Many commercial buildings are built with flat roofs. These roofs can be an incredible asset to any business, and some buildings with flat roofs can store things on the roof! However, one of the most important things to know about your roofing is how much weight that roof can hold. If your roof can't handle storage or even heavy snow, you'll want to be aware of that. That will lead many people to wonder, how much weight can a commercial flat roof hold?
Types of Loads
Three distinct types are usually factored into your roof's overall weight limits when it comes to the loads that a roof can hold. Those three types are dead loads, live loads, and environmental loads.
Dead Loads
Dead loads are permanent weights your roof will always be supporting. Things like your ceiling material are part of your dead loads. However, the more prevalent dead loads are things like HVAC units and anything else that never comes off your roof.
Live Loads
Live loads are the weights your roof isn't always supporting. Things like people walking on the roofing, furniture, or anything on the roof as storage are all live loads. Live loads are typically put on the roof after construction and can move easily. Any temporary weight is considered a live load.
Environmental Loads
Environmental loads are precisely things that add weight to the natural world itself. Snow is one of the most important things environmental loads factor. Heavy, wet snow can cause serious damage to all types of roofing. SNow is especially prevalent if your roof can't hold up all the extra weight. We talk about preparing your roof for snow in this article.
Finding Out Your Total Load
Knowing all the loads your roof has is useful if you want to do something with the extra space over your head, but it's important to know your roofing's total weight limit. There is one easy way to find out your roofing's weight-bearing ability. Your building's original blueprints will have your roofing's load capacity. Before repairing or replacing your roofing, you should always ensure that your roof can safely handle the strain of being worked on.
Summary - How Much Weight can a Commercial Flat Roof Hold?
A commercial roof's weight capacity is different for every building. Your building's blueprints should have the exact limits of your roofing. Call a professional roofer to help determine your roof's weight capacity. A professional roofer should be able to help you figure out exactly how much your roof can handle.
Whether you need help finding your roof's weight capacity or a whole new roof, we believe that Colorado Springs roofing contractors should offer a professional and stress-free service. Hennesey Roofing offers a five-year to twenty-year roofing workmanship warranty depending on the product installed. Hennessey Roofing is an expert at inspecting and installing roofing and can get started immediately. We have intimate knowledge of all the permits required for roofing projects. Call us today to schedule your free estimate or fill out our contact form, and we'll be in contact shortly!
