What to Do Next if Your Commercial Roof is Damaged

No matter the cause, Kauffman Roofing in Jamesport offers some quick advice on what to do next if your commercial roof is damaged.

According to a GAF ProBlog article, if a roof was installed incorrectly, not properly maintained or designed wrong, it can disrupt your commercial roof’s expected long-term performance. It describes the four options you have if your roof is damaged, which are replacing the roof, re-covering the roof, repairing the roof, or coating the roof.

In order to decide which option is best for you, let’s answer these questions.

How badly is the roof damaged?
Is it insulated properly?
Is it an occupied building?
Is it necessary to tear off?
Is the goal for a long-term or short-term solution?
What is the building purpose?
Where is it located?
Is there moisture in the building?

After we have gathered the answers to these questions, we can advise you on which options will give you the best results for your roof.

Full Replacement of Roof

If the damage is too great, you may need a new roof. Sometimes recovering is not an option. In fact, if your roof has been recovered once before, you will probably need to replace it. There are many reasons to replace a commercial roof, including:

The roof has already been extensively repaired
More than 25 percent of the roof is damaged
The roof’s insulation is not good or it is wet
A long-term solution is needed
There is a desire to use the latest technologies

There are many benefits of replacing the roof, including:

Replacing a roof offers a long-term solution
It provides lower maintenance costs
Roof replacement offers the best results and eliminates problems
It gives energy savings

Re-covering the Roof

Depending on the damage, not all roofs need to be replaced. Many can just be recovered if the roof is fundamentally sound and has good installation. With many roofs, if it only has one membrane you can put another roof membrane on top. But recovering a roof is can only be done once. There are many reasons to re-cover a roof, including:

If the roof has good insulation, but the membrane is no longer effective
The roof has never been recovered

There are many benefits of recovering the roof, including:

Recovering is less expensive than replacing the roof
It is less disruptive than a full tear-off
The roof doesn’t have to be exposed to the elements
The new membrane offers new, extended warranties

Repairing the Roof

Sometimes the roof’s problems are small and can be repaired.

There are many reasons to repair a commercial roof, including:

The membrane is good
The roof’s insulation is effective
It can help keep costs low

The benefits of repairing a roof include:

It costs less
It can extend the life of the roof

Re-Coating the Roof

You can extend the life of the roof by coating it in some cases. The benefits of coating a roof, include:

It protects the roof from leaks
The coating can extend the roof’s life
Reflective coatings offer energy savings because it reflects heat
The coating keeps the roof and the building cooler
Coating the roof is less disruptive than a tear-off
It is less expensive with possible rebates and tax savings

The roofing experts at Kauffman Roofing in Jamesport can go through the benefits of each option and help you decide what to do next if your commercial roof is damaged. We specialize in repairs, preventative maintenance, and roof replacement. We also offer full concept design services. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.