If your old membrane roof is covered with repair patches and is looking old and worn out, it's time to consider getting a commercial roof replacement. You should find out what type of membrane roof you have now if you don't already know. You might want to switch to a different type of roofing after discussing it with a commercial roofer—such as Hurricane Roofer. Here's an overview of a commercial roof replacement when you're getting a new roof.

Decide If The Old Roof Comes Off

It could be better to tear off all the old roofing so your roof deck and insulation can be examined properly, but there are advantages to covering up your old roof. Tearing the old roof off and making repairs to all of the damaged areas can take a long time and add to the amount of disruption you have to go through.

The roofing contractor has to determine how much water damage is present on the old roof. If there are a lot of patches, there may have been a lot of leaks. If so, the insulation boards and deck may need to be torn out and replaced rather than covered up.

Compare Methods For Sealing Seams

Rubber membranes are sealed with adhesive while TPO and PVC roofing is heat-welded. Since these are plastic sheets, the heat melts the sheets together so they form a tight bond. Heat-welding might reduce the risk of seam leaks, but your roofer also has to consider if plastic or rubber is the right material for your roof.

Look At Ways To Adhere The Membranes

Membrane roofing can be held against the roof in different ways. When you get a commercial roof replacement, you'll need to decide if you want to glue the membranes down, hold them down with gravel, or use fasteners. Gluing can be a lot of work, but when it's done, the entire membrane is stuck to the roof so the wind doesn't lift it.

When fasteners are chosen, the roofer uses screws to attach roofing membrane sheets together. The screws hold the seams in place, but the middle of the membrane is not attached, so it could possibly get lifted by the wind and pull against the fasteners until something works loose. The roofer can help you choose the right way to install your roof membranes, taking into account the final appearance of your roof too.

A commercial roof replacement usually goes fairly fast, especially if you leave the old roof on and you don't run into weather delays. However, a roofer has to work carefully to maintain a slope that allows rain to drain, and to make sure areas around the flashing are sealed. The roofer may also need to deal with equipment that's on the roof since the membrane has to be replaced under the HVAC and other equipment. The roofer will probably come up with an installation plan so you know every step that's involved as the work progresses.