This beautiful Winter Wonderland is a serious threat to rooftops. Most buildings are designed to withstand the worst case scenarios of wintry weather. However Freeze & thaw cycles with frigid temperatures place extreme stresses on commercial roofing systems. While most of the single ply roofing systems such as EPDM & TPO are designed to withstand harsh wintry conditions, roof failures can occur when these systems are pushed beyond their limits. BUR roofing systems which don’t have the flexibility that EPDM rubber roof Systems and TPO Systems are even more vulnerable to this type of thermal shock.
Clogged drains and debris can lead to unnecessary leaks. It is important to have your roof inspected before and after winter months to help identify potential problems before they occur. A building’s drainage is also at risk during wintry weather. Snow and ice can obstruct drains and build up during freeze-thaw cycles. This ice can get under flashings, copings, drains and joints and wreak havoc on all types of roofing systems. Drains should be inspected and kept clear of debris. Weight loads can increase dramatically in a short period of time if drains or scuppers are not working properly. Heating tape may need to be installed around drains to alleviate Ponding water and ice build-up. When snow removal is necessary, using the wrong shovel on a single ply roof can be a big mistake. Many roofs are destroyed by using the wrong equipment. It is very important to call a professional roofer to have snow removal completed on your building. Major roof repairs or reroofing should be scheduled for the summer and fixed well before winter arrives. Dutt Roofing Solutions from Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania offers yearly maintenance, roof evaluations, Inspections and snow removal services for the area. Dutt Roofing Solutions has the experience and knowledge to identify and correct problems before they become catastrophic.
Each type of roofing system presents its own strengths and weaknesses. Dutt Roofing Solutions can determine when a roof is no longer reliable or can assist the owner or property manager in obtaining the routine maintenance required for the roof to survive another winter.
Heavy snow is a major concern. Building owners and property managers should be inspecting their buildings on a daily basis under these conditions. Drifting snow can cause un-even weight loads to collapse flat commercial roofs. The following are some of the symptoms that have been reported prior to roof failure. If any of these signs are present, we would advise you to notify building engineer and a professional roofer and close the building until the roof can be cleared and assessed.
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- Sudden cracks walls or masonry
- Doors that pop open or doors or windows that are difficult to open or shut properly. This could indicate excessive weight on walls
- Cracks in window glass
- Drop ceilings shifting or ceiling tiles failing out
- Interior metal stud walls showing stress cracks.
- Sprinkler heads pushed down below ceiling tiles
- Sheared off screws from steel frames
- Cracks in welds of steel construction
- Bowed utility pipes or conduit attached at ceiling
- Creaking, cracking or popping sounds.
- Sagging or visually deformed roof steel
Snow load Stress
Snow Removal
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Rooftop Snow Removal is dangerous Contact us Below for all your roofing needs!
Dutt Roofing Solutions LLC.
