Commercial roofing in Miami requires tough, well designed systems for the stress they endure.  Poor design will usually lead to another topic – commercial roof repair.  Literally any roof on a business is considered commercial. Many banks are going with tile or metal these days, for example.  You will see all types of mansards on the front of strip malls but behind them the rest of the buildings are flat. Flat roofs, aka low-slope roofing systems, are most common for these types of buildings. A little bigger and we’re talking about warehouses, big box stores, office buildings and high rises.

Roofer Mike and Commercial Roofs

Roofer Mike Inc is based in Miami Springs, been in business since 2006. Roofer Mike has been roofing MDC since 1992 and working commercial roof repairs in Miami from the beginning.  First roof ever was Town and Country Mall in Kendall for emergency repairs after Hurricane Andrew. Second was a metal roof on a huge hangar at Homestead Air Force Base. Then a bunch of repairs on a huge USAA Shopping Center just outside the base.
Roofer Mike is a Florida State Licensed Roofing Contractor (CCC1327413) and brings over 33 years of South Florida experience to every project. While known for residential flat roof work, we apply our low-slope expertise in Miami to smaller commercial structures and community centers. We will do larger properties, up to around 100sq, but we don’t chase Walmart. Commercial roof repairs are a specialty with almost no job too big or small.

What Causes Commercial Roof Failure in Miami?

Human Error. We can stop there. Anything besides a Cat 5, tornado, vandals or old age can be avoided by experienced roofers installing a well designed system with full time supervision. We’ll go through the excuses/causes cited by others in a minute. Bottom line is, for us, if a roof fails it’s Roofer Mike’s fault.

WORKMANSHIP –  We see it all the time on commercial roof repairs.  If a roof leaks long before it reaches its useful life expectancy it’s usually because somebody made a mistake up there. Material defect or bullets would be exceptions. Workmanship errors happen. Roofers are human. But errors can be minimized with training and supervision. I put our crew and foreman up with anybody. There is always one of us on that roof. Whether it’s a hot mop BUR, TPO, roof coating app or repair the main thing is having competent people up there.

POOR DESIGN – These roofs face major challenges from South Florida’s brutal sub-tropical climate. The #1 cause of commercial roofing failure down here in Miami is thermal stress. That is the daily expansion and contraction of a material due to constant temperature changes. In July an average BUR roof can be 140-160 degrees by 2pm and drop down to 80 degrees in minutes with a pop-up thunderstorm. The same thing happens every day even without rain when the sun goes down, just not as suddenly.
A BUR with a good design will not just be fiberglass and hot tar. A modified bitumen inter-ply sheet (GAF Ruberoid20) gives the system flexibility.  Proper maintenance of the reflective cap sheet or a timely elastomeric roof coating application goes a long way toward extending roof life.

PONDING WATER

Poor design can also cause water to pool on the surface. Water weighs a lot so the problem gets worse as time goes on. Roofing material can fail prematurely if the roof does not meet the Miami-Dade 48 Hour Rule. Any water still on the roof after 48 hours is considered excessive ponding. We consider that too generous and design our insulated systems to dry within 24 hours.

Flat Roof Drainage & Roof Coating Apps

Roofer Mike solves problems with smart, energy-efficient designs:

• Tapered Insulation: We recommend a minimum of 1.5 inches of insulation to provide greater R-value and create a slight slope. This stops excessive ponding.  We often use sloped insulation for commercial roof repairs.
• Elastomeric Roof Coatings: We excel in the application of elastomeric roof coatings. Acrylics, water-based, solvent-based, silicon, polyurethane . . . whatever suits conditions and whatever you are trying to do.  Roof coatings reflect solar radiation, cool the building,  lower AC bills and extend AC equipment life while also extending the life of the roof.
  Roof coatings can also be very effective in some repairs; reinforcing seams with 4″ polyester fabric, for example. Solving problems and finding roof leaks on commercial roof repairs in Miami really comes down to experience. So many  leaks occur at flashing details, AC equipment, in-roof drains and scuppers.
  Water travels differently when a  roof leaks on a wooden structure, light-weight concrete, structural precast slabs or corrugated steel, etc. Is there trapped water associated with a leak area? Does the fix require a 2-way vent? On and on . . .

  

Mastering Miami’s Strict Building Codes

Roofer Mike Inc strictly follows the Florida Building Code for High-Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ). Miami-Dade County has one of the toughest building codes in the country

• Approved Materials: The company only uses officially Miami-Dade County Approved materials with a valid Notice of Acceptance (NOA).
• Proper Permitting: We pull permits with the local municipality in jurisdiction or MDC to ensure a hassle-free process.

No Miami Roofers Have Stronger Warranties

Roofer Mike Inc. stands behind its work with great confidence. We offer a 10-to-12-year workmanship warranty on flat roof installations and 3 years on commercial roof repairs. Our flat roof repairs are designed to outlast the existing  system. If you want an honest inspection and reliable commercial  roofing contractor, contact Roofer Mike Inc.