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Have you prepped the roof of your office building for the coming winter? When you inspect and winterize your facility’s roof depends on a few factors including its size, condition, and how early winter comes in your location. Without the proper maintenance and preparations before winter, your office building could be prone to leaks, structural damage, cold temperatures, and high electricity bills during the winter season. This article is aimed at our four recommended ways to prepare your commercial roof for the upcoming winter.

Professional Roof Inspection

The first thing you should do to prepare your commercial roof is have a licensed professional inspect your roof well in advance of winter. Their job is to look for damage or areas of potential damage on your roof. The best time to inspect your roof is early fall, when icy conditions are unlikely. Inspectors look at debris (e.g. leaves, branches, trash) that may have fallen on or blown on top of your roof. When inspecting your roof segments, keep an eye out for segments that are higher than the other. If a large gap occurs in the roof segment, rain or melting snow will seep underneath the protective membrane layer and damage wood, bolts, or screws and cause leaks in the building.

Evaluate Nearby Areas

Is your facility surrounded by a lot of trees that have branches hanging over your roof? Branches could cause tear up your roof or dump a lot of weight from snow buildup this winter. Removing hovering branches from surrounding trees could prevent roof damage during the colder months. Are there taller buildings around yours? Keep these buildings in mind as you enter the winter season so you are prepared for drifting snow from their roof to yours.

Clear and Clean Your Roof

Hire a professional to clean and clear of debris your roof and gutters. This is a fairly regular task during the weeks leading up to the first snow fall. Anything sitting on your roof surface during the cold months could be a hazard to your building, as they cold puncture the roof membrane and structure. It’s also important to drain and unclog overflowing pipes; any pooled water in pipes could freeze and expand, and significantly damage your roofing system.

Prepare Important Documents & Stay Alert

Is your roof insured? Is your building managed by a separate company or person? Is your insurance policy up to date? Review all warranties and facility management documents, and keep them on hand for unpredictable occasions this winter. If your insurance policy needs updating, talk to your insurance agency about getting adequate coverage and know how to reach them in case you need to file a claim during the winter.

Sometimes it’s impossible to predict a big snow storm. Your office building might be a historic building that’s impossible to completely prep for winter. If you find yourself in the middle of a roofing emergency such as a leak or worse, it’s important to prepare your action plan now. If you’ve had a professional inspect your roof before winter, then you’ll know of potential trouble areas or problems ahead of time.

Contact ERD

Our team at Exterior Remodel and Design is here to help you. With more than 45 years of experience, we are Omaha and Lincoln’s most trusted contractors in roofing, siding and window installation. For more information, contact the professionals at Exterior Remodel & Design, Inc. by phone at (402) 861-0000, by email, or by contact form.