Scrying means to stare into some reflective thing to foretell the future. You know, like a crystal ball, or that pond of water on your commercial roof. No roofing contractor can precisely tell you your roof’s future. How long does a commercial roof last? Here are some telltales, portents, and omens to observe.
Normal Aging
No material lasts forever, but a good commercial roofer can add years to your roof through careful inspection, spot repair, and continuous maintenance programs.
If you skimp on maintenance, expect your roof to fail sooner rather than later. Budgets may be tight, but consider how little you pay for routine maintenance against the cost of a full tear-off and roof replacement.
Invest in biannual inspections, roof assets management, and speedy repair. The money you save from those small investments can build toward necessary replacement 20 years from now.
Cascade
A cascade event is when one bad thing leads to another, like when you ignore ponding on your roof, which leads to wet insulation, which leads to roof leaks, which leads to rotting roof timbers.
Wise commercial property managers know to address small problems before they cascade out of control. Calling your local commercial roofer at the first sign of a problem adds to your roof’s lifespan.
Mother Nature
Florida’s climate accelerates a commercial roof’s natural aging process. Repeated hurricanes, high winds, direct sunlight, and other forces of nature wreak havoc with all types of flat roofing:
- PVC
- TPO
- EPDM
- Modified Bitumen
Known Unknowns
If your commercial property was previously owned, you have no way of knowing what level of attention your roof received. You know someone else was supposed to maintain the roof, but what was done or not done is unknown.
Previous owners may have ignored small problems that grew to large ones. They may have used inferior materials or an inexpensive contractor, which shortens the roof’s lifespan.
Hemming and Hawing
Sure to shorten your roof’s lifespan is knowing you have a problem, then hesitating to address it. If, for example, your commercial roofer says your roof can last another five years with waterproof coatings, act now, not four years from now. How long does a commercial roof last? Nobody can say precisely, but it will last longer when you partner with PSI Roofing. Please contact the highly trained professionals of PSI Roofing today to get an accurate assessment of your commercial roof’s lifespan.
