Commercial and residential roofs are different in many ways – here are some of the most important differences addressed by Interstate Roofing professionals:
- The design – the most obvious difference between the two roof types is the shape: commercial roofs are usually flat structures, while residential structures usually feature a pitch, though many modern residential architectures use flat roofs, too;
- The materials used – while the most common materials used on pitched residential roofs are asphalt shingles, metal, clay, cement and slate, commercial roofs are usually built from synthetic membranes, such as TPO or EPDM or feature a built-up structure, such combinations of tar and gravel or modified bitumen. The residential buildings that have flat roofs use the same materials as commercial architecture;
- Installation and repair – commercial and residential roofs have very different needs and requirements in terms of installation and repair. Commercial roofs are usually larger and they consist of more layers than residential structures, therefore they take longer to build – while the roof on an average-sized home can be installed in a couple of days, the installation of a roof on a large commercial building can take a month. The same goes for repair: Interstate Roofing commercial roofers suggest that flat roofing structures take longer to repair and the repair procedures usually require more experience and knowledge than the repair of sloping roofs.