A Commercial Roof Project With More Than Meets the Eye
Commercial roofing projects do not always go exactly as planned. Sometimes, the biggest problems are hiding underneath the roof surface.
That is exactly what happened on a recent commercial roofing project in downtown Pittsburg, Kansas. Ridgeline Roofing began tearing off the existing flat roof and quickly discovered that the building’s existing trusses were in much worse condition than they appeared from above.
What started as a commercial roof replacement became a much larger structural project. Before the new roof could be installed, the building needed new trusses and new decking.
The project is located near Broadway in Pittsburg, where locals may have noticed the large crane on site. While the work takes time and can affect the surrounding area, the goal is to rebuild the roof system correctly and give the building a strong foundation for its new commercial roof.
What We Found Under the Old Roof
The existing building had a flat commercial roof system. Once the roofing materials were removed, the condition of the supporting trusses became much easier to see.
The original structure used approximately 25-foot trusses with a stem wall running down the center of the building. The condition of those trusses meant they could not simply be covered up with a new roof.
This is an important lesson for commercial property owners. A roof inspection can tell you a lot about the condition of the roofing system, but sometimes the full story is not visible until old materials are removed.
When serious structural problems are discovered, putting a new membrane over the existing system is not the right solution. The structure supporting the roof needs to be addressed first.
Installing New 50-Foot Trusses
Ridgeline’s solution for this Pittsburg commercial building includes new 50-foot freestanding trusses.
Unlike the previous setup, the new trusses are designed to span the building without requiring the same center stem wall arrangement. The new framing will provide a more open structural system while creating a solid base for the new roof assembly.
A large crane is being used to move the new structural components into position. This is one of the reasons commercial roofing can look very different from a typical residential roof replacement.
Commercial roofing is not always just about removing shingles and installing a new membrane. Depending on the building, a roofing contractor may encounter structural framing, decking, insulation, drainage systems, penetrations, parapets, mechanical equipment, and other components that all have to work together.
New Roof Decking Is Part of the Rebuild
Once the new trusses are installed, the building will also receive new roof decking.
The roof deck is a critical part of any commercial roofing system. It provides the surface that supports the insulation and roofing membrane above it.
If the deck is damaged, deteriorated, or structurally compromised, installing a new roof over it may only hide a larger problem.
That is why a professional commercial roof assessment should look beyond the membrane whenever possible. The condition of the entire roof assembly matters.
The New 60-Mil TPO Roof
After the structural work and decking are completed, the plan is to install a new 60-mil TPO roofing system.
TPO, or thermoplastic polyolefin, is a popular single-ply membrane used on many commercial buildings. It is designed for low-slope and flat roof applications and is commonly installed using heat-welded seams.
A new TPO system can provide a clean, durable roofing surface when it is properly designed and installed.
For this Pittsburg project, the new membrane will be installed after the structural issues have been addressed. That approach gives the new roof a proper foundation instead of placing a new roofing system over compromised framing.
Why Commercial Roof Problems Can Be Expensive
This project is also a good reminder that roofing costs are not always limited to the visible roof surface.
A commercial property owner may look at an aging membrane and assume the solution is simply a new membrane. But once the old roofing materials are removed, contractors may discover:
- Damaged roof decking
- Deteriorated trusses
- Structural movement
- Moisture damage
- Poor previous repairs
- Problems with insulation
- Drainage concerns
- Deteriorated flashing or edge details
Not every roof will have these problems. However, a thorough assessment can help property owners understand what they are actually dealing with before making major decisions.
A Commercial Roof Is a Complete System
The membrane is only one part of a commercial roof.
The structure, decking, insulation, membrane, seams, flashings, drainage, penetrations, and edge details all play a role in protecting the building.
When one part of the system fails, it can eventually affect other components.
That is why Ridgeline Roofing approaches commercial roofing projects by looking at the entire roof system. In Pittsburg, that meant recognizing that the existing trusses needed attention before the new TPO roof could be installed.
Commercial Roofing in Pittsburg, Kansas
This project is still underway, and there is more work to complete before the new 60-mil TPO roof is finished.
For local property owners, however, the project demonstrates why commercial roof problems should not be ignored. A roof that looks manageable from the ground can have much larger issues underneath.
Regular commercial roof inspections and maintenance can help identify problems earlier, potentially giving property owners more options before a roof reaches a critical stage.
If you own or manage a commercial building in Pittsburg, Kansas, or the surrounding area, Ridgeline Roofing can help evaluate your roof and explain your options.
Whether you need commercial roof repairs, a TPO roof replacement, roof maintenance, or a complete commercial roofing assessment, our team is ready to help.
Need help with your commercial or residential roof? Professional assessments and estimates are always free. Call 844-RDG-LINE or get an INSTANT ROOF QUOTE now to get started.
Hear Tim’s Thoughts
Video Transcript: "Hey Tim Yates, Ridgeline Roofing and Solar, downtown Pittsburgh. We are getting ready to call it for the day and just kind of wanted to show everybody what we're doing here. So we are re-trussing this building.
Here's all the stuff going on down there.
We've got a big crane. We've got some new trusses down there. So we got into this job. We were tearing the roof off and the trusses were just really bad but you couldn't really tell until you got everything off. So we put in a bid to re-trust it and here we are.
So how we're doing that, these are 50 foot trusses. The ones that were on it over there are 25 foot trusses. It's got a stem wall running down the center of it and then we're just basically running across and build into that stem wall and build into each other. The trusses we're using now are freestanding 50 footers so there's no stem wall needed for these. Of course we're re-decking everything and we're going to go back with a 60 mil TPO and here's a little look-see over the edge."