While built to last, commercial roofs are still susceptible to the same weather-related damage as other buildings. Specifically, if you live in an area with strong winds, hurricanes or heavy rainfall, it’s important to understand the tools to prevent this damage. Small breaks, cracks and holes can escalate, moving from simple leaks through to full roof collapse. In this guide, we’ll work through some of the key weather conditions and how you can protect your industrial roof right now.
Investing in Quality Materials
Before we dive into the various weather situations to be aware of, it’s important to consider the materials you use. Industrial roofs aren’t just exposed to the weather. In many situations, they may be used in environments with high chemical uses or excessive fats, both of which place demands on their structural integrity. Therefore, when you choose to repair or replace your roof, working with a professional industrial roofing company is vital.
With years of experience, our team at Industrial Roofing Services (NE) Ltd has the knowledge to help guide you towards the right roofing solution for your building. From sheeting and cladding through to flat roofing and built-up roofing solutions, we’re here to support your business and your investment.
Protecting Your Industrial Roof from Storm Damage
Storms of varying degrees put your roof under extreme pressure. No matter how secure your solution appears during normal weather, extreme winds, rain and storm conditions can be significant. You’ll want to consider both preventative and reparative solutions to help deal with storm damage.
Prevent Storm Damage
- Check for leaks – The majority of damage that comes out of a storm is linked to roof leaks. Whether due to loose sheets, uncleared gutters or poorly installed roofing solution, identifying these before storm season will significantly minimise the risk of damage.
- Visual assess – Schedule time into your annual schedule to visually check over your entire roof. Paying attention to drainage solutions and the quality of your roof materials allows you to identify issues early on. If this isn’t a possibility for you, invest in a company that has the experience and skill to do this for you. They will likely provide you with a full report, identifying any damage or areas of concern that can be addressed early on.
- Remove overhanging trees – It calls to reason that strong winds can cause branches to break and debris to fall on to your roof. In the right situation, this leads to punctures and structural damage. Having an arborist chop back overhanging trees before the storm season significantly minimizes this risk.
- Clean gutters and downpipes – We’ve mentioned it above but properly maintaining your drainage solutions is vital – especially during storm seasons. The gutters and downpipes built into commercial buildings are designed to withstand high volumes of water. Therefore, in many storm situations, you already have an appropriate tool to minimise damage. If these are clogged up with debris, animal waste or dirt, you’ll find that leak-related problems are accentuated.
Protecting Your Industrial Roof from Cold Weather
Snow and hail. While we don’t experience either regularly, they do pose a substantial risk to the structure of our roof. This is especially true if we don’t take into account their possibility during the design and installation process. Snow weights much more than rain – especially when it sits on your roof during the melting period. This weight and related pooling wrecks havoc with your roof and its ability to stand strong. On the other hand, hail hammers on roofs and increases the risk of dents and punctures.
Prevent Hail and Snow Damage
- Regular checks – As with storm damage, you need to identify small problems early on. Any breaks will impact the strength of your roofing material. When snow or hail arrive, this makes it more likely to succumb to damage and cause more drastic issues.
- Choose materials correctly – Opt for metal sheets, PVC roofing or TPO roofs which are designed to be leak-free, highly energy-efficient and resistant to many types of puncture.
- Create a plan – It always pays to have a plan in place on how you will deal with heavy snowfall or hail. This should include the removal of snow build-up and whether additional materials/equipment are required.
- Consider additional protection – Options such as snow guards or wind baffles are designed to help manage the worst of winter weather. They are primarily used in heavy snow environments but maybe an investment solution for your building too.
Protecting Your Industrial Roof from Hot Weather
Particularly true if your location is going through a very hot patch, summer weather can also cause damage to commercial roofs. Excessive exposure to UV rays can speed up the degradation of roofing substrates, fully grown plants can scatter your roof with debris and pressure from summer rainfall has the potential to produce irreparable damage.
- Consider a UV resistant coating – Many protective finishes, including polyurethane coatings, are UV resistant. This reduces the risk of damage from over-exposure to direct sunlight and makes it easier to manage the temperature inside your building.
- Remove debris regularly – During summer, you’re more likely to find your roof scattered in fallen leaves, pests and debris. Have a structure in place to remove these regularly. Any type of build-up puts additional pressure on the roof.
- Action roof repairs – Summer is one of the best times to get small repairs completed on your roof. Warm, dry weather allows roofs to be opened up without putting those inside at risk. It also allows certain materials to dry at a consistent rate, giving a professional finish.
Taking action to minimise damage to your commercial roof is an effective way to protect your investment. Here at Industrial Roofing Services (NE) Ltd, we specialise in providing the most durable roofs and minor roof repairs to every single client. If you would like to discuss the right protective method for your roof or need to speak to a member of our team, please do get in contact here today.
