Although commercial roofs can last for up to 70 years, all commercial roofs will have to be replaced eventually. Although many commercial building owners choose to replace their building's roof with a replica of its old roof, some buildings could benefit from a change in roofing materials. When you work with a roofer to get a commercial roof replacement, they may offer you several options including a built-up roof, a single-ply membrane roof, or a metal roof. This article covers the basic information you need to know about each of these roofing styles.
Traditional Built-Up Roofs
For decades now, one of the most popular types of commercial roofing has been the built-up roof. These roofs are made from many layers of materials like gravel, asphalt, coal tar, synthetic roofing membranes, and roofing felt. As workers layer these materials, which are adhered together with asphalt and/or coal tar, they build up a surprisingly durable and resilient roof. The more layers the roof has, the longer it should last. In fact, built-up roofs with many layers also add insulation to commercial buildings. Built-up roofs are ideal for flat roofs but can also be installed over gentle slopes. The major downsides of these roofs are installation cost and cure time, but for the time and money you put into a built-up roof, you get a roof that will last for decades and protect your building from heat loss as well as water infiltration.
Modern Single-Ply Membrane Roofs
Modern commercial roofers have another option for buildings with flat roofs: single-ply membranes. This style of commercial roof is very quick to install and relatively inexpensive. It can be installed on flat roofs or roofs with gentle slopes. It is light and efficient because it doesn't require multiple layers of heavy materials or hours of curing time. The trade-offs of installing single-ply membranes where built-up roofing used to be are insulation losses and reduced roofing durability. Single-ply roofing materials may be punctured or torn, unlike built-up roofing materials. If your building originally had a single-ply membrane roof, you likely need to install another one instead of a built-up roof because of the difference in the weight of the roofing materials.
Sloped Metal Roofing Systems
If your building has a sloped roof, you need a roof that can be installed over the slope. Many residential roofing materials, like asphalt shingles, work well for sloped roofs, but many building owners don't want to put in the same maintenance work that homeowners have to handle. A good solution is to install a metal roofing system. Metal roofs can last up to 70 years, and they can be installed at many angles. They don't have shingles or shakes that can blow away, so they are exceptionally resistant to rain and wind. Visit a website like http://www.durafoaminc.com for more valuable information.
