Cambridge Roofers provides commercial roofing for offices, warehouses, retail units and light industrial buildings in and around Cottenham, covering flat roofs, pitched roofs, repairs and full re-roofs.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
A commercial roof is not a fit-and-forget item. Whether it is a flat felt or EPDM membrane on a warehouse, a tiled or slated pitched roof on an older office building, or a profiled metal system on a retail unit, every roof covering needs periodic attention to reach its full design life. Cambridge Roofers handles flat roofs, pitched roofs, repairs and complete re-roofs on business premises of all sizes in and around Cottenham.
This page looks in particular at what happens after the work is done: the simple maintenance steps that keep a commercial roof performing well and help you avoid a costly call-out further down the line. But first, a summary of the full range of work we carry out.
On flat roofs we work with felt and EPDM rubber membrane systems. On pitched roofs we handle concrete and clay tiles, natural slate, and profiled metal sheeting. Beyond the main covering, we carry out guttering, fascia and soffit work, leadwork at chimney stacks and parapet walls, chimney repairs, and rooflight installation and repair. All of these elements connect: a failed gutter or a loose flashing can cause as much damage as a split membrane, so getting a complete picture of the roof system is always worthwhile.
When a full re-roof is needed, the specification matters as much as the labour. The correct falls on a flat roof prevent ponding; the right underlay and batten on a pitched roof prevent premature failure of tiles or slate; properly dressed upstands and flashings prevent water from tracking in at the edges. We cover all of this and work on buildings in Cottenham and the surrounding area.
Not every problem requires a full replacement. Isolated failures on an otherwise sound roof can often be repaired at a fraction of the cost of re-roofing. Slipped tiles, failed ridge mortar, a split lap in a flat roof membrane, or a corroded flashing are all examples of targeted repairs that extend the life of the existing roof by years when caught early.
Where a roof has reached the end of its practical life - an ageing felt system that has had repeated repairs, for example, or a slate roof where the nails have corroded and slates are slipping regularly - a full re-roof is better value than continued patching. The cost of repeated call-outs and short-lived repairs adds up quickly, and each repair only addresses the visible failure rather than the underlying condition of the covering.
This is the part most businesses ignore until something goes wrong again. A good roof well maintained will outlast a good roof neglected by many years. The steps below are not complicated or expensive, but they make a measurable difference to how long a commercial roof performs before it needs significant attention.
Blocked gutters and outlets are the single most common cause of premature flat roof failure. When water cannot drain freely, it ponds. Ponded water puts weight on the membrane, accelerates the degradation of felt systems, and forces water back against upstands and flashings that are not designed to be permanently submerged. On pitched roofs, overflowing gutters push water behind the fascia and into the structure, where it rots timbers and saturates insulation long before it appears as an internal stain.
On a commercial building surrounded by trees or near other buildings, gutters should be checked at least twice a year - once in late autumn after leaf fall and once in spring. Flat roof outlets need to be kept clear of debris at all times, and the area around them should be checked for any build-up of silt or vegetation.
After a period of high winds, check the flat roof surface for debris that may have damaged the membrane, and look for any visible splits or uplifts at the edges and upstands. Wind uplift at the perimeter of a flat roof is a common failure point, particularly where the membrane is bonded to a parapet or upstand with mastic or adhesive that has aged and lost its grip.
You do not need to walk the roof yourself - in fact, on some membrane systems, foot traffic without the right footwear or boards can cause damage. Instead, arrange a visual check from a position of safety or call us to carry out a post-storm inspection. Catching an uplifted edge early means a straightforward repair; leaving it means water entry and deck damage.
Lead flashings at parapet walls, chimney stacks and around rooflights are often the first thing to fail on an otherwise sound roof. Lead is durable, but it expands and contracts with temperature changes, and the mortar or mastic that holds it in place eventually cracks or shrinks away. A gap of a few millimetres at a flashing is enough to let water into the structure.
An annual visual inspection of flashings - looking for open joints, lifted sections or mortar that has dropped out - takes minutes and can prevent months of damage. Any section that looks loose or where daylight can be seen at the joint needs attention promptly. This is not a job to defer: flashing failures tend to get worse quickly once water finds the gap.
Ponding is water that remains on a flat roof surface for more than 48 hours after rain. Some residual dampness is normal; standing water is not. Persistent ponding indicates either a blocked outlet or inadequate falls. Left unaddressed, it softens felt membranes, promotes algae growth that further degrades the surface, and applies sustained loading to the structure.
If you notice a persistent pond on a flat roof surface, have the outlets checked first. If they are clear and water is still standing, the falls need assessing. Correcting falls on an existing roof is more involved than clearing a drain, but it is far less expensive than replacing a deck that has been waterlogged for years.
Moss on a pitched roof is more than cosmetic. It retains moisture against the surface of tiles or slates, accelerating frost damage and encouraging the growth of roots that can lift and crack the covering. On flat roofs, vegetation growing in accumulated debris around outlets can block drainage and eventually push roots into the membrane at seams or laps.
Moss and algae on pitched roofs can be treated with a biocide applied by a contractor and then left to die back naturally over a season. Pressure washing is not recommended as it can damage tiles and displace pointing. On flat roofs, keeping outlets clear and removing debris promptly is the most effective prevention.
Every piece of roofing work carried out on a commercial building should be recorded: what was done, where, what materials were used, and the date. This matters when you are comparing conditions year on year, when you need to decide whether to repair or replace, and when you are buying, selling or leasing the building.
After any job, ask the contractor for a written record of what was carried out and note any areas they flagged as needing attention in future. Photographs taken from a position of safety immediately after work is complete give you a baseline to compare against in subsequent years. Peace of mind on a commercial roof comes from knowing its condition, not from hoping for the best.
Fascias, soffits and guttering are not decorative. Failed fascia boards allow moisture and pests into the roof void. Undersized or sagging guttering causes overflow that saturates walls and foundations. Soffits that are cracked or open create entry points for birds that nest and block ventilation.
When planning any maintenance inspection, include these elements. Replacing a section of fascia during a planned maintenance visit is far cheaper than dealing with the secondary damage caused by years of water ingress through a rotten board.
Cambridge Roofers works in Cottenham and the surrounding area. If you want to know the condition of your commercial roof before a problem develops, or if you have a repair that needs addressing, call us to arrange a proper inspection. A straightforward assessment now saves a much larger bill later.
No obligation · We'll call you to arrange a free visit
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
