How to Winterize a Commercial Roof

Summer is finally over, and as the winter approaches, you have to think about your commercial property’s condition, especially the roof. Winter is one of the highly unpredictable seasons of the year. There will be snow and ice, and you are not sure how much it will be and how much damage it might cause. The best strategy to prepare for any eventuality is winterizing the roof of your property.

When you winterize your roof with the help of a commercial roofing contractor, you protect the roof membrane and patch up any weak spots on the roof’s surface, which might become the spot where snow and water damage begins. Here are simple guidelines on how you can prepare your roof for the winter:

Know the Risks of an Unmaintained Roof
Even the best roofs are bound to deteriorate with time. If your roof has lasted for several years, but you have not been following a regular inspection and maintenance program, you are waiting for a disaster. Winter brings loads of snow, temperature fluctuations, and sometimes strong winds. A weak roof can collapse under all these types of pressure.

Roof collapse can be devastating in a commercial building setup because once the roof collapses, everything inside the building might get destroyed. Even if the roof does not collapse, the moment that it starts to weaken because of a leak, it will lead to water damage inside the building.

Call a Commercial Roofing Contractor for an Inspection
Regular maintenance means having a roofing contractor on-site at least once a year and preferably in fall. It is the most appropriate time to assess damages and correct them before the snow starts falling.

Perform All Recommended repairs
After the inspection, the roofing contractor will list all the weaknesses that your roof has. They will recommend the most urgent repairs to work on. Use the best materials and repair techniques to make sure that the problem does not recur.
At times, the roof damage can be so massive that the only way out is replacing it. It is imperative to plan for a replacement before a disaster occurs because insurance companies might not be kind to you if they realize you were warned to make repairs, but you did not.

Keep Checking the Roof
It is also advisable to keep checking the condition of your roof before and during winter. If you notice ice dams forming or snow accumulating on the gutters, call a skilled contractor like Champion Roofing to offer cleaning and maintenance services.