Many commercial buildings have flat roofs because of their durability and ease of maintenance. They also create a lot of space that you can use to install solar panels or HVAC equipment. If you're considering installing this roof on your commercial building, it's essential to use professional commercial roofing services. This isn't a task worth trying, even if you believe in your DIY skills. However, if you're confident enough and want to save on installation costs by doing it yourself, learn about the key things you should avoid in this guide.
Failing to Prepare the Substrate Correctly
Proper substrate preparation is crucial when installing a flat roof. Failing to prepare the substrate correctly can impact the roof's efficiency and longevity and cause issues like bubbles in the roof membrane. The membrane may also fail to adhere to the flat roof deck properly. Fortunately, you can avoid all these through proper surface preparation. This may entail cleaning the surface to ensure it's free of grease, dirt, oil, rust, and dust. It would also help to ensure the substrate is free of water to prevent moisture issues.
Installing Drainage Poorly
Poor drainage is a typical problem for flat roofs that significantly affect their life span. Therefore, when installing the roof or making repairs, ensure that it has a slight pitch or slope that will allow water to drain properly when it rains. If you fail to do this, water will pool on top of the roof, eventually leaking inside the building.
Overlooking Ventilation
Your flat roof must have proper ventilation. This is because poor ventilation causes excessive moisture and heat buildup that can shorten the life span of your roof. Installing a pop vent or using a ventilator on both ends of your roof can help address this problem.
Not Applying the Roof Coating Correctly
After installing your flat roof, you should apply a roof coating to protect it from damage against the weather elements. You should also know that roof coatings come in different types. Therefore, if you are unsure of the right one, contact your roofing contractor for advice. Also, remember to apply the roof coating evenly. If you do it incorrectly in some sections of your roof, you will encourage the emergence of water leaks.
Proper installation of the flat roof guarantees its durability. That's why you should avoid making some of the mistakes mentioned above. If you aren't sure of your DIY skills, it's best to seek the help of a knowledgeable commercial roofing contractor.Click here for more info about flat roofs.