Ritco Group, Inc.

A well-built and maintained roofing system can keep your commercial property safe and secure throughout its effective lifespan. Any leaks found on the walls and ceilings must be addressed to prevent further damage to your roof. After paying for frequent repairs, you might be thinking that a full replacement is more cost-effective. However, as trusted professionals in exterior remodeling, we’re here to tell you that this isn’t the only solution for your roof!

As a commercial business owner, you may be tempted to get a full roof replacement if it means saving yourself from constant leaks and repairs. But this standard way of thinking isn’t always the best solution as this can be costly and not always necessary. You need to gather enough data about your roof’s condition, and depending on what you find, you won’t have to resort to a full replacement. Proper roof repairs may still suffice, but you can also consider more effective options for your roofing system. 

With the help of a professional in roofing systems, you can determine which is the most cost-effective solution for your commercial roofing problems. Today, we discuss the three “Rs” of roofing.

Roof Repair

Repairs are usually done during routine maintenance on your commercial roofing system. Professional maintenance should be done at least once a year so that even the smaller problems that were overlooked are identified and addressed to prevent further damage. If you find that the damage is relatively minor, then extended repairs may still be the best course of action. But keep in mind that repairs are only meant to address minor to moderate roof damage. If you keep having leaking problems or any other issue despite the repairs, you’ll get stuck in a loop paying the repair costs. To avoid paying more than what’s necessary, consider getting an extensive restoration instead!

Roof Restoration

Not all commercial roofs need to be replaced. A study conducted by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) showed that as much as 85% of commercial roofing systems were replaced unnecessarily. This is primarily due to a lack of proper information about the roof’s condition, which could otherwise help make a more informed decision. So, instead of getting a full roof replacement, a restoration is a smarter and more efficient way to address your recurring leaks and other issues. Just make sure that this is done by experienced local roofing companies that have the right knowledge and experience for the job.

You should also consider roof restoration if you don’t want to spend for a full roof replacement yet. It’s affordable while also environmentally friendly because many components of your current roof are reused. This can also extend the lifespan of your roof up to 15 years depending on its current condition!

What You Can Expect From a Roof Restoration

When you choose to restore your roof, you’re essentially having it redone entirely without replacing it. Restoration is a good way to address minor issues and help prolong its life while keeping it intact. It’s more thorough than routine roof repairs yet less invasive and expensive than a full replacement. The process involves cleaning the surface area before applying a waterproof coating so that it goes back to a watertight condition, especially if it’s under warranty.

How the restoration process plays out will depend on the type of commercial roof you have. If it’s a metal roof, it will involve a lot of sealing and replacing materials that are damaged beyond repair. If you have a tiled roof, you can expect the contractors to re-align and replace damaged tiles. Even flat roofs made can be restored by local roofing companies such as ours!

Assessing the Existing Damage

Before carrying out restoration work, a full inspection of your commercial roofing system must be made. Professional roofers will utilize state-of-the-art technology to get a visual analysis, infrared scan and core sample of the structure to test and determine its remaining lifespan. These evaluations can be precise, right down to the exact months your roof’s usefulness has left!

A proper assessment is essential to give the contractors a clear picture of your roof’s current condition. Once it’s determined that restoration is feasible, you can be sure that it won’t be a time-consuming, disruptive and costly process. To give you an idea of what you can expect, a full roof restoration is highly likely as long as certain red flags aren’t detected, such as wet insulation. If this is the case for your roof, however, a full replacement is necessary.

Roof Replacement

A full replacement project will only be your best choice if the assessment shows that your roof is too damaged for extensive repairs and restoration. Otherwise, this should only be considered as a last resort or if your commercial property suffers significant damage from extreme weather, such as several active leaks or a major roof collapse. This is essentially a new construction project that involves a full tear-off of the current components to install brand new materials.

If your roof hasn’t suffered any major damage and still looks mostly intact, a full replacement may still be necessary depending on its age. Most commercial roofing systems are designed and built to last around 20 years or so with routine maintenance. If yours is nearing the tail end of its effective lifespan, you should be planning when and how you’ll replace your roof. 

Of course, a professional assessment can still be conducted on your roof. However, if you keep records of your roofing system’s maintenance history, you’ll already have a good idea of when you should get a replacement. Don’t think that you can still make do with repairs as an old roof won’t be as effective in protecting your property from the elements. It will also affect your energy efficiency as well since it’s ineffective in keeping out the heat and retaining indoor temperatures.

You can always trust Ritco Group, Inc. to get the job done right! Call us today at (931) 381-0175 for more information! You can also fill out our contact form. We serve Columbia, Franklin and Brentwood, TN.