Investing in a New Roof System? Think Twice Before Making a Decision
Unplanned interruptions can lead to significant downtime cost for commercial and industrial facilities. While those costs vary depending on the facility’s operations, it’s worth taking every precautionary measure at your disposal to prevent it.
For example: the estimated cost of downtime for data centers—an industry experiencing rapid growth in the United States—can cost an estimated $9,000 per minute, totaling more than $12 million for each day.
Considering the stakes, building owners and operators must explore every opportunity to maintain business continuity and operational security. One critical factor is the roof system, which represents the facility’s first line of defense against the elements. Leaks, in particular, can severely disrupt operations and be costly to properly diagnose and repair.
However, not all roof systems provide the same level of protection for mission-critical operations. With this in mind, let’s explore two key performance considerations to keep in mind when selecting a roof system, whether replacing a failing one on an existing structure or selecting a roof system for a new building.
Membrane Integrity
To prevent the most common roof-related operational security threat—leaks—your roof system must be able to stand up to everyday wear and tear. It’s why your roof’s resistance to punctures, abrasions, regular wear, and chemicals is an important feature.
Puncture resistance is a critical performance metric for any commercial roof, especially in regions prone to Very Severe Hail (VSH), a major weather threat throughout the United States. Hail greater than 2 inches in diameter is classified as VSH, and it can be among the most catastrophic and costly weather events for commercial properties. Choosing the right roof system could be the difference between operational downtime and weathering the storm. It’s part of why FM Global, a leading commercial property insurer, requires roof systems to meet stringent hail requirements in certain geographic locations. VSH can be extremely destructive when it impacts glass, plastic, siding, and metal, as well as the roof system. Hail damage to roof systems can include dents, cracking, crazing (a circular spiderwebbing of microfractures), mineral loss on modified bitumen sheets (compromising UV protection), and compound delamination, which exposes the membrane reinforcement.
Elsewhere, your roof must be able to withstand regular foot traffic associated with preventative maintenance, repairs, and equipment servicing, such as HVAC maintenance. This kind of regular wear and tear can add up over time if your roof membrane lacks the necessary abrasion and wear resistance. The errant dropping of a tool—like the sharp edge of a hammer, screwdriver, drill, or saw—can further threaten your membrane.
Finally, good chemical resistance is essential. Commercial roofs must regularly withstand exhaust fumes associated with industrial production. Facilities such as food processing plants, metal processing plants, chemical manufacturing, refining and power plants generate contaminants that can degrade certain roofing materials. That’s why a roof membrane that demonstrates little change in chemistry, mass, or physical properties when exposed to chemicals, fats, oils, and pollutants is a desirable performance characteristic.
Fire Performance
A major fire event can be one of the greatest threats to your operational security, with the potential to disrupt your business continuity and endanger the lives of workers. For industrial facilities, mitigating fire risk throughout the facility is essential. Your choice of roof membrane can either help prevent the spread of flames or contribute to fueling a fire.
Fires can result from various operations within an industrial or commercial facility, some of which may be in direct contact with your roof system. For example, rooftop solar panels help commercial property owners save on their energy costs while contributing to sustainability and energy independence. However, such systems can introduce potential ignition risks due to shorts, sparks, and electrical malfunctions—and it’s one that your building envelope must be prepared to handle.
No matter the source, a roof membrane with self-extinguishing properties can help mitigate the risks of ignition and excessive flame spread, enhancing the resiliency of your property.
Whether you’re investing in a new facility or upgrading an existing one, choosing a high-performance roof system can help protect your operations from unexpected interruptions and downtime. When considering your options, know that not all roof membranes offer the same level of protection. Different materials come with differing expectations. Talk to your vendor or supplier about their roof system’s resistance to common stresses like puncture, wear, abrasion, and chemical exposure, as well as its ability to mitigate flame spread during a fire event. It can make a major difference for your operational security.
