The Commercial Building Owner's Guide to Roof Replacement
INTRODUCTION
As a building owner, your commercial roof is one of your most expensive investments. Your roof not only protects your building—it ensures that your operations and employees can continue to execute the important functions you need for your business to be profitable. It is all too easy to forget about what’s over your head when you are busy running a business under that roof.
We are providing commercial and industrial building owners with this e-book, The Building Owner’s Guide to Roof Replacement, to help you get the safest, longest and most productive life out of your roof.
The six chapters in this e-book are:
DO I NEED TO REPLACE MY COMMERCIAL ROOF?
While every building owner hopes that their new commercial roof will last for decades to come, external factors can sometimes cause damage over the lifetime of the flat roof. Problems also can surface when a commercial roof hasn’t been properly maintained or when the wrong system was selected for that particular roof.
Here are four questions we ask our customers in guiding them toward the best solution:
1. What is the extent of damage?
2. Where is the damage, and how does it affect the building’s use?
3. Is the owner looking for a short-term fix or a long-term solution?
4. How much will the work interrupt business processes?
When problems occur, the commercial building owner and facilities manager often must weigh the pros and cons of roof repair versus roof replacement. Other than cost, what are the most important issues to consider in making the right decision?
4. Safety
Your commercial roofer should train their staff and stay updated on safety and injury prevention techniques—not just the safety of the workers, but the safety of your building and the employees inside of it. For example, Roberts Roofing conducts bi-monthly mandatory safety meetings from December through April to review job-specific safety issues and industry updates. We also hold weekly job-specific meetings on the worksite through the duration of your project. Before a job begins, your roofer should review safety plans with your facility personnel. For example, we incorporate your safety policies into our weekly meetings.
8. Commercial Roofing Equipment
Your roofer should have the right equipment for your specific needs. For example, Roberts Roofing has over $2 million in equipment to meet the needs of all the customers we serve. Roberts Roofing believes investing in and utilizing the right equipment for each scenario makes the job safer for our employees and the customers we work for. For example, we would use a crane to load a 500-lb. piece of equipment onto your roof instead of pulling it up the side of a building.
WHICH COMMERCIAL ROOFING SYSTEM SHOULD I SELECT?
Commercial roofing became a specialized trade in the mid-19th century. Through the years, many roofing systems have come and gone. There are certain considerations to keep in mind as you work with your professional commercial roofing contractor to determine your roofing system and materials:
- How long do you plan to occupy the building?
- What is your intended use for the building?
- What characteristics define the surrounding environment? (e.g., airport proximity, harsh chemicals, temperature variations)
- Does the federal, state or local government provide tax incentives for alternative roof designs for greater energy-efficiency or green products?
The answers to these questions will dictate the quality of materials you use—a very important factor in determining the life expectancy of a roof. For example, you’ll want to choose materials that will work well with both the intense UV rays we experience in the summer, as well as harsh winter weather conditions.
The first thing you want to consider is the type of facility you own. Is it a major manufacturing facility with many rooftop exhaust fans and units that require constant foot traffic to maintain them? Is it a warehouse used for storing products, equipment or materials? Is it an office space where the comfort of individuals is a priority? Next, factor in your ownership intentions—do you plan to keep the facility indefinitely, or do you plan on selling in the near to immediate future? Finally, define your budgetary parameters. From there, you can evaluate roofing system types for potential inclusion in your overall project framework.
There are many options when it comes to selecting the right roofing system for your commercial or industrial facility. However, only two variants hold up the longest and provide the best value.
Single-ply Roofing Systems
Single-ply roofing systems are the current preference in the roofing world. They are affordably priced, durable and can be warranted in excess of 30 years. They are comprised of products like TPO, PVC and EPDM. These products are much cleaner to apply than raw asphalt-based products and in the case of TPO, are rated to hold up to the accumulation of standing water. While TPO and PVC are primarily available in white to reflect sunlight and keep your roof cool, other assorted colors are available to suit your facility. These products are best suited for offices and warehouses where roof traffic is limited, but they also are compatible with essentially any commercial structure.
UNDERSTANDING COMMERCIAL ROOF WARRANTIES
As we have discussed, there are numerous commercial roofing systems available and, as a result, there are hundreds of applicable roofing materials. The type of materials used on your commercial roofing system determine your warranty.
