How to Maintain Metal Roofing

As far as roofing materials go for commercial buildings, metal roofing systems provide an incredible bang-for-your-buck factor; they’re highly reliable and stand up to wear and tear better than just about any material out there, meaning they also require relatively little maintenance or upkeep, especially compared to other roofing systems. With just a little care, you can have a metal roof that lasts the whole life of your business. In this post, we’ve collected some tips for maintaining metal roofing, which come from our 47 years of experience as providers of specialty steel products in Indiana.

Regular maintenance tasks

Regular maintenance tasks for your steel roof are similar to the tasks required to maintain any roof. They include:

• Keep the roof clear of debris, including fallen branches, leaves, etc.
• Clear any pooling water immediately. Pooling water, especially when combined with rotting debris, such as decaying leaves, can cause your metal roofing to oxidize far more quickly than it otherwise would.
• Keep gutters and drainage systems clean. Overflowing gutters can cause severe leaking issues.
• Catch leaks early. They generally will occur around a vent or a skylight, where you’ve cut the metal roofing material to create an opening. Use a metal sealant for a flexible bond.
• Repair punctures with a patch, and seal the patch.
• Check all your fasteners regularly, as they are likely areas where your roof sealant is likely to fail. And if your fasteners aren’t sealed, they’re likely focal points for oxidation, so check them yearly.

Safety tips

Work on your roof can be seriously dangerous if you don’t take precautions. Make sure to stay off of skylights or non-metal panels, don’t walk along the gutters and frankly just try to keep the area you travel to a minimum. Non-slip soft-soled shoes are ideal, as losing your footing is one of the biggest risks.

Don’t get on the roof if the weather is not ideal. And keep in mind that the vast majority of injuries come when you’re getting onto and off of your roof, so make sure to practice proper ladder safety. Have someone spotting you, keeping the ladder steady. If you’re the least bit uncomfortable, call a professional.

Remember

Keep in mind that a small problem in your roof can easily become a larger problem. If you catch and fix any issues you have right away, your metal roof should last you for generations. But if you don’t make sure to keep an eye on things and fix problems quickly (either by yourself, or by hiring a professional), you’ll be cutting years off the life of your roof, and flushing money down the drain.

Find specialty steel products in Indiana

As steel roofing experts, we’re strong believers in the reliability of specialty steel products in Indiana. With just a little bit of regular maintenance, there is no other material that can hold up the way steel can. If you’re looking for a metal fabricator, or are looking for a structural steel installation company, we hope you’ll consider us here at Benchmark Fabricated Steel. We have an expert team that is able to take your project from design go completion. Give us a call today to inquire about our services or receive an estimate.

Categorised in: Specialty Steel Products

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