Primary Differences Between Residential and Commercial Roofing Designs

The Difference Between Residential and Commercial Roofing

Companies often construct commercial and residential roofs from similar materials, and they both serve as protection against water dripping into your building. A primary difference between residential and commercial roofing is in the way they are constructed, but other distinctions are found between the two types of rooftops.

Residential Roofing Construction

Residential roofs usually are formed into steep, symmetrical and triangular peaks. Otherwise, one side might be more slanted than the other. Oftentimes, this design provides both a practical and stylish approach to keeping excess moisture away from a home’s interior.

Home rooftops need to support a chimney, solar panels or water trenches. In addition, they might require customized cutting and shaping to include attic windows or framed skylights. Most people don’t use their residential roofs for much except for overhead shelter unless it’s a balcony section. Therefore, they usually require less weight support than commercial ones.

Commercial Roofing Construction

Oftentimes, contractors construct a flat roof on top of a commercial structure. Companies usually prefer them because of their ease of maintenance and maximization of space. The materials used to construct them need to support large-scale building frames and hardware, but it’s more than that. These business roofs must also hold the water, snow, ice and debris that might fall onto them. In addition, they need to support rooftop drains, airflow systems and exterior pipelines that are more intricate than what you would find above a house.

Commercial roofs also might have to support larger solar panels than what you would install on a home. Moreover, business rooftops might have emergency exit points incorporated into them that residential roofs might not have. Public roofs, especially ones at bars or restaurants, are more likely to be used for large gatherings, so that is another weight issue to consider during the commercial roofing maintenance process.

Because commercial roofs often are used more than just for protection against outdoor elements, they often need to be replaced sooner than residential roofs. However, certain treatments used on business properties can make roofs last longer.

The Difference Between Residential and Commercial Roofing

Differences in Residential and Commercial Roofing Materials

The most common roofing materials used include asphalt, slate or cedar shingles. Alternatively, they might be constructed of metal or tile, or even treated wood. A primary difference between the home and business rooftops is the section sizes, and commercial roofs typically come with larger roofing pieces. In both cases, commercial and residential roofing material layers enhance the weatherproofing of a home or business property.

Weatherproofing Options

EPDM is one of the latest weatherproofing options available. It can extend the life of a regularly maintained commercial roof up to 30 years versus the average 10-15 years that commercial roofing might last. This substance resists puddling and pooling, and it provides one of the strongest barriers to UV rays, so it minimizes sun damage. Another protective layer known as the TPO membrane is also typically applied to flat, commercial roofs to boost protection against precipitation and sun even more, and it increases energy efficiency.

Similar weatherproofing treatments are often used inside attics in residential homes. They are often applied at the same time as the residential roofing insulation.