With all the commercial space we have here in Boise, Idaho, it’s no surprise our commercial roofing experts at Upson Company are always booked out months in advanced for repair work to the flat and low slope roofs of our area. Many roofing issues, however, such as leaks, seam or protective material splitting, sags that cause pooling water (causing further sagging), and blistering can be prevented by basic maintenance measures.

Generally speaking, low pitch or flat roofs are those that have an angle of 15 degrees or less, and by nature of their design, they do not have the longevity and life cycle that roofs with steeper pitches have. Especially here in Boise, Idaho, where the seasons cycle from one extreme to the other, delivering enormous amounts of snow in the winter, massive amounts of rainfall in the spring, and the brutal heat of summer, fall seems to be the only season that really provides our rooftops a reprieve.

While Upson’s commercial roofing experts are working their way through their queues of repairs for other, less fortunate commercial space owners with roofing issues, there are several measures you can take as a business owner to maintain your roofing system and extend its life cycle, reducing the need for repairs and unnecessary costs. Once the rains of spring end, spring and fall offer the two best opportunities to perform these maintenance tasks.

To start, keeping your commercial roof free of debris is essential to being able to prevent damage. Fallen leaves and branches decay and provide excellent material for wayward seeds to grow in. If you’ve ever seen a tree growing out a building’s roof, it’s probably because seeds were “deposited” by a bird and took root in debris that was allowed to stand long enough to decay and support vegetative growth. Just think of the damage unhindered roots growing down through the layers of your roofing system could cause.

Cracks, crevices, gaps, blisters, sags, and any other compromises to your commercial roof’s integrity can often lead to much greater issues resulting from leaked water damage. Although every roof eventually incurs some type of damage that allows leakage just from normal wear and tear, regular visual inspections can help keep these kinds of issues to a minimum. Caulking any cracks, broken seals, gaps, punctures can significantly reduce the likelihood of expensive repairs due to leaks.

Ensuring that gutters, downspouts, and scuppers are kept clear of debris helps to make sure that water can drain properly. When encumbered, pooling water places extreme weight stress on your commercial roof and can eventually result in a complete roof collapse. Additionally, due to gravity, pooling water will force its way down through seams, cracks, crevices, and any other weak areas of your roofing materials.

Once inside your structure, wayward water continues to cause cosmetic damage such as staining, but worse, it can support the growth of algae and mold. Both can cause internal structural supports and building materials to rot, but the latter can also negatively impact the health of employees and customers. Mold is a known allergen but also often triggers asthma attacks, and for people exposed for extended periods of time, significant respiratory and health issues.

Each of these maintenance measures might seem like common sense, but as our commercial roofing specialists can attest, most business owners don’t put effort into their roofs until it’s too late. And by then, damages end up costing much more than they would have if the property owner had simply invested a little bit of time into basic preventive maintenance and upkeep of their roof.