Commercial Roof Lifespan in Mason City, IA | A1 Roofing

No two commercial roofs are created equal, but your choice of roofing material will be the biggest factor in your roof's longevity. Sometimes, we get called for a commercial roof replacement in Mason City for a building that was only 12 years old and at the end of its roof life, or we have been consulted on commercial roofs in Mason City that were more than 30 years old.

Here are some estimates of how long most commercial roofing materials will typically last:

• TPO roofing: A typical TPO commercial roof will last 15 to 25 years. TPO has strong resistance to ultraviolet light, so it is a very common choice for flat roof replacement for retail and warehouse buildings.
• EPDM roofing: EPDM is a type of rubber roofing system that can last 20 to 30 years. EPDM is a time-tested roofing material; I have seen EPDM roofs in downtown Mason City that are still in service after decades of no maintenance.
• PVC roofing: Like TPO, PVC is also a single-ply membrane and has a lifespan similar at 20 to 30 years. It does, however, have superior resistance to chemicals, which is good for buildings located near restaurants or other businesses with heavy grease exhaust.
• Standing seam metal roofing: Of all the commercial roofing materials, metal roofs typically have the longest lifespan at 40 to 60 years. According to the Metal Construction Association, some metal roofing systems exceed 50 years of service life with routine upkeep.

Keep in mind that the average lifespans given here are for roofing materials in ideal situations. Most manufacturers assume that the roof was installed properly and has regular maintenance scheduled. If you skip those maintenance intervals, you can reduce any of these lifespans by five to 10 years.

Now you know about these roofing materials, what type of material is for your business?

It will depend on your building's roof slope, how your business is using the building, and what conditions the roof must contend with. For example, a TPO roof system would be a fine solution for an office building with a roof that is nearly flat, like many near East Park in Mason City. PVC is better for metal fabrication shops on the south side of Mason City because it resists chemical exposure. And for building owners in Mason City who want to invest in a commercial roof replacement system that will probably last longer than the loan that you took out to build the building, standing seam metal is the better choice.

What's Wrong with Metal Roofs?

Most commercial roofers think that metal roofing is only one category of roofing systems, but it is really in a class of its own. Standing seam metal panels interlock, they shed snow better than other materials, and they handle those freeze-thaw cycles that wreak so much havoc on Mason City roofs every winter. We've done commercial roof replacement jobs where the old metal roof was still in decent shape after 35 years. The owner just wanted better energy performance.

Still, a metal roofing system will not work well with every building type, and some buildings cannot support the weight. It is sometimes better to use a single-ply membrane. This is why you need a free roof inspection before you replace your roof.

TPO, EPDM, and PVC Will Last

All TPO, EPDM, and PVC systems are types of single-ply roofing systems. They're lighter. They install quicker. And, when done right, they perform as well as anything through Iowa's harsh heat or colder winters. We've watched it all play out before. For example, a building owner in the North Federal Ave area had TPO roof installed by another installer. No seam welds. Within six years the membrane was separating at every seam. It should have been good for 20 years; instead it lasted 5. How you install your roof matters just as much as which roof you buy. You can have the material on the market and still end up with a shoddy roof. If you need help determining which material makes sense for your commercial building, please check out our roof replacement page. We can help you determine the roof for your needs. Here's the bottom line. Get the right material and installation and stay diligent with inspections and your commercial roof replacement could last you decades, not years.

Mason City's Climate Shortens Roof Lifespan

Here's what contractors don't often tell you. The national lifespan of a commercial roof doesn't take into consideration the effect Mason City weather has. In Mason City we have USDA Hardiness Zone 4b, which is cold in the winter, with freeze-thaw cycles that begin in October, and hot in the summer, with temperatures that can hit upwards of 150 degrees on a roof top. According to the National Roofing Contractors Association, most commercial roof systems are meant to perform in moderate climates. This is not a moderate climate. The issue is thermal cycling. A roof that expands in the summer with heat and contracts in the winter with cold, the result of which is dozens of expansion and contraction cycles that happen each season and over the lifespan of a roof. This can crack seams, unfasten fasteners and break down roof membranes. For example, there are TPO roof membranes installed on buildings in Mason City on E. Park that appeared fine to the naked eye from street level but, when inspected, showed signs of separation along each line weld. They lasted 5 years too short. Some types of weather impact commercial roofing more than others and several of the issues that impact roofs in Mason City are specific to this region and part of the country:

• Hail: North Iowa experiences multiple hail events each year and, even if they're small, hail impacts coatings, and can dent metal roofs, causing problems with lifespan.
• Ice dams and snow: Commercial flat roofs hold a significant amount of weight as snow and standing water can stress the deck and can trap moisture at drain points.
• Wind-driven rain: Spring weather can produce high wind rain that can force water into flashings and parapet walls. We've seen this cause more leaks than any other source.
• UV exposure: Summer days that produce a longer duration of light can impact single-ply membranes, as UV light can break down the flexibility of a roof.

