Apartment Complex Roofing
Apartment complex roofing can be different than roofing for an individual home. It can be more difficult to maintain and to even see where there might be issues. It takes more time and effort to maintain them, as well.
You will need to have a professional who maintains these roofs for you to make sure that the job is done correctly. You want to make sure that they will check the roof on a regular basis so that you can catch problems early before they become bigger problems. You can save some money by doing this and save a lot of headaches, as well.
There are many professionals that you can trust that can do this for you. You can go to https://swcommercialroofing.com to see if SW Commercial Roofing can help you with your roofing needs. They have been around for many years and can help you with everything that you might need. They will also be able to answer any questions that you might have.
This article will help you to learn more about the common problems that you might have with apartment complex roofing. It will help you to see what you can do to maintain these roofs and keep them in working order. You can also do more research to find the information that you might need.
Common Problems You Might See
- Structural Damage – You should look at the ridges of the roof to see if you can find any structural damage. Apartment roofs often have damage here and you can see it with your bare eyes. The damage that you might see may only affect a small portion of the roof, or it might affect a larger portion of it. A roofing contractor can help you to see what needs to be replaced and how much it might cost.
A roofing contractor can help you in many ways and you need to get them involved as soon as possible. You don’t want an issue that can be solved easily to become something that will be costly later. You can save money by having these issues solved early on.
- Missing Shingles – One of the most common issues that you might have with an apartment roof is the same thing that might happen to an individual home – missing shingles. This is something that might not be easily seen from the ground and you might need to get up there so that you can see it. A professional will be able to see what is going on up there and will be able to see how many shingles that you have missing.
A professional will be able to tell you how many shingles need to be replaced and if it will be better to have the entire thing replaced. A single shingle can open your apartment complex to leaks that can ruin entire rooms or units. If your complex has many steep places or multiple stories, it is best to have a professional come and check this out for you.
- Flashing that is Missing – Another common issue is missing flashing up there – this is as bad as missing shingles and could even be worse. Flashing can be damaged by strong winds, rain, and other inclement weather and needs to be repaired as soon as possible. You don’t want to have leaks and other damage to happen because you fail to have this repaired.
Flashing is often a thin material that is usually made from galvanized steel that professional roofers use to direct water from important areas of the roof. This is usually placed wherever the plane of the roof meets a vertical surface such as a wall or a dormer. It is also installed around vents, chimneys, and skylights to direct water away from these areas.
- Shingles that are Broken – Just as bad as missing shingles are shingles that are broken because they will cause the same sorts of issues as missing shingles. You might not even see the crack or break from the ground, but it will be causing leaks inside the apartments. A small leak can cause the shingle to break even more and cause even bigger problems.
This is another reason that you need to have a professional check out your roofs at least twice a year. You want them to find these breaks and cracks before they begin to cause problems inside the apartments. You want to catch these problems before they ruin your buildings.
- Sagging – A huge problem with all roofs is sagging – this is a big problem with homes and apartment complexes. A contractor can evaluate the cause of this situation and can determine the structural components that might need to be replaced. Leaks in the structure can cause damage if they are not taken care of quickly.
The trusses of the roof can be damaged easily by leaks that last over an extended amount of time. Trusses are what keep the roof from failing and need to be in good shape. You don’t want a small leak to damage your trusses, so you need to make sure that these are fixed immediately.
- Rusted Flashing – Rusted flashing is as dangerous as missing or damaged flashing. This can be a bigger problem with apartment complexes that are older. Rusted flashing can lead to moisture getting into the apartment and into the structure of the roof.
You need to have rusted flashing replaced as soon as you can so that it doesn’t cause these issues. A professional can look at this for you and tell you if it needs to be replaced. If it needs to be replaced, it should be done as soon as you can get it done.
- Storm Damage – Since apartment complexes are larger than home, they are more susceptible to roof damage during storms. On larger roofs you might not be able to see the damage from the ground, so you will need someone on it to see how much there is. You will want a contractor to see what is up there so that it can all be repaired as soon as possible.
- Skylights that are Not Properly Sealed – A common feature of many apartment complexes are skylights. This is another common place for leaks to occur because they are not properly sealed. See more here. This will allow water to get into the apartment and cause damage.
- Finding Leak Sources – It is often difficult to find the source of leaks in an apartment because of the size of the complex. An experienced contractor will be able to find the most common areas that cause leaks and will be able to help stop them. They can find the leak in much less time than it would take you to find them because of their experience.
- Too Many Layers – Apartment complexes can be just like homes and have too many layers piled on top of one another. If there are too many layers, you might notice sagging or other similar issues because there will be added weight to the structure: https://www.askaroofer.com/post/layers-of-roofing-how-many-are-allowed-on-my-roof. A contractor can tell you how many layers you already have and if it would be more cost-effective to replace them all rather than add another layer.
Conclusion
There are many problems that you can have with apartment complex roofing that include leaks, breaks, and too many layers of shingles. These problems can cause more damage to your apartment complex if they are not taken care of quickly. They can cause more harm if they are left the way they are.
You will need to call a contractor to come and help you with all these issues so that the job will be done correctly. You don’t want to try and do it yourself because you could cause more problems, or you could fall from the top and be injured. A professional will have the knowledge and the tools to do the job right.