Avoid costly mistakes with your commercial flat roof. Here’s what you need to know.
Scheduling a Commercial Flat Roof Repair? Don’t Make These Mistakes
A commercial roof repair can add years to the life of any flat roofing system—but repair mistakes can be costly. From hiring the wrong contractor to using the wrong materials or ignoring repairs entirely, several common mistakes can compromise your roofing system and even threaten your business operations.
At Skyline Contracting, our commercial flat roof repair experts take care to fully inspect and assess your roof, recommend the best roofing solutions, and carry out repairs without cutting corners. If you own a commercial building with a flat roof, here are the top repair mistakes to be aware of.
Mistake 1: Ignoring Small Leaks
It’s never a good idea to ignore even minor damage to a roofing system. While some problems may not seem like a big deal right now, roof damage will only worsen with time.
This is especially the case with any kind of leak. Even a tiny trickle is a significant vulnerability in your roof. What’s more, moisture intrusion will inevitably lead to more significant structural damage. This can compromise your roof and even jeopardize other parts of your commercial building.
Never put off a commercial roof repair, even for the smallest of leaks.
Mistake 2: Misusing Materials
Your roof’s structure is made up of several different materials, each with its own specific functions. When installed in the wrong way or used for the wrong purpose, this can lead to poor performance or cause more problems than the original damage to your roof.
One example we’ve seen is underlayment left exposed as the outer surface of a roof. Typically, a roof’s underlayment provides further protection against moisture during heavy rainstorms, as well as an added layer of insulation to maintain the temperature of the building.
However, underlayment should never serve as the outer surface of a roof. Unfortunately, we’ve seen this mistake often, with previous roofers having installed ice and water shield on top of the roof. This type of underlayment material is not intended to be exposed and provides minimal protection when installed this way.
Mistake 3: Trusting One-Size-Fits-All Solutions
Some commercial roofing companies specialize in a handful of materials, or even just one. While these roofers may have a high degree of expertise when using these materials, it often means they’ll attempt to apply the same solution to repair every commercial flat roof they encounter.
Unfortunately, this just doesn’t work in commercial roofing. Commercial roofing systems are complex and varied, and no repair or roofing solution will work on all of them. What’s more, attempting to apply the wrong solution can wind up doing more harm than good, potentially leaving you with an expensive repair or replacement within a short time.
Mistake 4: Hiring Inexperienced Contractors
When it comes to effective flat roof repair, hiring the right commercial roofing contractor is key. Inexperienced contractors can lead to:
- Poor workmanship
- Shortcuts during the repair process
- Risk of voiding your warranty
It takes a highly skilled and experienced commercial roofing team to fully inspect, diagnose, and recommend the right solutions for your roof.
As you seek out contractors to complete your repair, ask each candidate about their experience in commercial roofing, read through online reviews, and make sure they’re a locally based contractor.
How to Avoid Commercial Flat Roof Repair Mistakes
There are several ways that business owners and commercial property managers can avoid roof repair mistakes. We recommend:
- Scheduling regular inspections so that damage is never overlooked
- Enroll in a commercial roof maintenance program to protect your roof from damage
- Working with a certified and experienced commercial roofing professional
Skyline Contracting: Gainesville’s Commercial Flat Roof Repair Pros
With over 30 years in the roofing industry, our team at Skyline Contracting is the trusted commercial roofing partner of numerous business owners throughout Gainesville, GA. Our experienced commercial roofing team provides thorough inspections and reliable repairs that can add years to the life of your commercial roofing system.
We also provide ongoing commercial roof maintenance, which includes multiple annual inspections, photo documentation, cleaning, and other important services to ensure your commercial roof is performing as it should.
If your commercial roof is in need of repair, Skyline Contracting is your go-to expert! We can ensure you avoid costly errors when repairing your roof—contact us online or call us (770) 530-3095 to schedule your inspection.