When researching commercial roof types, you’ll see that there’s lots of choices for you, and to help you determine the best choices for Virginia roofing, we’ve created this guide.
Which one is the best for your business, and will last for as long as possible?
This guide walks you through all the common commercial roofing types in Virginia, so you can pick the one that’s right for your business.
Common Commercial Roofing Types
There are plenty of different roofing types that you can use for your business.
Here are the most common that will be best for commercial properties:
1. Metal Roofing
This is possibly the most common roofing material, and for good reason. Metal is a highly durable and versatile roofing material, keeping your building in good condition for years to come.
There’s a large subsection of different types of metal roofing, such as:
- Stone coated steel
- Copper
- Aluminum, and more
You’ll be sure to find a style that’s right for you.
What’s great about a metal roof is that they have such a long lifespan. If well taken care of, you can expect a metal roof to last up to 50 years. That means that once it’s on the building, you probably won’t have to think about replacing it again.
Metal roofs are also rated highly for fire resistance, something that’s vital for a business. They usually get the highest rating possible, so you know that your workplace is safe to work in, and your property is protected from some amount of damage if a fire does break out.
2. Built Up Roof Membrane
This is one of the oldest commercial roof types, as it’s so effective.
As the name suggests, the roof is made up of gravel and tar, built up in layers. This is done to make it more durable against the elements.
When it comes to cost, it’s the most flexible and cost effective roofing available. When you have the roof installed, you can change the amount of layers installed in order to control costs. Even if you go with more layers, you’ll see it’s cheaper then a lot of other options.
This style of roofing is usually used for low slope roofs, so if you have this kind of roof on your business then this is the roofing material for you.
3. Thermoset Roof Membrane
This style of roofing is also known as EPDM roofing, and is made of a single ply rubber sheet.
It’s a common roofing material as it’s easily installed and maintained, making it perfect if you want something that’s low maintenance.
As a roofing material, it’s able to do a lot.
- Firstly, it’s resistant to some acids and solvents, something that you may need in your place of business.
- As well as this, because of the rubber used in construction, it’s a lot more flexible. When colder temperatures come, you’ll be sure that it can contract and expand without cracking or breaking.
In the summer, you’ll find that these roofs can also reflect heat, which means lower cooling costs for you. When you’re trying to keep costs down, this is an option that will work well for you.
4. Thermoplastic Roof Membrane
These commercial roof types are in demand from restaurants and other businesses that deal in food.
This is because they’re highly resistant to many chemicals, animals fats, and bacterial; growth. For a business that may emit oils and fats from their ventilation system, this is invaluable.
Depending on which one you use, you may see these roofs referred to as:
- Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) or
- Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC)
Whichever one you get, these roofs are also resistant to UV light and punctures and tears, meaning that maintenance is kept down to a minimum.
Like metal roofs, thermoplastic roof membranes are also highly resistant to fire, again making them perfect for business that do a lot of cooking or using hot appliances on a daily basis.
5. Green Roofing
The final option that’s been gaining a lot of popularity in recent years is green roofing.
As the name implies, these roofs are designed to help your business consume less energy and manage drainage and sun exposure at the same time.
If your business is looking to reduce their carbon footprint, then this is the roof for you.
They’re able to reflect more heat to allow for less cooling costs, stop heat from escaping in colder months, and all around allow you to spend less on HVAC in the building.
As well as protecting the environment, they also save you money, so they’re well worth considering.
Summary of Commercial Roof Types
As you can see, there are several commercial roof types available, and they all have their benefits. The one you choose will depend on what your business needs from a roof.
A restaurant may benefit from a thermoplastic roof membrane, while a factory may look into a metal roof. Use this guide to help you decide which one is right for you.
Taking Care of Your Roof
Once you’ve had the roof installed, you’ll need to take care of it to ensure that it lasts for as long as possible. Here’s how you can maintain that roof and ensure it stays in good condition:
- Check for rips, tears, or missing shingles: Depending on which roofing type you chose, you’ll need to keep a close eye on it for rips, tears, or missing shingles. If you have shingles, they’re easy to replace, but you’ll need to call a roofer to patch up any tears.
- Clear the gutters: Gutters pick up all kinds of debris, such as fallen leaves, and they get blocked. Clear them out and install a gutter guard to stop this happening.
- Check for holes inside: Getting into the attic is important, as this will show you if there are any holes in the roof. If you can see sunlight, you’ll need to make repairs.
With this guide, filtering through the commercial roof types that are right for your business is made easy. and keep it in the best condition possible.
Find and maintain the perfect commercial roof type with help from your reliable roofing contractor in Virginia today!
