In Minnesota, the hottest temperatures are in July and August…the months we all live for and dream about in January and February when temps are at their coldest.
So what’s happening on your commercial roof during these hottest of summer days? With a properly maintained roof, hopefully not much. But some common issues include blistering and heat absorption.
Blisters occur when temperatures rise and there is some kind of void or compromise in the roof system. Even the best laid commercial roofs can have variances in adhesion, and when you turn up the heat, a blister can form. It can also be a sign that moisture has made its way under the roof. Most blisters should be repaired, or at least checked, because if there’s moisture, that water is coming from somewhere.
That’s the next problem. If moisture has gotten in, then the insulation is probably wet, too. In the winter, wet insulation translates into heat loss; in the summer, it translates into heat absorption, which means cooling costs for a building can rise, sometimes significantly.
In a state where we have more heating days than cooling days, we forget insulation serves a purpose in both weather extremes. Basically, wet insulation translates into no (or little) insulation.
Cue preventative maintenance. By performing routine inspections, these problems can be caught early and dealt with before the issues cause further damage. This not only helps prevent the more obvious and immediate problems, it will go a long way into making your roof last longer. And that can translate into huge savings…so you can go enjoy the summer heat instead of worrying about it.
In Minnesota, the hottest temperatures are in July and August…the months we all live for and dream about in January and February when temps are at their coldest.
So what’s happening on your commercial roof during these hottest of summer days? With a properly maintained roof, hopefully not much. But some common issues include blistering and heat absorption.
Blisters occur when temperatures rise and there is some kind of void or compromise in the roof system. Even the best laid commercial roofs can have variances in adhesion, and when you turn up the heat, a blister can form. It can also be a sign that moisture has made its way under the roof. Most blisters should be repaired, or at least checked, because if there’s moisture, that water is coming from somewhere.
That’s the next problem. If moisture has gotten in, then the insulation is probably wet, too. In the winter, wet insulation translates into heat loss; in the summer, it translates into heat absorption, which means cooling costs for a building can rise, sometimes significantly.
In a state where we have more heating days than cooling days, we forget insulation serves a purpose in both weather extremes. Basically, wet insulation translates into no (or little) insulation.
Cue preventative maintenance. By performing routine inspections, these problems can be caught early and dealt with before the issues cause further damage. This not only helps prevent the more obvious and immediate problems, it will go a long way into making your roof last longer. And that can translate into huge savings…so you can go enjoy the summer heat instead of worrying about it.