As commercial roofing specialists, the Farha Roofing team wishes that commercial roofs would last forever. It would certainly save our clients a lot of stress if they did! Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever and commercial roofs are no exception. No matter how carefully you maintain and protect your commercial roof, it is bound to one day fail.
There are many different reasons your commercial roof may fail and as commercial roofing contractors, we believe it is important for all building owners and property managers to be informed. To keep you in the know, the Farha Roofing team has compiled a list of the 10 most common reasons commercial roofs fail and we are sharing them all with you below!
10 Common Causes of Commercial Roof Failure
1. Poor workmanship
Poor workmanship is one of the leading causes of roof failure, especially for new roofs. We’ve talked about this topic extensively on this blog, but that’s because we believe it is crucial to know. Anyone can walk around and call themselves commercial roofing specialists, but that doesn’t mean they have the certifications, licenses, and training to back up those claims. When choosing a contractor to work on your roof, make sure you thoroughly vet them and their credentials to ensure you are partnering with a professional.
2. Failure to regularly inspect and maintain
We know remembering to schedule your bi-yearly or quarterly roofing inspections can be a pain to remember, you have plenty of other things going on. But, your roof is one thing you do not want to let fall to the wayside. Forgetting a roofing inspection and delaying necessary maintenance by even a few weeks can cause a minor problem to become a really big one. Schedule your inspections and maintenance ahead of time so you never let one slip through the cracks.
3. Incorrect materials for your climate
When you opt to work with trained and certified commercial roofing specialists, this shouldn’t be a problem for you, but it is still important to be aware. Not all roofing materials are made equally and what works for a building in Minnesota, probably won’t work on a building in Florida and vice versa. Your commercial roofing specialists should be able to guide you towards the right choices for your circumstances and climate.
4. Exposure to the elements
This is unavoidable, your roof is outside and on the top of your building. It’s job is to protect the inside of your building from the outside world. Of course, your roof is going to be exposed to the elements. Overtime, exposure to extreme weather, heat, and UV rays can lead to failure. This is why it is so important to stay on top of the inspections and maintenance mentioned above.
Recommendation: Time for Rental Property Roof Replacement
5. Ignoring problems when they’re small
It is human nature to want to ignore a small problem until it becomes a big problem – if it isn’t impacting your day to day, why fix it? While we understand this temptation, ignoring roofing problems is what leads to failure. A small, fixable leak today could lead to total ceiling collapse in a month. Save yourself the headache and fix all problems when you first notice them.
6. Equipment changes or additions
If you have a rooftop HVAC system, chimneys, or other equipment and it needs replacing, it needs to be done carefully and correctly. Whenever work is done on your roof, even if another vendor is needed for something like an HVAC system, your commercial roofing specialists should be involved in the process. If rooftop equipment is incorrectly installed or removed, it can lead to extensive roofing damage or even total failure.
7. Foot traffic
As commercial roofing specialists, we love being up on our clients’ roofs. The views are unmatched and it can be quite peaceful up there. That said; while it might be tempting to soak in the views yourself, we highly recommend staying off of your own roof. Foot traffic can easily puncture shingles or displace parts of your system and lead to failure overtime. Leave your building’s rooftop to the professionals and find a rooftop restaurant nearby to soak in the views!
8. Water damage
Water damage can take on a variety of forms. It can lead to leaky ceilings, water in the walls, mold, mildew, wood root, and a number of other issues. When not detected early enough, this water damage can lead to complete roof failure quickly. The moment you suspect water damage at your commercial property, call your commercial roofing specialists to schedule an emergency inspection.
9. Changes in building use
This one is sneaky because people don’t often realize that what goes on inside your building can impact your roofing structure. If your building was once used as a manufacturing facility, but now is a commercial kitchen, this could impact the wear and tear on the roofing system. Talk to your commercial roofing specialists if the utilization of your building changes to see if any changes to the roofing system are necessary.
10. General age of the roof
As we mentioned in the very beginning of this post – nothing lasts forever, including your commercial roof. Once your commercial roof hits the 20, 25, or 30 year mark depending on your climate, failure is likely to be caused by general age. When this happens, you can be happy that your roof had a long life and work with your commercial roofing specialists on a replacement plan.
If you suspect any of the above problems may be present on your commercial roof, the commercial roofing specialists at Farha Roofing are here for you. Contact our team today to schedule a free inspection with our teams in Colorado and Kansas, so we can get your roof fixed before it fails!