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Up on the Rooftop

Can Wildfires Damage Your Business' Roof?

21 August 2020

Lori Silva

Wildfires are becoming more common in many areas of the United States, causing significant problems for people who live near them. While there's an obvious risk of having your business burn down from the spread of wildfires, that isn't the only problem facing your business. Even if your business survives in one piece, its roof could be damaged by the fires. Here's what you need to know.

Heat Exposure

The heat from wildfires is extremely intense and often spreads a lot farther than the fire itself. On top of that, hot air rises, which means that it can be problematic for the roof of your business if the fire came anywhere near it.

Extreme heat can damage the shingles on your roof and cause them to become ineffective at keeping out water and air. It can also make them brittle and more likely to break during a major storm, or just over time. Commercial roof repair is essential in these cases as it could be a serious liability to the safety of your employees and equipment.

Ash

Even if your business was nowhere near the actual blaze, there's still a big threat facing your business' roof: ash.

When there's a severe wildfire, ash often gets kicked up into the atmosphere and begins to shower down over neighboring areas. You don't have to be right next to a fire to experience this; it can potentially spread for miles around.

Ash is a serious problem for roofs. The first issue is that ash tends to be heavy, so it can put too much of a load on your roof and damage it. It also doesn't run off easily with water, and instead tends to soak up water, becoming even denser and heavier. Ash can also clog your rain gutters, preventing them from working properly or tearing them off the building if the weight is too much for them to handle. Depending on your proximity to the fire, the ash may also be hot when it comes down, which could cause heat damage to your shingles.

What to Do

If there has been a wildfire near you recently, or you suspect that damage has been done to your business' roof, you should contact a roofer immediately. They can assess the roof for damage and can also be helpful in clearing away any gathered ash on the roof and rain gutters. If damage is discovered, they can repair it or can replace the roof if that becomes necessary.

If you choose to have your shingles replaced, consider picking heat-resistant ones that can help to mitigate the damage if a wildfire's heat comes too close.

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