Every roof degrades over time, regardless of installation quality or material. One key contributor to your commercial roof’s degradation is UV rays. Why does this happen, and how should you respond? This guide will help you understand how UV damage causes commercial roofing material to deteriorate and how the right roofing professionals can help.

Why Do UV Rays Break Down Commercial Roofing Material?

UV rays and intense temperatures pose a consistent threat to your commercial roof. They can cause commercial roof damage by:

• Changing the chemical makeup of certain roofing materials, which can cause some materials to become brittle and start cracking. This then allows moisture to enter your commercial roof easily.
• Causing your roof to expand when exposed to high temperatures and then contract when the temperature cools down. This can put stress on the roof and cause damage to the surface as well as important structural elements.
• Reducing reflectivity over time. While this is more of an age and exposure problem, your commercial roof will become less effective at reflecting UV rays, leading to increased interior temperatures and decreased energy efficiency.
• Allowing trapped moisture and air (if applicable) to cause blistering and bubbling in your roof. If these blisters pop, your roof becomes exposed and vulnerable.

UV rays are unavoidable. It’s important to know how they will affect your commercial roof so that you can prepare accordingly.

What Do I Do to Protect My Roof?

The first step that every business owner should take when looking to keep their roof in optimal condition for as long as possible is to reach out to roofing professionals for regular inspections. Regular inspections will help to catch signs early so that you can take action and conduct repairs. If you wait until UV damage is widespread on your roof, water damage and other problems may have already spread to other parts of your commercial building. This can result in costly repairs that interrupt your business operations.

The second step to take is to see how you can improve your commercial roof to better hold up against UV damage. For example, investing in higher-quality reflective roofing with UV-resistant coatings can help you extend the life of your roof so that UV damage isn’t enough of a concern. Your local roofer can tell you more about your options and what to consider for your commercial building.

Prolonged sun exposure impacts roofing by expanding and contracting the roof itself, affecting the integrity of the roofing materials, and even leading to blistering and bubbling if there’s air or moisture trapped in the roof. To prevent these issues in your own roof, get a professional on board now. Contact us at Bachman’s Roofing in Allentown, PA, for commercial roofing services.