During the winter, nearly all buildings have several inches of thick ice sitting beneath the layers of snow. Once this ice begins to melt, it can create dangerous situations such as ice falling from your roof, especially with commercial flat roofing.
“Unless you are prepared for this, it can happen before you know it,” said Brett Polhill, Superintendent and Safety Director at NIR Roof Care, Inc.
Winterize your roof and prevent ice falling this season using these helpful tips.
How to Prevent Ice Falling from Roof
Ice is about 92% the weight of water. A cubic foot of solid ice could plummet to the ground like a 57-pound rock. As a property owner, do you have a snow management system for your commercial roof, or is it a liability waiting to happen?
Property owners can be liable for damage or injury from snow or ice falling from a roof if it could have been prevented by proper maintenance. Snow retention systems, or snow guards, are designed to reduce snow movement and provide controlled melt and breakdown of the snow into smaller sections.
Adding these systems can help prevent ice from falling off your roof, in addition to:
- Preventing damage to your building, gutters, or lower roofs during impact or significant accumulation.
- Preventing injury to both customers and objects on the ground.
Most mechanically-attached snow guards are secured with fasteners at or near the top of the standing seam, placing them above the base of the metal pan where rain and snow melt-water flows down the roof. Snow guards are available in various sizes, shapes, materials, and designed. Because of these options, it’s important to work with a commercial roofing company near you who can help determine what best fits your commercial flat roofing system.
Tips to Make Your Roof Winter Ready
Snow and ice are unavoidable in the winter, but there are ways to keep your commercial flat roofing in its best possible shape. To minimize the risk of ice falling from your roof and potential for emergency roof repair, try the following roof winterizing tips:
- Waterproof your roof: Adding waterproof membranes to your commercial flat roofing adds a watertight layer of protection.
- Perform annual inspections: Knowing your roof’s condition before heading into the snowy season will allow for any necessary repairs ahead of time.
- Clear gutters and drains: Without proper drainage, ice dams are likely to form around your roof and could cause injury or damage.
- Insulate your roof: Flat roofs do not have the advantage of gravity to carry away the cold. Insulation prevents the heat in your building from melting snow and causing ice to fall from your roof.
- Clear snow regularly: Using the proper tools and precautions, regular snow removal from your roof will minimize accumulation and issue.
Work With Commercial Roofing Companies Near Me
We know the weather can fluctuate from day-to-day, so at NIR Roof Care, we want to offer our clients a solution. With the freezing temperatures expected to remain throughout the season, all the melting snow and ice will refreeze and then melt again, creating a dangerous cycle. Your customers and properties are at risk of injury or worse, so to avoid these problems and potential for emergency roof repair, work with the experts at NIR. Our mobile app makes it quick and easy to schedule service, so download today!
