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Commercial Roofing Versus Residential Roofing PRN Roofing Tuscaloosa

Commercial Roofing Versus Residential Roofing: What You Need to Know

“A horse is a horse, of course, of course…”

This is the famous opening line to the 1960s TV series, Mr Ed. Many people think that a roof is a roof, of course, and there are no differences between them. After all, they all do the same job of protecting its occupants inside.

PRN Roofing, the best commercial roofer in Tuscaloosa, disagrees. Roofs are very different from each other, from the roofing materials to the purpose of a roof. The roofs of a commercial business are different from residential roofs as well, which we’ll explore in this blog post. PRN Roofing offers the best commercial roof replacement and residential roof replacements. Contact us today for a free storm damage inspection!

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COMMERCIAL ROOF AND RESIDENTIAL ROOF

Roof Design

If you’ll notice the roofs around you that grace the top of most commercial businesses, you may notice that most of them are flat. This is mainly because most commercial businesses are much larger than homes, and covering a roof that is flat recovers less roofing material and is cheaper to install, which is important to businesses. Furthermore, installing a sloped roof would just be impractical due to its size. You may see factories or warehouses with sloped roofs, but that is because these buildings do not require any controlled interior environments. However, flat roofs generally require more maintenance than other types of roofs with a greater slope.

More Complex

Again, if you’re driving around town, take a look at the top of commercial business’ roofs. You will notice that there are a lot more tubes and such sticking out of the top of the roof (such as smokestacks or external piping), as well as more elements on top of a roof, such as an air conditioning unit. This complexity is another reason commercial roofs are different than residential roofs; there’s just more “stuff” to go around.

Residential roofs are easier to install due to its smaller surface area and the less interruptions in its surface. Commercial roofing has a lot more flashing to make up for the numerous holes needed in commercial roofs.

Roofing Materials

Due to the fact that the slope of residential and commercial roofs is different, the roofing materials will be different as well. In general, sloped roofs have more roofing material options, such as asphalt shingles, metal, clay, or slate, which is more easily managed in a slope. Most commercial roofs are made using sheets of membrane, such as TPO, EPDM, or built-up roofing (BUR) materials, such as gravel roofs. In this respect, residential roofs will have more aesthetic appeal than commercial roofs, which, let’s face it, no one is patronizing your business based off how the roof looks.

Roofing Installation

Slope of roofs play a huge role in roofing installation. With sloped roofs common in residential installation projects, you’ll need to be able to work at an angle, as well as work with trusses, or the roof’s skeleton, to lay your preferred roofing material. On the other hand, commercial roof replacements are characterized by installing layers of metal and insulation, commonly known as membrane roofing. Most commercial roofs have a slight slope to avoid pooling water, as well as taking advantage of nails, heat welding, and adhesives for commercial roof installations.

THE PRN DIFFERENCE IN TUSCALOOSA

Most local roofers take care of their clients and customers well because they care about those in their community. PRN Roofing in Tuscaloosa is no exception. We offer the best in commercial roof replacement, residential roof replacement, and multi-family roof repair. We’ve been the leading local roofer in Tuscaloosa for many years, outperforming our competitors in quality and service. As commercial roof specialists, we know how to install, repair, and maintain commercial roofs. We understand the difference in the roofing materials between a commercial roofer and a residential roofer, as well as the increased complexity of commercial roofs. We’re proud to be your commercial roofer of choice.

In addition to being commercial roof specialists, we also offer gutter cleaning when the leaves start to fall in the fall, as well as painting and siding. We provide your home with all of its exterior needs. Contact us today for your free storm damage inspection!

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