7 Important Commercial Roofing Terms To Know

Congratulations on being the proud new owner of a commercial property! With your new building, you get all four walls, a complete floor, and a lovely roof. Question: do you know how to care for your commercial roof? Do you know the various parts of your commercial roof? Let’s get familiar with seven important commercial roofing terms.

 

Flashing

Suppose you had two unlike materials — say, brick and wood — and needed to cover the joint between them. What would you use? The material you select would have to last a long time, remain in place, and stand up to every kind of weather. You’d use metal, right?

This is what flashing is: a thin sheet metal used to bridge the gaps and seams between unlike materials. The International Building Code requires flashing to be not less than 0.019 inches (0.483 mm); the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) recommends no less than 26-gauge in copper or galvanized steel and 0.032 inches in aluminum.

Your commercial roofing contractor will be happy to inspect your building’s flashing to ensure it is up to code, well-adhered, and free of corrosion or rust.

HVAC

Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) is both a system and an industry. Your HVAC service company needs rooftop access to the large coolers which make your building habitable. The system itself is your HVAC system, and it regulates air temperature and relative humidity inside your property.

HVAC units usually sit on your low-slope or flat roof on HVAC curbs, raised metal frames surrounding the necessary hole in your roof through which the HVAC system pumps cool air into your building. The seam around the HVAC curb and your roof must be sealed carefully so no water infiltrates your roof deck.

HVAC workers also must be able to walk your roof to reach the HVAC units. Their boots and equipment are often responsible for unintentional damage to your roof, so most facilities managers monitor rooftop access and enforce a “walkways only” policy. Your commercial roofer can help you with a roof maintenance plan.

R-Value

Insulation works by resisting the flow of thermal energy — heat — from one area or region to another. This resistance is measured in R-value, with higher numbers indicating greater ability to resist heat flow. The better a rooftop insulation, the higher its R-value.

The IECC Commercial Scope and Envelope Requirements from the U.S. Department of Energy cite a minimum of R-25 roof deck insulation in mild climates (Florida and the Southwest), increasing to a minimum of R-35 in colder areas. Is your roof energy compliant?

Substrate

Substrate refers to the layers beneath the visible layer of your commercial roof. Your roof deck may be skinned in corrugated sheet metal; this is the substrate onto which rigid foam insulation and, perhaps, a single-ply membrane is attached. Substrates can include other types:

  • Open deck framing (wood or steel)
  • Plywood
  • Oriented strand board (OSB)
  • Concrete

An existing roof could be considered a substrate if you plan to have another roofing system laid on top of it.

As a general rule, commercial roofers will want to ensure the substrate is in excellent shape before installing a new roof.

Seam

Almost every commercial roofing material comes in pieces or rolls. Though the rolls may be extremely wide (some are 20 feet wide!), one roll is seldom adequate to span your entire roof. Where one roll meets another, you have a seam. The seam can be sealed up and made waterproof using chemicals or heat.

Commercial roofers routinely hand-check every seam during annual inspections.

Single-Ply

Single-ply roofing is one of these three types of thin, rugged material:

Single-ply roofing is not built up on the roof. It is a long-lasting plastic bonded to a scrim, a fiberglass mesh for strength. Single-ply roofing has far fewer seams than built-up roofing (BUR) or modified bitumen (Mod-Bit). It can be ballasted or mechanically adhered.

Underlayment

The whole goal of a low-slope roof is to shed water and keep the building’s interior dry. A layer of natural or synthetic felt, or a self-adhesive rubber, called underlayment, can be used atop the substrate to add an extra layer of protection.

For steep-slope commercial roofs, your commercial roofer will probably also recommend a water and ice shield, a thicker, tougher material laid down in the first three to six feet of a roof’s lower edge, as an even greater barrier to ice dams and water infiltration.

When you make Damschroder Roofing your partner in protecting your commercial roof, you have an experienced ally familiar with all types of roofing materials, all methods of installation, and all maintenance scenarios. Please contact us today to learn more about our extensive services available to you, from roof coatings to complete tear-off and reroofing.

Looking for roofers for your commercial and industrial building project?  Call Action Roof Service on

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Damschroder Roofing was founded in 1976 and has been a family, locally owned business for over 45 years. We pride ourselves on the quality process we provide to all of our customers from start to finish.
Some of our sales team attended the first-ever STG Transform Conference in Dallas this week, inspiring personal and professional growth. Congrats to Ian Rammel for receiving the Commercial Sales Director of the Year Award!#salesteam #thetransformconference2023 #professionalgrowth ... See MoreSee Less
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🙌🏆 **A Big Thank You to our Over the Edge Victory Rooftop Sponsor, Damschroder Roofing, Inc !** 🏠🛠️🌟 **About Damschroder Roofing:**With a legacy of excellence spanning 46 years, Damschroder Roofing has established itself as a trusted name in the industry. Their commitment to craftsmanship, durability, and customer satisfaction aligns perfectly with our goals at The Victory Center, making them an invaluable partner for this endeavor.🎉 Thank you, Damschroder Roofing! #SponsorAppreciation #CommunityPartnership #GratitudePost ... See MoreSee Less
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Have a commercial building that needs a new roof installed? Our top-notch roof installation crew has you covered! We can assist you in selecting the appropriate materials for your project, providing superior protection against wear and tear over time. With our commitment to excellence, you are guaranteed reliable service even in inclement weather conditions. Give us a call at 419-332-5000!#commercialroofingcontractor #flatroof #excellence #damschroderroofing ... See MoreSee Less
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With over 46 years in the roofing industry, we know how to put our customers first. It starts with extraordinary customer service and ends with making sure that ALL of your roofing needs are met!Our services include commercial roof installation & repairs, roof inspections, and coating options. Call us for all of your commercial roofing needs. 419-332-5000.#commercialroofingcontractor #flatroofing #customerservicematters ... See MoreSee Less
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Last weekend, a few of our team members participated in the Terra State Community College Annual Golf Scramble Fore Students. 🏌️‍♂️We were happy to support a great local cause!#CommunityInvolvement #terracommunitycollege #commercialroofing ... See MoreSee Less
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