When you hire a commercial roofing expert, it’s important to choose a company that understands your organization’s unique needs. For example, even if a warehouse and a hospital share the same type of roofing system, there’s more to consider when repairing or replacing the roof of a hospital or medical facility.
It’s worth noting that all roofing projects are important and should be taken very seriously. After all, a commercial roof protects the users of the building and, at times, their livelihoods. However, roofing a functioning hospital presents a unique set of challenges that must be addressed.
Here are some thoughts on how hospital roofing differs from other commercial roofing projects.
Hospitals are essential building systems.
We all became hyper-aware of the terms “essential” and “non-essential” several years ago at the beginning of the pandemic. However, while we were used to assigning the terms to specific professions, we didn’t often use the words to describe building systems.
Hospitals never close.
Repairing or replacing the commercial roof of a hospital takes special consideration because the building can never close. Medical staff and patients always need quick access to the building. In addition, of course, many hospitals have helipads on the roof that cannot be unavailable to pilots in an emergency or natural disaster.
Roofing projects can’t disrupt the work of medical professionals.
A commercial roofing company must work closely with hospital leadership to keep the facility accessible during the length of the project. In addition, the roofers need to be vigilant that their equipment doesn’t block emergency entrances. They also need to follow safety protocols and undergo both internal and third-party safety inspectors. While safety is paramount on every job site, potential hazards must be identified and eliminated at a facility with constant traffic in and out of the building.
Staff and patients at hospitals are often sensitive to noise, odors, or movement on the roof that could cause dust to resettle inside the facilities. Care must be taken in the selection of commercial roofing materials and equipment that will be used on the roof. A full understanding of ventilation systems into and out of the hospital needs to be taken into consideration in order to maintain the comfort and health of those in the building.
Regular roof maintenance can keep disruptions to a minimum.
Of course, it’s also crucial that hospital roofs undergo regular maintenance to limit the number of disruptions caused by roofing repairs and replacement. We’ll discuss roofing maintenance more in a later section of this article.
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Complex hospital budgets need to be considered.
No facility manager – no matter the industry – wants to face an unexpected roof repair or roof replacement. However, hospital budgets are often complex. Having to relocate money in a hospital budget for an unexpected roof repair project may mean that the facility will have to postpone other improvements that could benefit patients directly.
Regular roof inspections keep surprises to a minimum.
Commercial roofers entrusted with maintaining hospital roofs must be vigilant – constantly monitoring the roof system on a regular, ongoing basis. That’s another reason that choosing a reliable, highly-rated commercial roofing company for a medical facility is essential.
Not only does roof maintenance prolong the life of a commercial roof, but these roofing experts can also give hospital managers a timeline of when a new roof will be needed. This will allow the new roof project to be budgeted for and scheduled so it doesn’t have to disrupt life-saving projects.
Even minor leaks cannot be tolerated in a hospital.
Every roofing job is important because roof leaks can cause structural damage and the development of mold and mildew. However, roof leaks in facilities where the majority of people are immunocompromised cannot be allowed.
As you can imagine, detecting water leaks can be a challenge in massive multistory medical complexes and requires the skills of expert commercial roofers.
Of course, regular roof inspections of the roofing systems may limit the number of leaks that develop.
Hospital roofs require specialized construction.
While most buildings have to support HVAC units and vents, hospital roofs often house helipads, security equipment, communication equipment, and sometimes solar panels. Additionally, hospital roofs may be well insulated to help maintain a constant interior temperature without going over the heating and cooling budgets.
Hospital roofs require a robust program of regular, scheduled roof inspections.
Yes, every commercial facility needs regular, scheduled roof inspections and constant maintenance. However, there’s more at stake when a hospital roof is poorly maintained.
While your facility manager may have performed these inspections in the past, the project should be completed by experts trained to look for minor defects that may become more significant problems. Hiring commercial roofing experts with experience in a variety of roofing systems is essential for keeping a facility in excellent condition.
Hospitals need to be prepared for weather-related roof emergencies.
While other industries have the flexibility of closing locations when severe weather hits, hospitals and other medical facilities may be swarmed with people seeking medical assistance. Because of that, the facility administrators need to know who to call for emergency roof repairs, which may be required at any time of the day and night.
Healthcare roofing projects require a specially-trained team.
Maintaining, servicing, and replacing the roof on a healthcare facility is unlike any other commercial roofing project. Hospitals are essential structures, and organizations have complex budgets. In addition, the roof sometimes serves special purposes, and because the building is full of immunocompromised individuals, there is a zer0-tolerance for leaks.
We understand the care that must be taken when choosing a commercial roofing company for your healthcare roofing project.
Contact Nations Roof, Your Healthcare Roofing Experts
If you are looking for an organization to partner with to maintain the roof of your healthcare facility or hospital, contact Nations Roof. We understand the expertise required to maintain, repair, and replace the commercial roofs on healthcare buildings. We also appreciate the unique set of challenges that need to be addressed for such a project.
Nations Roof has expertise in many types of roofing systems, including green roofs and solar roofing. The leadership of Nations Roof has over 100 years of combined experience offering commercial roofing services. We are known in the industry for delivering consistently good value and high-quality workmanship.
Contact a member of our team today at (866) 850-0698. We have teams all over the country who are ready to serve you.
