What Makes for a Good Commercial Roof?

Posted on

Commercial roofing in Salem is easy to mess up. Commercial roofs tend to be more difficult than residential ones, so make sure your contractor is hitting the mark.

In this post, we want to break down the functions that a good commercial roof should bring to the table for your business. Last week, we talked about why it’s so important to pick the right commercial roofing contractor and brought up the example of one of our customers’ bad experiences with another Oregon commercial roofer. This week, we’re going to talk about the function that your commercial roof should have, so that you can talk with your roofing contractor about the roof from an informed perspective.

Water Protection

This one should be a given. The primary function of any commercial roof is to prevent weather events from harming your business, your assets, and your employees. In order to effectively shed water, your roof should be water-sealed, free of leaks in general, and should have a proper drainage system. If your roofing contractor notices specific areas on your flat or low-pitch roof that could cause problems with water pooling, they should install a “cricket” in order to more effectively drain water. That is why it is important to have high quality of roof shingles.

As obvious as it is that water protection is the primary function of commercial roofing in Oregon, some contractors still mess this up. We’ve been called to many commercial roofing projects for re-roofing and emergency repairs within the first year of a re-roof done by some of our competitors. Be wary, read reviews, ask for references, and inform yourself when you pick your roofing contractor!

Insulation

What if we told you that your roof could help reduce your long-term overhead? Pretty exciting, right? Having a properly insulated commercial roof can save your business thousands of dollars. This is accomplished by saving in heating and cooling bills. Also, employees work more efficiently when they’re comfortable.

Proper insulation can create a more comfortable work environment for your employees. The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) shared its results from a recent study, and their numbers indicate that “compensation was the only aspect of their jobs people found less satisfactory than physical work space.

Additionally, having roofing insulation can reduce the risk of ice damming and other damage that can be caused by extreme temperature fluctuation. Risk reduction is a major consideration for commercial project managers, so keep this in mind.

More efficient and happy employees, reduced energy bills, and risk prevention are three major benefits that your commercial roof should provide.

There’s a reason that Slate & Slate Roofing is in the top 1% of all Oregon contractors. We pride ourselves on being one of the best commercial roofing contractors in Salem, Oregon. If you’ve got any questions or would like a quote on your commercial roofing project, give us a call today at (503) 585-2338.

Written by
Terry Slate
Terry is the Vice President of Slate & Slate Roofing and has over 28 years of experience with both residential and commercial roofing. He specializes in metal roofing, composition roofing, and PVC membrane roofing.