Commercial Roof Replacement Guide To Go From Asphalt To Efficient Cool Roof Membranes

Posted on: 29 July 2020

As the asphalt roofing of your commercial property ages, it begins to develop problems with wear and leaks. Sometimes, locating and repairing these problems can be difficult. Therefore, a new roof needs to be installed, which can be an asphalt roof replacement or other commercial roofing materials. The following commercial roof replacement guide will help walk you through replacing asphalt and installing a cool roof membrane.

Tearing Up Old Asphalt Roofing—The first step in your commercial roof replacement is to tear up the old asphalt roofing. This should be done to expose the roof decking below. All the asphalt and underlayment materials need to be removed before the decking can be inspected. This will expose the structural decking so you can decide on repairs and improvements that need to be done.

Evaluating the Condition of Decking—After the removal of the old asphalt roofing materials, the condition of the roof decking system needs to be evaluated. Your roof may need to have an additional layer of rigid foam sheathing installed as an underlayment to support the new cool roof membrane system that you are planning on using to replace the asphalt roofing that was removed. Even with additional sheathing and a roof membrane, the cool roof system will still be lighter than the old asphalt that was removed.

Improvements for Roof Drain Systems—The roof drainage is another important area where changes need to be made before installing a membrane. This can be done by building up areas around the drains to keep debris from blocking them and causing problems with wear. In addition, the drains can be updated or relocated to ensure that your new roof has good drainage and that problems with standing water are eliminated.

Installation of Cool Roof Membrane System—After upgrades to the roof decking and drainage, you will be ready to install the roof membrane. This is a light-colored roof membrane that reflects heat from direct sunlight, which is why these roofs are called cool roofing systems. The roof membrane is a durable material, but there are areas where you will want to reinforce them to reduce problems with wear and damage. Reinforce the roof membrane in areas around drainage systems and where there is high foot traffic due to maintenance.

This is the process you will go through when replacing asphalt roofing with a new cool roof membrane. If you need to replace an old asphalt roof, contact a commercial roof replacement service like Durafoam Roofing LLC and talk to them about cool roofing membrane solutions.

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