Commercial roof repair and replacement in Vancouver, WA

Commercial roofs here are mostly low-slope: big, nearly flat surfaces covered with single-ply membrane, modified bitumen or built-up layers. They drain to interior drains or edge scuppers instead of gutters, and they carry rooftop units, ducts and conduit that each punch a hole through the roof. With so many penetrations and so much flat area, small problems spread fast. A blocked drain can leave a pond that slowly works its way through a weak seam.

Our crews handle commercial roofs from small strip centers and office buildings to shops and light industrial space. That includes leak repairs, membrane patches, flashing work around rooftop units, recovers over sound existing roofs and full tear-offs. We schedule around business hours where we can, keep the work area safe for tenants and customers, and keep owners and managers updated by phone as the job moves.

Common commercial roof systems

TPO is the most common new membrane on commercial buildings. It is a white or light single-ply sheet with heat-welded seams that reflect sun and stay strong for years. PVC is similar but stands up better to grease and chemicals, which makes it the choice over restaurants and some industrial spaces. EPDM, the black rubber membrane, is still on plenty of older buildings and is often repaired rather than replaced while the sheet is still flexible.

Modified bitumen, including torch-down and self-adhered sheets, is common on smaller commercial roofs and mixed-use buildings. Some older properties still have built-up tar and gravel roofs. Steep sections on commercial buildings, like mansards and entry roofs, may be shingles or metal. We work on all of these, and we match repairs to what is already on the roof so different materials do not fight each other at the seams. Mixing incompatible materials is a common cause of repeat leaks.

Commercial services we handle

Commercial work runs from a single leak call to a full replacement over an occupied building. Every job starts with a walk of the roof and the interior below, because leak stains inside rarely line up with the actual entry point on a flat roof. Water can travel along the deck and insulation a long way before it drips through the ceiling. We note every stain and match it to likely entry points above.

• Leak tracing and membrane repair
• Flashing at rooftop units, curbs and walls
• Drain, scupper and overflow clearing
• Recover over a sound, dry existing roof
• Full tear-off and replacement
• Scheduled roof checks for property managers

Repair, recover or replace

The choice comes down to what is under the membrane. If the insulation and deck are dry, a worn roof can often be recovered with a new membrane right over the old one, which saves the cost and disruption of a tear-off. Most building rules limit how many roof layers are allowed, so a building that already has two layers will usually need a full removal. We check the existing layer count early in the process.

Wet insulation changes the picture. Saturated board loses its insulating value, adds weight and can rot the deck, so it has to come out. We take core samples and use moisture readings to map where water has spread. Sometimes only part of the roof is wet, and those sections can be cut out and replaced while the rest is recovered, keeping the cost down. That approach also shortens the time the building is under construction.

Working on an occupied building

Most commercial roofs we work on sit over open businesses. We plan staging, crane lifts and debris chutes to keep entrances and parking usable, and we schedule noisy or odor-producing work for off hours when tenants need it. Daily dry-in at the end of every shift means the building is never left open overnight, even in a long wet stretch. Owners and managers get a short phone update at the end of each day, so they always know what was done and what comes next.