This past winter there were multiple roof collapses throughout the Treasure Valley. Crews were busy at work addressing structural concerns and finding solutions to overloaded roofing systems. A roof collapse just doesn’t happen to older buildings with older design engineering. Roof collapses can happen to any roof at any time if proper due diligence isn’t taken into consideration when making changes to your roof or in managing roof maintenance.

Avoid Additional Weight – as buildings get upgraded with new equ

ipment or during tenant improvements a lot of the additions are placed on the roof. Be it new HVAC equipment, walk pad, or restaurant venting systems all these items add weight to a roof. Each roof has specific load bearing capabilities and going over those weight limits can put a roof in danger of collapse. Verifying with a qualified engineer or architect before adding additions to a roof will ensure weight limits are not exceeded.

Snow and Rain Accumulation – manage the extra weight from snow by removing after each storm. Tackle drifts and areas of high build up first. Ponding water on roofs cause it to deflect in those areas, which will gradually become bigger areas of water collection. Keep drains clear to ensure efficient run-off. For areas that always have ponding water, consider investing in a new cricket system to drain the roof properly.

Maintenance – routine maintenance by qualified roofing contractors will ensure that any signs of eminent collapse are far from a reality. Upson Company Maintenance Technicians are qualified to address any commercial roof repairs and identify issues that need addressed to prevent roof collapses. While maintenance might seem like an unnecessary expense if you don’t have regular issues, such as roof leaks, without having a qualified eye to inspect your roof you may be setting yourself up for problems of the catastrophic size. Upson Company is your commercial roof repair expert in the Boise area.