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The Cost of Deferring Rooftop Preventive Maintenance and Repairs

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Budget concerns are a daily challenge for every commercial building owner and managers. Roof maintenance and repairs should certainly be in the budget conversation, as the roof is a critical building component. Here are a few reasons why delaying roof maintenance projects may not be in your best interest.

Increased Liability Risk. When your commercial roof is neglected, it can also put your workers and visitors at risk. For example, a roof leak can make floors hazardous. Unseen moisture in the walls creates an ideal environment for mold to develop, which can create health issues. Both of these situations can lead to worker compensation claims or liability lawsuits.

Equipment Vulnerability. Regardless of the type of facility your own or manage, you’ve certainly made an investment in furniture, computers, production equipment and/or inventory. Damage to any of those could be costly. It’s important to know that, when there’s a roof leak, the penetrating water can run anywhere within the building structure before it appears. That means that your investment in those assets is at risk if they get wet. Repairing or replacing the damaged items will be expensive and disruptive.

Cheap Repairs Now vs. Expensive Replacements Later. Finding room in the budget for routine inspections, maintenance and repairs is probably more cost-effective than leaving those “minor” issues to become big ones later. Valuable building contents and structural components are vulnerable to water damage – and several times more costly to deal with than a small leak repair.

Productivity Loss and Tenant Departures. It’s important to maintain a clean, safe and aesthetic workspace for employees and, if you rent space to other businesses, tenants. An uncomfortable or even hazardous work environment (think water on the floor or mold in the drywall) can lead the way to dissatisfied and non-productive employees and the departure of tenants. Also, consider that a serious roof leak may require you to temporarily relocate some of your building operations – affecting your bottom line.

There can be serious cost consequences in overlooking periodic inspections or postponing maintenance and repairs. The more regularly you deal with current issues, the less time, expense, and disruption it will cost you overall. If your commercial roof needs attention, give the pros at Tusing Builders and Roofing Services a call today.

 

Who is on your roofing team?

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New Commercial Roof in Your Plans? Know Your Team.

The installation of a new commercial roof is a major project. Choosing the right roofing system for your building is important, as is understanding the responsibilities that each member of your project team has in making sure the project goes as smoothly as possible and that the new roof performs up to expectations. Here’s a brief summary of roles and responsibilities.

Contractor. Ultimately, the responsibility for the quality of the installation falls to the commercial roofer you choose. Commercial roofing systems vary by technology and manufacturer, as well as how they are installed. The contractor you choose should be well-versed with the roofing system being considered and be authorized to install it by that manufacturer. A competent roofer will also share the installation plan with you, which should include both pre-and post-job activities.

Manufacturer. You should have some basic knowledge about roofing system manufacturers. Most in the United States have been in business for decades and have systems in place to ensure product quality. But if product-specific issues arise, will a manufacturer’s representative be available? You should also understand the details of the product warranty and how it applies to your project. The manufacturer should also be able to tell you if there are other contractors in your area who can service your roof after installation if yours retires or leaves the roofing business.

Yourself. Because a new commercial roof installation is a big investment, it makes sense for you to be an active participant in the process. Before the project begins and depending on your company size and processes, you might include a purchasing manager or the head of finance. If the current roof is to be torn off, do you need to temporarily relocate staff or equipment underneath the work area? Keep in mind that roofing materials can be extremely heavy and awkward to maneuver. How will the contractor get them to the rooftop – via crane, freight elevator or other means? You or a member of your building management/maintenance team should regularly interact with the contractor to make sure that the project is on track.

At Tusing Builders & Roofing Services, we’re committed to being your best partner on any commercial roofing project you’re considering. Please contact us at your convenience.

Handling Snow on Your Commercial Roof

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Winter has arrived in the northern part of the US and with it, accumulating snow. As a responsible building owner or manager, you’ll take the necessary steps to keep your property clear of snow to allow access for staff, customers, and other visitors. But what about snow on your rooftop? It’s not visible, so you’re less likely to manage it. Here is some advice for handling snow on your commercial roof.

  • Pay attention to it. A square foot of wet, heavy snow that’s six inches deep can weigh 10 pounds. Multiply that across (for example) a 5,000-square-foot roof and you’ve got 50,000 extra pounds of roof weight that your building structure needs to support.
  • Light, drifting snow is probably not likely to pose much of a problem; normal wind patterns should blow most of it away. But if a storm has dumped a load of heavier snow on your roof, you probably should take steps to remove it.
  • When you’re on your commercial roof in the wintertime, be extra cautious. Being on a roof during non-snow seasons can be hazardous enough, but dangers are multiplied in the winter. Surfaces will be more slippery, and skylights may be covered with snow and not visible. Ponding water from seasonal storms can depress and weaken sections of your roof that have poor drainage. These areas are less obvious when the roof is snow-covered.
  • When clearing snow, make sure to drop it to the ground away from walkways and building entrances and exits. And use tools that won’t harm the roof surface, such as plastic roof rakes or shovels; avoid sharp-edged tools, as they can puncture roof membranes.
  • Make sure that the snowmelt has a place to go by clearing snow and other debris from the areas around your drainage points. It’s likely that there will be freeze-and-thaw cycles during the winter, and if your drains, gutters, and downspouts are blocked, water will have no place to go. If its re-freezes, keep this in mind: an area of only 100 square feet that’s got three inches of ice on it can weigh 1,500 pounds. If you need to use an ice-melt product, check with the roof manufacturer to get one that won’t harm the surface.

At Tusing Builders and Roofing Services, we’re standing by and ready to assist you with your commercial roofing needs, regardless of the season. It would be our privilege to serve you.

Make Your Commercial Building Watertight with Single-Ply Roofing

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Commercial facilities with flat roofs require a different roofing solution than steep-sloped buildings that traditionally use asphalt shingles or architectural metal systems for protection from the elements.

Built-up roofing (BUR) systems are so-called because they are literally constructed on the rooftop by “building” alternate layers (plies) of asphalt and reinforcement fabric. They’re usually topped with a layer of stone or gravel. Built-up systems have been in use for well over a century.

In recent decades, advances in chemical and manufacturing technology have enabled the development of single-ply membrane systems; flexible sheets of synthetic materials manufactured from a variety of chemical components. Here are some of the most common:

Modified bitumen systems have a composition like built-up roofing – but made in a factory. They’re layers of asphalt that also include synthetic materials and a fabric layer for reinforcement.

Thermoset membranes (primarily EPDM today) are vulcanized materials (rubber) made from cross-linked molecules that provide elasticity. Once the material is “set,” it’s hard to bond and can’t be heat-welded; EPDM membranes require adhesives for installation seaming.

Thermoplastic membranes (PVC, TPO, and some others), first used in Europe in the 1960s, do not contain cross-linked molecules, so they do not “set.” These materials “flow” when heated, enabling membrane sections to be heat-welded together during installation.

Regardless of the type of system you choose, commercial roofing projects can be highly complex. Make sure that your contractor is experienced with all the technology involved.

At Tusing Builders & Roofing Services, we’re experts in installing several types of roofing systems. We would welcome the opportunity to prepare a quote for you. Reach out to us at 866-584-2712.