Winter is approaching, and for commercial properties, it’s not only the colder weather you must consider. The freezing temperatures can result in costly damage and disruptions to businesses. The integrity of your commercial roof not only protects the building, but also secures the future of your business.
It’s essential to prepare your commercial property for the winter ahead. Learn our essential pre-winter roof maintenance tips and prepare your commercial roof against the challenges of the upcoming winter season.
Table of Contents
Initial Inspection
Carry out a comprehensive inspection of all membrane seams, side laps, and head laps for secure bonding. This initial inspection is highly recommended because it plays an important role in preventing leaks and maintaining the roof’s overall integrity.
The risk of leaks due to freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall increases during the winter season. By ensuring secure bonding through the initial inspection, you can effectively avoid costly damage and potential disruptions to your business.
Roof Maintenance
To ensure the longevity of your roof and prevent damage, it’s crucial to perform regular roof drain maintenance. It’s important to check all drains for debris and confirm the secure bonding of the membrane. This not only prevents ice dam formation but also enhances safety during the cold season.
Therefore, this is also one of the reasons why it’s strongly advisable to begin with an initial inspection to evaluate the need for roof drain work and determine the necessary steps to ensure the roof’s integrity.
Clearing Roof Drains
An annual snaking of all roof drains helps prevent potential issues like mold growth and reduces the necessity for emergency repairs, ultimately contributing to the longevity of your roof. Snow and ice accumulation can often result in blockages. This regular check serves to extend the roof’s lifespan by ensuring proper drainage.
Overflow Drain Compliance
In Canada, harsh winter conditions often result in excessive snow and ice on roofs, which can overload the drainage system. To avoid this risk, it’s crucial to maintain overflow drain compliance, ensuring that there is at least one overflow drain for each roof drain.
This backup drainage system acts as a safeguard, effectively preventing potential issues and ensuring that the roof’s drainage functions smoothly, particularly during winter storms.
Gutter Maintenance
There’s a high risk of ice dams forming in gutters, during winter. To preserve the quality of the roof, it’s important to have regular gutter maintenance. Clearing them of debris is essential, especially in colder climates. This can prevent ice formation and ensure proper drainage, which safeguards commercial roofs from potential issues.
With over two decades worth of experience in the roofing industry, Brad Gordon and his Vancouver Commercial Roofing company offer premium quality roof repairs and installations, with minimal interruption to your business.
Brad Gordon and his team of professionals have been installing roofing, waterproofing and architectural sheet metal systems in the Greater Vancouver area for over 20 years.