Month: February 2021

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3 Ways to Extend the Service Life of Your Commercial Roof

Roof of a commercial building with a external units of the commercial air conditioning and ventilation systems.

As a business owner or facilities manager, it’s extremely likely that you can’t take time out of your busy schedule to perform routine roofing maintenance tasks. In fact, most businesses tend to only look towards the roof when a problem has arisen, like a leak in the roofing system. However, investing in regular maintenance on your commercial roof rather than waiting until there’s a problem could be just the thing to extend the lifespan of your roof and keep your business up and running.

Below, we go over three proven methods of prolonging the lifespan of your commercial roof. If you are in need of commercial roof replacement in Tampa, please get in contact with a member of our team for more information. We will work to inspect and address the problem in an efficient and non-disruptive manner.

Related: How Roof Maintenance Proves Its Worth

1. Make Necessary Repairs As Soon As Possible

Ignoring a glaring issue like a commercial roof leak in Tampa is the worst thing that a commercial business owner or facilities manager could do. That’s because, over time, the problem will only get worse and grow more and more expensive to repair, causing extensive damage to your building in the process. Even more, it may cause your roof to collapse entirely. Conversely, the sooner you treat and correct a problem like a roof leak, the less chance there is that the issue will spread or develop into something much more complex.

Related: Do Repairs Quickly to Protect Your Commercial Roof

2. Keep Nearby Trees Pruned

As most business owners know, trees near your commercial property can offer a variety of benefits, from making your business seem more inviting to helping you save on cooling costs during the heat of summer. Unfortunately, any trees within striking distance of your roof also increase the risk of damage in the event that loose branches either fall or are ripped from the trees as a result of bad weather. To help prevent problems like holes in the membrane and gutter clogging, you’ll want to consider trimming any branches that hang over your commercial roof regularly. Ensure that the branches are at least 10 feet away from the roof to best prevent pests and rodents as well.

Related: 3 Things that Speed Your Commercial Roof Deterioration

3. Keep Your Roof Clean

Depending on the height of your commercial building, debris like gravel, leaves, dirt, and grime can fall onto your roof. Without regular cleaning, this debris can build up, adding weight to your roof, allowing standing water to collect in one area, and creating a welcoming environment for vegetative growth, mold, and mildew to grow. Apart from making your roof more vulnerable to holes and tears, debris will also collect in your gutters and eventually clog them, inhibiting proper damage and leading to leaks and rusting. Regular cleaning is the best way to prevent buckling, remove the unnecessary weight on the roof caused by this debris, and inhibit the growth of moss, mold, and rot. For more information regarding routine commercial roof maintenance or commercial roof replacement in Tampa, please get in touch with a member of our team today.

To speak with a roofing professional regarding commercial roof replacement in Tampa, or to schedule a consultation, please submit our contact request form.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional counsel.

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Stay Proactive With Aerial Drone Roof Inspections

Roof of a commercial building with a external units of the commercial air conditioning and ventilation systems.

Most commercial business owners and facilities managers have an “out of sight, out of mind” point of view when it comes to spending money on their commercial roof. Unfortunately, this mentality can lead to serious damage not only to your roof but property and business function as well. The last thing you want to be dealing with is water leaking on expensive equipment, or worse, the heads of your tenants because of a minor leak you failed to notice months ago.

Thankfully, there is a solution. A licensed roofing contractor in Tampa with Aderhold Roofing has the tools, experience, and knowledge necessary to identify issues with your roof before they blossom into major catastrophes with the help of aerial drone roof inspections. Far beyond the constraints of a surface level evaluation, our team uses cutting-edge technology to scour your roof for any potential signs of damage and provide a comprehensive report detailing any issues and the ideal time frame for repairs.

In this article, we’ll be going over what an aerial drone roof inspection is and how it can benefit you as a building owner. If, after reading this article, you feel as if your commercial building could benefit from an aerial drone roof inspection, please get in contact with one of the commercial roofing contractors in Tampa at Aderhold Roofing.

Related: 5 Common Threats to Your Commercial Roof

What Is an Aerial Drone Roof Inspection?

For a commercial building owner, leaks, cracks, ponding water, and other types of roof damage can be an absolute nightmare to locate and repair. This is because, in order to access hard-to-reach parts of the building, a roofing contractor in Tampa must climb atop the commercial roof and manually search for damage. This process is time-consuming, dangerous, and typically requires hours of planning in order to secure the appropriate equipment in order to keep the commercial roofer safe.

An aerial drone inspection circumvents this process by allowing the commercial roofer to capture images of the roof from an aerial perspective via a drone and a connected high-resolution camera device. Not only can these inspections be performed very efficiently, but they also allow the roofing team to prepare a detailed analysis of the data collected with virtually no risk of injury. No scaffolding, no cranes, no lifts, and no work boots upon your roof.

