A quality roof is the backbone of any industrial asset, ensuring protection from the elements and keeping the integrity of the construction. It’s important to have a reliable and robust roofing system especially where weather situations can be unpredictable and sundry. However, business rooftop layout keeps evolving, and new trends and tendencies are converting the industry.
The Evolution of Commercial Roofing
Commercial roofing over many decades has gone through a wealthy history of architectural inclinations, technological breakthroughs, and evolving environmental focus. Traditionally, industrial and warehouse roofs have often been viewed as a one-size-fits-all solution for roofing system designers and installers. This is simply not the case, in fact, the exact opposite is true. No one building is exactly the same as another, even if it looks the same and is only 200 feet down the road. Looks can certainly be deceiving.
Technological enhancements have achieved an intensive role in reshaping the panorama of industrial roofing services. From expanding on time-tested roofing materials to integrating clever proprietary technology, the roofing industry as a whole has come a long way. Design-Pro Roofing Systems offers commercial roofing services, which include solar-ready roofing systems and innovative time-tested roofing technologies, to stay ahead of industry trends and provide top-quality roofing solutions.
Cutting-Edge Materials in Modern Roofing:
A newer development in roofing is the white reflective roof coatings and membrane solutions. Roof coatings are used near the end of a roof’s serviceable life to try and squeeze a few more years out of the system. These coatings are typically white with a high reflectivity factor and are made from a silicone or acrylic base. TPO and PVC are also white and reflective and are often referred to as “cool roofs” due to their highly reflective white color.
I get the question a lot about what’s the difference between a TPO and PVC membrane, they’re both white. They’re both white and that is where the similarities end. TPO is a lower-quality solution and has been around for a lot less time than PVC. The formulation of the TPO product is still being perfected and is not as time-tested as the PVC product. Due to the polyvinyl chloride found in the PVC membrane, it acts as a fire retardant. So if you are located in an area with a high lightning probability or you have a factory where hot or corrosive chemicals are output onto the rooftop PVC would be a great roofing solution for your facility.
Innovative Roofing: Technology Integration:
Solar energy has become more and more prevalent over the past decade. Many states across the country offer incentives for companies to produce a portion or all of their energy consumption from solar. If solar is something you’re looking to do now or even in the future, a solar-ready roofing system is a very important piece of the equation. You must have a robust enough roof under the solar array to not only support the weight of the solar installation but also to deal with the added heat the system will produce.
Solar is not for everyone, but it does certainly add value to your building long term, and even in a short-term situation where you might be looking to sell the building a few years down the road. Reach out to the folks at Design-Pro Roofing Systems so they can help you determine if a solar-ready roof might be a good fit for your current or future needs.
Safety and Compliance Standards in Roofing:
Ensuring everyone remains safe and follows strict rules and guidelines is crucial in any reroofing situation. Safety policies like those from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the first-class practices implored by Design-Pro help greatly mitigate the risk to those working on the roof and inside the facility.
Choosing A Commercial Roofing Company:
Selecting a proper roofing partner is critical no matter what roofing solution you decide on. Property owners must look at the organization’s qualifications, and their time in the industry to determine the level of expertise they have. An experienced installer is key to the longevity of any roofing system. Just like with anything else, unexpected and unforeseen issues present themselves from time to time. If the installer doesn’t have many years of experience they may not even recognize the issue and just assume it’s another day at the office. Make sure you are detailed and thorough in the questions you ask when determining what company is right for you.
Conclusion:
Out-of-the-box thinking is essential within the commercial roofing industry. There are always going to be difficult projects and situations that a cookie-cutter solution is not going to work for. You must be able to adapt, and the solution must keep the facility watertight for decades to come.
