Over the past decades, the weather has proven to be the largest source of environmental damage to roofing. Still, other conditions related to the environment can also take a toll on your roofing materials. Even though commercial roofing materials are engineered to take a perennial beating from various elements like snow, wind, sun, and rain, environmental conditions consistently test the roof’s integrity.
Consequently, your commercial roof’s lifespan is directly relative to its ability to endure the devastating effects of these harsh elements. In case you experience a sudden roof failure, one or more of these natural culprits could be behind the issue.
1. EXTREME WINDSTORM
The cutting-edge designs of commercial roofs have been improved to resist the average wind load for different regions. Nevertheless, in situations where the wind gets too extreme, even beyond the roof’s strength, the roof becomes vulnerable and weakens.
It should be noted that the effect of wind moving over a roof is never uniform because certain regions are more predisposed to higher wind pressure than others. This means that areas with the extreme wind may need a roof repair or replacement sooner than other regions.
2. SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE
It is a well-known fact that the sun produces certain electromagnetic radiations such as UV light, infrared light, and more. Your commercial roof’s lifespan is determined by the intensity of these radiations and how often they get exposed to these unfriendly rays.
When certain roofing materials that require a protective coating are exposed to a higher degree of sunlight, their effectiveness begins to decline. This is because the heat generated from sun radiations attacks the layer, thus, causing brittle damage to the roof.
3. CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE
Temperature fluctuation is also a significant factor in your roof’s lifespan. The extremity of temperature experienced by your roof can play a role in determining the number of years your roof spends before packing up and finally calling for a replacement.
Increased temperatures accelerate the photo-oxidation of roofing materials, therefore leading to a higher deterioration rate. While at low temperatures, the rate of expansion of certain materials increases, making the roofing material vulnerable to cracking under applied stress.
4. ATMOSPHERIC GASES
The atmosphere is made up of some gases such as nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), water vapor, and other gases making the remaining (1%). Fascinating right? Yes!
Chemical reactions between these gases can lead to the formation of certain oxides and hydroxides. These formations react with the roof’s surface to expedite corrosive chemical reaction, which is detrimental to your commercial roof’s health.
5. TREE DAMAGE
Tree branches hanging over your commercial roof aren’t just unpleasant; they also expose the roof to potential damage from accumulated abrasions and impact. This is easily avoidable by trimming down the overgrown limbs to keep them away from your roof. This process eliminates the collection of leaves and other debris on the gutters and the main roof surface.
Since most environmental factors are not controllable, you can only control a few and manage the rest. Typically, what can be done is to perform regular roof maintenance and adopt highly protective roofing materials. More importantly, the steady increase in roof damage caused by natural conditions has prompted many commercial roofing contractors to invest more in preventative maintenance programs to help in the fight against these factors.
For your emergency roof repair needs, turn to DK Haney Roofing. We are leading commercial roofing contractors specializing in remarkable roof construction, maintenance, restoration, and emergency repair.
We have a highly trained and qualified in-house team with experience, integrity, and expertise to perform an accurate evaluation of your commercial roofing system and provide you with a comprehensive roof assessment.
Let us add more years to your commercial roof’s lifespan. Want to know more? Fill out the contact form to request a free roof inspection today.