With the snowy, icy season coming up, taking the proper steps to protect your commercial roofing is critical. Business owners and facility managers need a plan in place to ensure roofing will hold up in winter and won’t sustain damage during harsh weather. Below is a brief guide to get started.

How to Prepare Commercial Roofing for the Cold

Hazards of Winter

If commercial roofing shows wear and tear like split seams, holes, and buckling, winter weather will only worsen it. Snow and ice on top of already compromised spots will cause more extensive damage. Moisture now has access points, leading to flooding and damage to items in your facility. Leaks and floods also lead to mold and mildew that can affect your staff’s health.

Other areas affected include gutter and drainage systems, especially if leaves and other debris are clogging components. Any standing water from backups will freeze when temperatures drop, causing ice dams and sections of roofing to become weighed down by heavy snow, slush, and sheets of ice. Eventually, that weight will become too much, and commercial roofing may sag, or worse, collapse, which is dangerous for your building and its staff.

How to Prepare

During an inspection, a roofing contractor will assess the area for sun damage, cracking, and shingle trouble, so these components can be repaired before winter storms hit. Without an inspection by a professional, it is difficult to detect trouble, which may compromise surface membranes, flashing, gutters, and shingles.

If you have any equipment on your roof, secure it to prevent damage from high winds, snow, and ice. Not only can unsecured items damage sections of the roof, but they can also blow completely off and cause damage or injury below.

Before any snow falls, remove debris, twigs, and leaves. They may clog gutters, vents, and other critical openings, and it will be challenging if not impossible to remove them once they’re buried by snow.

Contact a snow removal company or ask your roofing contractor if they perform snow and ice cleanup. This will keep the weight on your commercial roofing reasonable and will prevent damage from excessive moisture and heavy loads on the surface membrane.

Serving Anchorage, AK, for 40 years, General Roofing has been the top roofing contractor for businesses and residents in the area. When you need help preparing your commercial roofing for winter, their knowledgeable team and top products will get you through the harshest weather. They also offer military and senior discounts, and their contractors will always offer honest solutions for your roof repairs. To schedule a repair appointment or roof inspection, call (907) 561-1460. Visit them online for a complete list of services.