Do you need to replace the roof over your home? Or maybe you need a new system or some roof repairs for your commercial building? Before you hire a roofing company to install, repair or maintain your roof, it is important to know the difference between commercial and residential roofing.
There are residential and commercial roofing companies out there, and others that handle both, and the difference between them mainly consists in their expertise and experience of working with certain types of roof designs and materials.
Commercial roofers
Commercial roofs are typically flat and considerably larger than residential roofs, because commercial properties have higher square footage compared to residential ones.
On a traditional pitched roof, the angular slopes make a large part of the surface between the ceiling and the roof unusable. On the other hand, the construction of a flat roof will allow the full use of its entire exterior area. You can easily arrange a green terrace, install solar panels or HVAC equipment, which is usually a must in commercial buildings.
Commercial roofing companies are familiar with the technology behind flat roofs, which is based on ensuring a durable waterproofing layer, which can be made of different types of membranes.
There are 3 main waterproofing systems that are typically used in flat commercial roofs, which were invented decades ago and have been continuously modified and improved over time, so that now, the warranty for these products is not less than 10 years – and, in some cases, it is up to 30 years.
- Waterproofing with bituminous membranes
- Waterproofing with synthetic membranes (EPDM, PVC, TPO)
- Waterproofing with liquid membranes
Commercial roofers have expertise in choosing the most fitting materials for your roof, and typically need a wider skillset to install and repair commercial roofing systems compared to residential ones.
Residential roofers
Unlike commercial properties, residential buildings are typically protected by sloped roofs, so residential roofing companies will have more experience in this type of design. This roofing type allows water to drain more easily running down the roof valleys, and snow does not stagnate either, so there is less risk of water infiltration and leaks. A sloped roof can be installed even in areas with very harsh climatic conditions. Besides, the space under the roof can be transformed into a living room, or used as storage area.
The structure of a pitched roof is more complex than the structure of a flat roof, allowing excellent ventilation and insulation options, in order to achieve a very good level of energy efficiency. The rainwater system is exterior (gutters and downspouts) and considered safer than the drainage system of a flat roof. The cover materials typically consist of tiles and shingles that can be made of various materials (metal, asphalt, wood, ceramic, concrete, slate, composite materials etc.).
The best residential roofer Flower Mound TX has should have extensive knowledge regarding all these, in order to be able to recommend the best roofing solutions according to the local climate, local building codes and the owners’ preferences.
Residential and commercial roofs are different not just in terms of design and materials, but also in terms of requirements for installation, repairs and maintenance. This is why a true professional, either residential or commercial, is not the Jack-of-all-trades type, but it specializes in a certain direction, in order to stay up to date with the most recent technologies and to offer the highest quality services.
