The roof is a commercial building’s first line of defense from natural hazards. In areas with climates that cause severe or even moderate winter weather, a winter commercial roof maintenance program should be an important concern for facility managers and building owners. The extreme conditions can cause a lot of damage to many different areas of the roof and building, especially if the roof hasn’t been properly maintained and prepped.
A winter preparation maintenance program will help identify potential issues that can become problematic due to thermal movement in the building during the winter season, and issues related to snow and ice accumulating on the roof. Ideally, problems can be fixed under better conditions when the roof is dry as opposed to emergency repairs that ultimately require a return visit from a commercial roofing contractor to fix the damage. Routine maintenance and implementing a winter-prep program decreases the risk of damage to the roof as well as reduces interior damage due to water entering the building through a leak in the roof.