SPRING IS HERE…. Just about.

Have you heard? Spring is here… at least in some places! Is your facility ready to tackle the sun and the rain? It takes thinking ahead and preparation to prevent leaks and other roof issues during the spring months.

West Roofing Systems has locations all over the US; our teams install quality roofs that are made to withstand the wet spring weather. We work with commercial facility owners and managers every year to prepare their buildings for the spring season.

Here are five tips to prepare your flat roof for spring.

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Schedule A Roof Inspection

After winter weather hits, it’s essential to get a professional on your roof. A licensed contractor or inspector should walk your roof and look for damage or areas of potential damage. It’s important to fix any issues with your roof system because when spring rain comes, it can turn minor problems into the major issues very quickly. Regular inspections should be performed before and after summer to ensure you don’t run into surprise puddles in your facility.

Clean Your Roof of Debris

While your roof is being inspected for potential problems, it’s important to prevent issues by making sure your roof and gutters are clean of debris.

When the snow melts, the water needs a place to go. Make sure all of your gutters and downspouts are clear of leaves, twigs and other debris to prevent water from backing up and sitting on your rooftop. As Spring comes and goes, flowers and fruit blooming and falling on your roof can cause a backup of water flow. Keep an eye on your surrounding trees to make sure they are not filling up your gutters.

Clear Any Animal Nests

Springtime is when animals like to come out and make nests wherever they can find the space. These nests bring animals to your facility where they can cause significant damage through digging, chewing, burrowing and creating messes.

It’s important to clear any nests before the animals lay eggs or have babies living on your roof. An animal can become dangerous when they are trying to protect their young.

5 STEPS TO PREPARE YOUR FLAT ROOF FOR WINTER

Evaluate Adjacent Areas

It’s not only important to examine your roof and facility, but you also need to look at the surrounding areas adjacent to your facility. It’s important to know these potential hazards as you enter the warm weather season so that you and your contractor are prepared.

Spalling Masonry

During the winter months, moisture will collect between bricks and concrete. When that moisture freezes into ice, it expands and causes the bricks and concrete to separate from each other and fall out of place. This can be dangerous to people walking below.

Gather Important Documents

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A roof leak can put anyone into a panic. It’s important that you have all of your essential information and documents in one place. You need to make sure that you are protected against a roof leak and that you know who to contact.

Review Your Warranty

Look back at your files to review your current roofing system’s warranty. It’s important to know what your warranty covers and what it doesn’t cover. You also want to make sure that your roof is still under warranty and that you are taking the proper steps to stay under warranty.

If you have recently installed a new roofing system, make sure to contact your contractor to see if they can help prepare for the Spring weather.

At West Roofing Systems, we take pride in the new roofs we install and the maintenance we provide for our customers and their commercial, industrial and manufacturing buildings. Our M.a.R.S. (Maintenance and Repair Service) Program is available for new and existing roof systems.

Choosing West Roofing Systems as a turnkey roofing company will provide you with highly trained teams and award-winning service. Our services are flexible and diverse; we can recoat, repair or replace your facility’s roof so that it lasts decades.

Original Post Here: 5 Tips to Prepare Your Roof for Spring

A new commercial roof is not a small purchase; whether you just purchased a new building or your aged roof is leaking, it’s daunting to think about jumping into such a significant investment. Many factors can affect the price of a spray polyurethane foam commercial roof; from the weather to the location to the material choices.

Here at West Roofing Systems, we’ve installed over a 57,700,000 sq. feet of roofing domestically and internationally and during that time we have seen businesses save a lot of money from reduced installation costs to long-term energy savings by choosing SPF Roofing.

What is Spray Polyurethane Foam Roofing?

Spray Polyurethane Foam, more commonly referred to as SPF, is a liquid that is sprayed and expands into a foam, creating a solid layer across an existing roof. While SPF roofing is not the most known type of roofing material, the technology has been around since the early 1960s for industrial, commercial, and residential facilities.

For an average 20,000 sq. foot commercial roof, it will usually cost between $4.00 and $7.00 per square foot in materials and labor to install a typical SPF roofing system. This price range is for an SPF roof of average thickness and building structure.^*

Download: The Essential Guide to Spray Polyurethane Foam Roofing

Installation Costs

It can save you in time and money to install an SPF roof system over other types of systems. Commercial facilities can have up to two roof systems installed if you only have one current roof system on your building, there is no need to tear off your roof to install an SPF roof system. The SPF is simply applied directly to the existing roof system. This saves you money with contractor time and the cost of refuse disposal.

Installing an SPF roof can be less intrusive to the tenants in the building than other types of roof systems. The timeline is short, and the building can still be occupied during an SPF roof installation.

Energy Efficiency

SPF roofing delivers thermal, air, and moisture barriers to provide the highest R-value per inch, which means the material provides better insulation for the building. The thicker you make the foam layer, the higher R-Value your roof will have. An R-value is the measure of insulation (resistance to heat flow) for material.

Studies show that the average payback period for a new SPF roof can be reached in as little as five years through energy cost reductions to heat and cool the facility. An SPF roof can help earn an Energy Star Certification and Cool Roof Rating.

Reflective Roofing

When the SPF layer has been completed, it is then sealed with a layer of silicone and embedded granules. These layers protect the roof and foam from UV light, weather, and impact. The light color reflects UV rays, saving buildings up to 35% in energy costs from not needing as much air conditioning to keep the facilities cool.

Utilizing a light coating application reduces energy costs as part of the energy star cool roof solution. Cool roofs can save money several ways, including:

Energy savings
Rebates and incentives
HVAC equipment downsizing
Extended roof lifetime

[caption id="attachment_25004" align="alignright" width="300"] Commercial Roofing Maintenance and Repair Services[/caption]

Maintenance Costs

You can save a lot of money by simply keeping up with the maintenance of your SPF roofing system. Once an SPF roof is installed, it requires minimal upkeep. If properly maintained, your SPF roof can last over 50 years.

There are two types of maintenance for SPF Roofing: preventative maintenance and a restoration coating.

Preventative Maintenance

SPF roofing systems should be inspected semi-annually, in the Spring and again in the Fall. Additional inspections are also suggested following any event that might have caused damage to the system. By doing this, you can catch minor damage before it becomes major damage and more costly to repair.

[caption id="attachment_24580" align="alignright" width="300"] Silicone Restoration Membrane for Commercial Roofs[/caption]

Silicone Restoration Recoat

A Silicone Restoration Membrane (SRM) or recoat is a fluid applied silicone coating sprayed directly onto your existing SPF roof system. After the existing roof is cleaned and repaired,

the silicone coating is sprayed on, sealing any imperfections and adding a waterproof layer

on your commercial roof.

From installation and throughout your warranty, the savings of your new SPF can pay off the roof system and save you money down the road. This is why many commercial and industrial facilities choose SPF as their preferred roof system.

An SPF roof pays for itself quickly with energy savings and longevity of the roof. You can work with your contractor to calculate potential energy savings to make sure are proactive about your facility cost-savings.

*Prices provided in this article are a generalization and not a quote. Please contact our reps for a more personalized commercial roof quote.

Originally Published Here: 4 Ways a Spray Polyurethane Foam Roof Can Save Your Business Money

West Roofing Blog

Monday, April 23, 2018

5 Tips to Prepare Your Roof for Spring