How to Maintain Your Commercial Roofing in Winter

Commercial roofing is most often flat, which means it’s more susceptible to damage during the winter when heavy snow might remain on the roof for weeks or months. If you have a commercial building, there are some important steps you should take to protect your roof so you won’t need extensive repairs or roof replacement come spring.

Be Proactive

Don’t wait until you notice a major problem to check the roof—schedule regular inspections to take a look at what’s happening up there. If you are not sure what you might be looking for in terms of commercial roofing damage in Billings, call a contractor to come and perform the inspection for you.

Check From Inside

When your Billings commercial roofing is covered in snow it can be difficult (or even impossible) to spot damage from the top. Instead of trying to inspect that way, look at the roof from underneath. There are plenty of tools available that can help you spot water leaks on the bottom side of the roof, which will give you an exact location where you need to do repairs.

Avoid Walking on the Roof

Commercial roofing is almost always flat, which means it’s easy to walk on. However, that doesn’t mean your staff should be walking up there. Talk to all your facilities and maintenance crew about minimizing the time they spend walking on the roof, and restrict access to the roof for building occupants except in cases where it’s necessary for an emergency.

Clear the Snow

Snow can build up and put unnecessary strain on your roofing, so rather than wait for it to cause damage, hire a commercial roofing contractor to clear the snow as soon as the storm is over. Snow, while it might seem harmless, can actually be pretty heavy when it accumulates, and it can cause other damage as it melts and becomes standing puddles of water.

Maintaining a commercial roof in winter doesn’t have to be a huge hassle or a big expense, but a few proactive steps now can save your roof from damage in the future.