Commercial and residential roofs fulfill very similar roles – they both provide the building underneath protection from the elements and they both ensure the thermal balances of the rooms on the building, to mention just the two most important functionalities. However, the requirements towards commercial roofs can be quite different from the expectations that residential roofing systems need to meet. Here are some specific roles for commercial roofs:
- Increased strength – unlike residential buildings, many commercial facilities need roofs that can be safely stepped on and walked on, therefore their support structures need to provide more stability and strength;
- Resistance to chemical spills – many commercial roofs need to be able to resist to chemicals, such as oils and acids, therefore they are made from special materials that provide that kind of resistance;
- Larger surfaces – commercial facilities are usually larger than residential buildings, therefore the roofing designs and materials they use need to be able for cater to that requirement, too;
- Efficient drainage – while the ability to shed water is important for both residential and commercial roofs, the roofs used on commercial buildings are usually flat structures that don’t get the extra help from the roof pitch that residential roofs get. This also means that the drainage system attached to commercial roofs needs to be installed by Colorado Springs commercial roofing contractors in a way to manage the increased workload.