PHP Roofing Blog

An article from the Yale School of the Environment published in 2020 revealed that just 3.5 percent of commercial buildings in the United States have solar panels installed, while an additional one percent of commercial buildings have solar panels off-site. Some buildings are not suitable for solar power, either because they are too small or just don't need enough electricity to make solar panel investment financially efficient. However, the report revealed that about 70 percent of commercial buildings in the United States would be eligible for solar panels.

Commercial roofs often look flat, but no commercial roof - or any roof, for that matter - is completely flat. Even on a roof that looks completely flat, there is a subtle slope (also called a pitch) that is important for the functionality and performance of that commercial roof.

With the changing season, it’s time to think about fall readiness and eventual winter prep through commercial roof maintenance. Your commercial rooftop went through a lot this year! High heat in summer and cold nights in spring and winter could have caused damage to your commercial roof. 

Good indoor air quality (IAQ) contributes to the safety and health of everyone who works in your commercial building, from the maintenance crew to the managers. Healthy IAQ can even improve quality of work life for the people who rely on your business for their incomes and livelihood. As a business manager or a building manager, you'll find that people who get sick from the air they breathe at work have more absences from the office, more paid time off, poor productivity and lower morale. It's bad for your employees and for business!

The summer season is here, ushering in months of sunshine, vacationing…and hurricanes forming in the ocean. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, and this year, it’s especially important to make sure your buildings are ready. According to the Atlantic Defense Fund, hurricanes in recent years have been accompanied by higher storm surges, stronger winds, and more destruction. These storms are becoming stronger and intensifying faster, which is causing hurricanes to become more costly for property-owning businesses and homeowners.

Working on rooftops can be dangerous. According to BLS.gov, roofing workers had one of the highest rates of nonfatal falls, with 86.9 cases per 10,000 full-time workers in 2016. In 2020, the number of fatal accidents for roofers was 50 per 100,000 full-time workers. It’s not surprising that working on rooftops incurs risk, with heavy lifting, frequent climbing, and working in the scorching heat. OSHA considers roof safety to be paramount, and it’s something that commercial/industrial building managers must consider.

You may have noticed that other commercial buildings have HVAC systems, solar panels, and other equipment stored on their rooftops. You may also wonder if you should do the same for your building but aren’t certain about the reasons why commercial buildings keep equipment on their rooftops. Good news—the benefits of storing heavy equipment on a rooftop far outweigh any negatives. In fact, you can compensate for potential negatives by planning your rooftop layout and investing in a complete rooftop support system.

How often do you think about your building’s piping? Though it may not occupy your thoughts often, piping plays a critical role in keeping your building running efficiently. From plumbing and gas to hot and chilled water, commercial piping delivers crucial elements that contribute to your building’s overall comfort. However, piping performs best and lasts longer when you take the time to properly care for it. Moreover, taking steps to preserve your piping also protects the structure of your building’s roof, where piping and equipment is often found. Zero-penetration roof pipe supports elevate piping to better handle load distribution changes and issues such as thermal expansion.

Buildings rely on HVAC systems to ensure comfort year round. However, all too often, the regular upkeep of HVAC systems isn’t a priority…until something goes wrong or they don’t work as they should. Routine HVAC preventative maintenance is essential for comfort, healthier indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and peace of mind—and it’s something that should begin well before an issue occurs. In fact, the best move you can make for ensuring HVAC equipment longevity is to set up your system for long-term success with equipment supports as part of a complete rooftop support system.

Roof safety is paramount for commercial buildings. A roof collapse is the worst-case scenario for a commercial roof, and the effects are widespread. First, the roof isn’t just gone—a collapsing roof creates debris that falls into the building and does damage to the walls and floors. This might render the entire building unusable. Any business inside the building must relocate or come to a halt. Any occupants might be injured or even killed.