Related: Preserving Your Commercial Roof Investment

How Can an Aerial Drone Roof Inspection Benefit Your Business?

For business owners and facilities managers looking to receive extremely reliable data about the condition of their commercial roof without damaging any of the roofing materials or worrying about inaccessible areas, aerial drone roof inspections are an invaluable resource. Below, we outline several key benefits of aerial drone roof inspections, particularly in regard to commercial roof repair in Tampa.

Provide Consistent and Accurate Rooftop Data

By far, one of the most important benefits of an aerial drone roof inspection is the accuracy and consistency such an inspection can achieve when it comes to rooftop measurements and other simple tasks. Essentially, by taking the human element out of the picture, you’re eliminating the possibility for human error. That means no more twisted tape measures, inaccessible edges, or inconsistent endpoint selection.

The roofing contractor just sends the drone up in the air and, using the latest in mapping technology, is able to capture accurate, real-time measurements of features like square footage, surface area, and slope all in a matter of minutes. Even better, these measurements have been proven via vigorous testing to consistently be over 99 percent accurate. You’ll never have to worry about having to call your roofing contractor back because of missed information ever again.

Act as a Safer, Cost-Effective Alternative to Physical Inspection

After accuracy and reliability of data, the next best benefit of aerial drone roof inspections is the safety and accessibility they provide to roofing contractors. It goes without saying, but being up on a commercial roof produces a whole host of dangers to the inspectors. Falls are actually the number one leading cause of death when it comes to industrial job sites.

With drone inspections, you can practically eliminate the need for ladder assists and the traditional boots-on-roof method of data collection. The amount of time required for these methods and the liability risks involved is most of the cost you’ll end up spending on roof inspections. Eliminate the need for the traditional inspection, and you’re left with a much more cost-effective alternative.

Can Be Used With Non-Invasive Thermal Imaging Technology

Last but not least, another amazing advantage of drone technology is the potential for the use of thermographic imaging, which is used to detect water infiltration in both commercial roofs and facades. The inspector flies a drone that has been equipped with an infrared, high-resolution camera over the building, and the camera is able to access and capture images of the energy patterns being emitted from the roofing system. These images are then interpreted to determine potential areas of trapped moisture.

In the past, this was only possible via the deployment of technicians with handheld infrared cameras to perform assessments. This new method is non-destructive, non-invasive, and can be performed on an annual basis along with other preventative maintenance. Generally speaking, it’s a great way to detect punctures and scarring in the rooftop, exposed edges and corners, pooling water trapped under the roof, and much more.

If your current roofing contractor is not providing the consistent results you wish to see when it comes to your commercial roofing projects or you believe your business could benefit from aerial drone roof inspections, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our commercial roofing contractors in Tampa.

To speak with a roofing professional regarding licensed roofing contractor in Tampa, or to schedule a consultation, please submit our contact request form.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional counsel.

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3 Signs You Need to Replace Your Commercial Gutters

Broken flat roof with macro with broken rubber

When functioning properly, your commercial gutter system protects your business from a host of moisture-related problems by directing rainwater toward downspouts and storm drains. However, just like any other component of your building’s exterior, it doesn’t last forever. And when this system starts to fail, you’re bound to begin noticing serious consequences from improperly drained water. From the foundation to the walkways, this may end up costing your business hundreds to thousands of dollars in damage.

Fortunately, with timely inspections and repairs performed by the best commercial roofer in Tampa, these damages can be avoided. For a consultation with a roofing contractor capable of inspecting, maintaining, repairing, or replacing your commercial gutters, get in touch with Aderhold Roofing. For a brief overview of three of the most common signs that your commercial gutters may need replacing, continue reading.

Related: 5 Common Threats to Your Commercial Roof

Mold or Mildew Around the Foundation

Commercial gutters are designed to keep water away from the foundation of your building. Should you begin to notice mold, mildew, or other signs of water around the foundation, then your gutters are not draining properly, and something is wrong. Mold and mildew, in particular, may appear as clusters of white, green, black, or brown specks littered across the foundation of your building. If you’ve seen these types of specks on your building, be sure to schedule for a commercial roofer in Tampa to come out and examine your gutters right away to determine if they’re properly diverting water away from your property.

Related: Is Mold From a Roof Leak Dangerous?

Sagging

It’s a good rule of thumb to ensure that your commercial gutters are securely fastened to your building at all times. They should always be straight and flush with your roof. If your commercial gutters appear to be pulling away from the rest of the building and sagging or seem heavy with water, this is a great sign that your roof inspectors may soon need to replace them. Several factors can cause sagging gutters, including debris, improper installation, age, and materials; however, most gutters only sag when they become too heavy or too full of water to remain in their correct position. So, if they’re sagging, it typically means that they’re not functioning properly and should be replaced as soon as possible.

Related: Why Is My Commercial Roof Leaking?

