducted every three months. But, inspections should be conducted before and after winter. In the fall, you can identify problems and correct them. In the spring, you can find the problems that manifested themselves through the winter, and make small repairs then.

Avoid Damages to Your Roof with Inspection & Maintenance

Regular roof maintenance and inspections are the only way to avoid the harsh effects of the weather on your commercial roof. There are many more causes of roof damage that will create leaks. But, in the main, an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure. When assessing the costs or roof repairs, never skimp. It isn’t about what the work will cost, it is about what it will prevent going forward. If you need advice, contact a commercial roofing specialist to clarify your roofing situation.

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