When your commercial roofing contractor tells you it's time to consider a new roof for your building, you need to compare all of your options. You might have a rubber roof now, but that doesn't mean you can't switch to something different. Many commercial roofing options can be applied on top of an old roof and this gives you an opportunity to switch roofing materials or opt for a silicone roof coating. Here are some roofing options to consider and their benefits.
Silicone Roof Coating
A silicone roof coating can extend the life of your old roof for several more years. If you aren't ready to have a new roof put on yet, an option could be to get a coating put on. The coating is watertight, so the risk of leaks is greatly reduced. Plus, the coating creates a barrier that protects the roof from further sun and rain damage.
A coating can only be put on a roof that is in fairly good shape, so if the deck of your roof is rotted and worn out, the deck has to be replaced before a coating is put on. If the deck is in good shape, the coating can go right over the old roof and eliminate the expense of tearing off old roofing and having a new roof put on.
PVC And TPO Roofing Membranes
Both PVC and TPO roofing membranes are excellent choices in new roofing for a flat roof. An important advantage of these membranes is that they can be heat welded. That means patched areas and seams are sealed by fusing pieces of the membrane together with heat. This eliminates the risk of leaks caused by seam tape that fails.
TPO and PVC roofing can be applied over old roofing too, so installation is quick and easy. These are both popular forms of commercial roofing that can be adhered to a roof in different ways including being held down with gravel.
Rubber Roofing
EPDM roofing is a good choice for a new commercial roof, especially if you have a rubber roof now and you're satisfied with it. An advantage of a rubber roof is its low cost when compared to TPO and PVC roofing. If you need to keep your budget as small as possible for your new roof, then rubber roofing would be a good choice. It also protects your roof well. The seams aren't able to be heat welded, but they're sealed with seam tape and adhesive so they stay closed. Regular inspections find gaps in seams as they work loose so repairs can be made.
Each type of roofing has good and bad points, so talk to your commercial roofing contractor, such as CB Chandler Roofing, and ask for advice on the best roof for the type of building you have, the slope of your roof, and your local climate.