Cracks and Splits

Cracked or splitting gutters have long been compared to a bucket with a hole on the bottom — ineffective at containing any water. And while large cracks may be plainly visible on dry, clear days, smaller cracks are prone to only reveal themselves during a bad storm. Unfortunately, even the smallest of cracks in your gutter can cause water to leak out or develop into a large fracture, creating massive problems for your building’s entire drainage system. For this reason, it’s important to have the best commercial roofer in Tampa inspect for any signs of damage to your commercial gutters regularly, and especially after bouts of severe weather. Most damage can be sealed with a patching kit but, if left for too long, your only option will be a complete gutter replacement.

To speak with a roofing professional regarding commercial re-roofing in Tampa, or to schedule a consultation, please submit our contact request form.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional counsel.

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Top Reasons Why You Should Never Delay Commercial Roof Replacement

Air condition system on the building roof toop

When most people think of commercial roof replacement in Tampa, they typically think in terms of catastrophic roof damage due to hurricanes, tornadoes, heavy rain showers, or other types of natural disasters. However, you may be surprised to learn that the most common type of commercial roof damage that requires a total replacement is in fact cumulative minor damage that simply adds up over time. This type of damage, otherwise known as consequential damage, significantly shortens the lifespan of your roof and gradually leads to major costs in form of property damage and extensive repairs.

If and when the need for replacement arrives, you need to answer the call as soon as possible. Why is prompt commercial roof replacement so essential? The simple answer is, by delaying making contact with roofing contractors like Aderhold Roofing for commercial roof inspection in Tampa, you’ll be taking on a number of major risks. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the possible consequences of putting off commercial roof replacement for too long.

Related: Why You Need to Plan Now for Commercial Roof Replacement

Damaged Roofs Are Perfect for Pests

As a commercial building owner or facilities manager, you know that having a pest in the roof of your commercial property can be an annoyance, health hazard, and impetus for serious structural damage. The most common pests we see here in the southern half of the United States are mice, rats, termites, bees, birds, and ants, each of which specializes in their own critical type of damage. Termites, for example, will weaken the wooden structure of your roof and loosen shingles or tiles as they develop their colonies in areas of mold or rotting materials. Mice and rats, on the other hand, may chew through a large combination of substances that hold your roof together as well as electrical wires and plumbing. Even worse is that these pests cannot be killed and removed on your own. You will always require a licensed roofing contractor in Tampa to plug up any holes made and implement various prevention methods recommended by pest control and removal experts.

What this has to do with delaying roof replacement is clear. Any perforation in your commercial roof, no matter how small, is a potential point of infiltration for pests and small animals. And once an infestation has begun, it can be difficult to put an end to it. Temporary roof repairs and pest-proofing may prevent these kinds of pests from getting in for the time being, but roof replacement is a much more permanent and effective solution.

Water Damage and Leaks Can Quickly Develop

No one ever wants to see water leaking through their roof; however, normal wear and tear on your commercial roof can easily create numerous opportunities for water to seep in. Even what seems like the most minor damage is prone to creating extensive vulnerabilities. Common causes of commercial roof leaks here in the Tampa Bay Area are ponding water, open penetrations, damaged roof flashing, an aged roof, and more. Most often, issues like ponding water or a weathered membrane are simply caused by your roof enduring normal damage over time rather than catastrophic events.

Unfortunately, commercial roof leaks are a pretty big deal for a wide variety of reasons. If nothing else, you’re bound to see damage to your building’s interior and accelerated aging of your roof. On the other hand, you may be incredibly unlucky and wind up with mold, insect infestations, and slips and falls by employees and other occupants as a result of puddles on the floor. The longer you wait to address moisture and leakages and invest in commercial roof replacement with apartment roofing contractors in Tampa, the worse the problem will become and the higher the cost will grow.

Related: 3 Reasons Why Business Owners Should Never Ignore a Commercial Roof Leak

You’ll Face Severe Structural Damage or Complete Roof Collapse

Apart from the potential for leaks and pest infiltration, damage to your commercial roof that has gone unaddressed can also impact the structural stability of your entire building and, in the worst-case scenario, even lead to a complete roof collapse. One of the most devastating risks of avoiding a long-overdue commercial roof replacement, for example, is the possibility of creating a fire hazard as structural elements fail, water gets into cables and outlets, and damaged breakers and electrical appliances run the risk of sparking and igniting. It goes without saying that you’ll want to do everything in your power to avoid this type of damage.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. When you partner with a roofing contractor like Aderhold Roofing for commercial roof evaluation in Tampa, we’ll inspect your existing roof and help you gain energy and longevity for your commercial building by selecting a new, modern alternative to your old roofing material. From shingle roofs to thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) membranes, you’re sure to find an option that brings your building solidly into the 21st century.

To speak with a roofing professional regarding commercial re-roofing in Tampa, or to schedule a consultation, please submit our contact request form.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional counsel.

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