Flat roofs are tempting targets. They invite foot traffic, because they seem to have none of the risk of steep-slope roofs. They gather natural debris, too, falling from trees or carried by the wind. Water collects on flat roofs, often refusing to drain through scuppers and internal drains. Three basic facts about low-slope (flat) roofs can save your company money and save you unnecessary expenses for flat roof maintenance.
Danger Zone
Deceptively flat, low-slope roofs are still dangerous. Restrict foot traffic to reduce wear and tear, but also to prevent people from getting too close to parapets or near skylights. A commercial roof is not static — it can bear huge machines with moving parts, such as cooling systems and air handlers with fans. Winds can be unpredictable. Though they may not sweep you off your feet, they can kick up materials stored on a roof and propel them at you, or stir up dirt and dust to blind you.
Ensure only facilities workers with safety training work on your roof, or leave routine repair and flat roof maintenance to your local, reliable, commercial roofer.
Prompt Performance
If you have adequate safety equipment and training, react quickly to Fort Lauderdale’s mercurial weather. Get your facilities crew up after every storm for flat roof maintenance:
- Remove wind-borne debris
- Assess rips in single-ply roofing or torn-open seams
- Clear internal drains and parapet wall scuppers
- Check for ponding
- Remove organic matter from low spots
The faster you clean up your company’s roof, the less likely it is to sustain lasting damage.
Know Your Limits
Some flat roof maintenance is easily within the skill set of your own maintenance workers and facilities crews. Post-storm cleanup, keeping walkways clear and picking up loose materials are easy. Repairing seams, patching tears or replacing insulation are not easy.
Turn to the same commercial roofer you use for annual inspections and serious emergencies for flat roof maintenance that is a bit beyond your crew’s abilities. What seems a simple task — repairing a seam, for example — can actually lead to further damage if the repair material and adhesives do not match the existing roofing.
For help with your questions about flat roof maintenance, from the simple to complex, please contact us at PSI Roofing. We are your partners in protection for your Fort Lauderdale business, because without a roof over your head, your business could be out of business.
