Many business owners don’t worry too much about storms and their effects on their commercial building. But the roof is one of the most important assets of the business: built to protect it against harsh weather conditions, wildlife, and vandals.

So while roof maintenance is important, it’s not always easy to address, especially when finding a leak. Depending on the condition of the roof, walking around and setting up equipment can also be a nerve-racking task.

This is why it is highly recommended to hire a professional commercial roofing service. In order to maintain the roof’s condition, prevent and repair leaks, and take full advantage of the warranty on the roofing materials, don’t hesitate to contact your local provider.

Signs of a Roof Problem

If it’s been a while since your last roof inspection, ensure to have a professional inspect it right away. Even if the roof is well sealed, water can still seep in and cause structural damage over time. In fact, any minor issue, such as warped tiles or sealant, can turn into a disaster if not spotted in their early stages.

When hiring a roof inspection expert, they will check for all of the following warning signs within the roof:

• Air pockets in roof cover. The materials installed on the roof are designed to be durable against storms and harsh weather conditions. But excess heat and water can produce air pockets within the covering, putting the roof at risk of further damage.
• Flashing gaps. When harsh weather conditions cause the flashing strips to expand and contract, they will create spaces between eachother. It won’t be long until the roof cover fails during a snow, hail, or rainstorm.
• Ponding. This occurs when there is excess water left standing in a particular spot for too long. This poses dangerous risks, such as allowing for the growth of mold and moisture below the roof surface, weakening the support beams.

Importance of Roof Maintenance

While it may seem unnecessary at first, a roof maintenance program can save significant amounts of money in the long run. By identifying and fixing warning signs as they occur, leaks and severe water damage can be prevented. This will also allow you to retain the full warranty on the roof, by ensuring it’s condition is maintained through regular maintenance.

All roof maintenance programs include thorough inspections to identify any potential problems. Here is what is usually checked during the process.

• Locate warning signs of damage and develop a repair plan to have them fixed as soon as possible.
• Inspect the building after a strong storm for water damage. While the general condition of the roof can still be strong, there may be areas that have become weaker than others.
• Inspect for signs of previous leaks and other issues to ensure that the repairs are still protecting the roof.
• Remove all debris from the roof. Doing this will not only remove unnecessary weight but also combustible materials, such as leaves, will reduce the risk of a fire from spreading.
• Inspect and trim the trees. Any branches that rub against the roof can leave leaves in the gutters and drains.
• Inspect the gutters, drains, and downspouts for debris, including leaves, twigs, and other dirt that can provoke blockages.
• Inspect the rooftop vents to ensure they are well sealed, or replace them if the flashing is warped or damaged.
• For hail storms with ice larger than 1 inch, call your roofing inspection contractor as soon as the storm passes, even if there’s no visible damage.

Finding a Professional Roofing Contractor

Finding a qualified commercial roofing contractor can be difficult due to the number of irreputable companies that scam business owners. So here’s a list of qualities to look for when searching for a reliable roofing contractor:

• Must be bonded, insured, and licensed.
• Check their reviews on Better Business Bureau, Yelp, Google, etc. to read about other customer experiences.
• Ask to see proof of insurance and that worker’s compensation as well as liability is current.
• Ask for references around your area, especially commercial neighbors, to see who they have used in the past.
• If you need your roof replaced, ensure that the deck is inspected for water-damaged materials and that they are covered within the service.
• Negotiate, verify, and ensure to obtain all of the warranty information documents. Discuss what is and isn’t included, keeping record of all services performed to include in future inspections, repairs, and maintenance.

Reliable Roofing

For commercial building owners living in the Chicagoland area, check out Reliable Roofing. These professionals provide a wide array of services – from inspections to replacements – and ensure that quality work is performed each time. Through years of experience, training, and installing products from the best roofing manufacturers, they guarantee durability and flexibility within each repair and replacement.

Their experts are also licensed and insured up to $10 million in the case of emergencies, ensuring full coverage and liability throughout the service. Give them a call for more information about how they can assist you with your needs before the next storm hits!

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.