Most reputable commercial roofing materials manufacturers offer 10, 20 and 30+ year warranties for their roofing systems. These warranties are determined primarily by the thickness, durability and overall quantity of materials used.
A 20- to 30-year warranted commercial roofing specification generally requires an abundance of materials applied to the roof surface. This ensures the finished product will go the distance and, with proper annual maintenance, extend beyond the number of warranted years issued. A 20-year warranted asphalt roof system has been known to last well over 40 years when properly installed and routinely maintained.
For example, a GAF Corporation recover of an existing asphalt roof with dry insulation would require a four-ply fiberglass felt, with each layer set individually in 25 pounds of hot asphalt per ply per 100 square feet. As installed by the certified professionals at Roberts Roofing Company, this “board-over” of the asphalt roof is warranted by GAF for 20 years.
For single-ply membranes, membrane thickness is the key to a long roof life and 20+ year warranty. For example, a GAF Corporation .060 mil, white TPO membrane paired with the GAF RhinoBond fastening system, installed by the certified professionals at Roberts Roofing Company, will garner a 20-year warranty. And with routine and proper maintenance, the materials will last long beyond the warranted mark. TPO thickness varies from the thinner .045 mil, all the way to the .080 mil, and beyond. The thicker the membrane, the tougher the membrane, and the longer the warranty.
Thicker specs and membranes generally require greater know-how from your commercial roofer. It is always smart to check with your commercial roofing materials manufacturer to see if your commercial roofer is certified, let alone capable to apply such detailed roof specifications.
Roberts Roofing has been certified MasterSelect by the GAF Corporation and holds many other certifications for the toughest and thickest roof systems available from all of the major commercial roofing material manufacturers.
Now that you have a basic understanding of how commercial roofing warranties work, let’s take a look at why ongoing roof maintenance is essential.
INSPECTING AND MAINTAINING YOUR FLAT ROOF
Just like an automobile, a new roof is a large capital expense. Think about it—you wouldn’t spend $50,000 or more on an automobile and never get it serviced. As a building owner, your commercial roof is one of your most expensive investments. Just as you schedule regular maintenance checks for your car or home, regular maintenance of a flat roof will help to prevent costly and premature repairs. After all, your roof not only protects your building, it ensures that your operations and employees can continue to execute the important functions you need for your business to be profitable.
To get the most value out of your commercial roof investment, you need to maintain it.
Manufacturer warranties require periodic maintenance with repairs, at the owner’s expense, to maintain the warranty. Maintenance and periodic roof inspections will also increase the life expectancy of the roof system beyond the warranty period.
First Line of Defense
Think about the protection your roof is providing your business operations. If something goes wrong with the roof, chances are that at least one business process is interrupted. You want to count on your roof protecting your building from harsh weather elements and other unexpected hazards. 
Make Needed Repairs
Regular inspections and maintenance of your new roof will, in many cases, isolate specific problems that only need a repair. Why take the chance of letting something develop into a bigger problem that necessitates the need for a total roof replacement?
Inspection Frequency
All commercial roofs, including new roofs, should be inspected every six months to ensure early detection of a problem. There are many external factors beyond your control that can contribute to damage—think in terms of severe weather, heavy foot traffic and accumulated debris from the surrounding area. Your contractor should look for signs of potential leaks, defects, and threats from surrounding trees or other equipment, as well as anything else that inhibits adequate drainage.
Know Your Warranty
Get your manufacturer warranty in writing and be sure you understand what the warranty covers when your new roof is installed. Just as you would with an automobile, keep a careful record of all your inspections and any repairs made—you’ll be glad you did in the long run. We’ll provide more information about commercial roof warranties in the next chapter.
Careful maintenance of your new commercial roof will identify issues before they become major problems. While you may some incur some short-term costs to maintain your roof, investing in ongoing maintenance now will provide significant cost savings and add years to the life of your new roof. By conducting maintenance at regular intervals, you can have confidence that you are protecting all of your valuable assets inside the building.
Roberts Roofing Company strongly recommends yearly maintenance for your new commercial roof system as well as preventive maintenance for your existing commercial roof system. Once in the fall and once in the spring is a good rule of thumb, and remember—annual maintenance with inspection will prolong the life of your new roof.
Roberts Roofing is committed to helping commercial building owners and facility managers keep their roofs in top operating condition. From regular inspections to repair and replacement, we can provide guidance about the steps you can take to prolong the life of your flat roof.
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