Commercial roofs might not be visible from the ground, but they are surely exposed to the elements and protecting your building all the time.
The summer heat is an especially insidious enemy of flat or low-sloping roofs – here is how the extremely high temperatures and the UV radiation associated with summer weather can harm your roof:
- The degradation caused by UV rays – ultraviolet radiation can decompose almost any material it comes into contact with by altering the chemical composition and the physical features of the materials. As a result, the material that your roof is made from can lose its oil content and moisture, becoming brittle and prone to developing cracks. Dedicated commercial roofing Colorado Springs CO contractors corroborate that UV radiation can also accelerate the aging of the roof, leading to the need to replace it before time;
- Overheating – an unshaded roof can also absorb lots of heat from the sun. When the roof overheats, the materials used on it react with drying as well as with expansion. When the material becomes too dry to expand, but the heat still forces it to change size, the roofing surface will develop cracks and will become prone to water damage. When the heat subsides and the night comes with lower temperatures, the roofing materials that have become dilated during the day start shrinking again – a movement that can also cause cracks if the material is not sufficiently elastic.