Each of these can impact how long your commercial roof replacement system will last in Mason City. Pile up 20 Iowa winters and the numbers don't quite add up.

How Many Less Years are We Talking About?

It varies, but as a rule of thumb, David recommends owners in Mason City expect 15 to 20 percent fewer years than the manufacturer claims. If a roof is listed at 25 years in Phoenix, the expectation in Mason City would be 20. Or maybe a few fewer, if you neglect routine maintenance.

That's the truth.

When David was replacing a roof in one of the buildings along South Federal Avenue, it had failed at 18 years on a 30-year roof. The owner thought he had another decade. He didn't. The insulation was wet, the decking had soft spots and what should have been a simple roof replacement was a bigger job.

Sounds familiar? It is. Most don't know that things go wrong so much faster once water gets under the roof system. And often a roof problem in the ceiling is actually months old.

The takeaway? Design your roof for Mason City, not a national average. Schedule a free commercial roof inspection before damage shows up in your building. And buy a roof system that will withstand freeze-thaw, hail and standing water.

To see how those systems fare here, see our commercial roof replacement page.

The bottom line is this: A roof in Mason City ages much faster than a manufacturer's specs will tell you. Plan for it before you're surprised by it.

The next roof lifespan secret that contractors never like to talk about is that the material itself matters far less than the quality of the roof. David has torn off many a 25-year roof in Mason City that failed after only 12. And it came down to one of the following.

Weather and Climate

For one thing, Mason City gets hammered. We have some brutal freezing and thawing cycles from November to March. Ice forms, melts and freezes again. That constant stress weakens a roof membrane quickly.

In summer, a flat roof gets blasted with sun all day. UV rays will eventually damage the surface of a single-ply roof. The membrane will become brittle and crack. And hail is a big one. North Iowa gets damaging hail storms every season. Even small hail can weaken a roof membrane, layer by layer.

The National Roofing Contractors Association says that weather-related damage is a leading cause of premature commercial roof failure in the Midwest.

Installation

Bad seam. Good seam. One can turn a 15-year roof into a 30-year roof.

It's not just the seams, either. Bad adhesion. Inappropriate fastener placement. We're observing these issues regularly on buildings along North Federal Avenue and throughout downtown Mason City. A previous contractor didn't do their due diligence, the building owner lacked expertise in roof construction, and now we're seeing water sitting in three separate areas on one roof. A properly installed new commercial roof will have proper substrate preparation, adequate insulation R-value, and tight seam welds throughout. Do less and you decrease roof life. Period.

Drainage and Ponding Water

Flat roofs need to drain. It seems obvious. However, many commercial buildings in Mason City have standing water that remains on the roof 48 hours after a rainstorm. That is ponding, and it slowly degrades even the roofing membrane. Inappropriate roofing drainage is most often caused by the following:

• Scuppers and drains are blocked or undersized
• There are sagging deck areas due to structural settlement
• The original roof construction didn't provide enough slope to the drains
• Rooftop mechanical equipment is obstructing water path

If you solve a drainage problem, you might add 5 or more years of life to the roof. If not, nothing really matters.

Maintenance History

Commercial roofs that are inspected bi-annually last much longer than roofs that don't get regular attention. We've seen it time after time. Problems that are discovered early stay small. A loose flashing around a rooftop HVAC unit can be fixed in 30 minutes. Two years later, now you have wet roof insulation and roof deck damage below. Unfortunately, most building owners do not perform roof maintenance. They wait for a leak inside the building before taking action. Once a leak is active, damage is done and the bill skyrockets. If you own a commercial building, a free roof inspection is a simple way to find out where you currently are on your roof life cycle.

Roof Traffic and Equipment

Each time a service technician walks on the commercial roof there is a possibility that damage can occur. A dropped tool or a heavy piece of equipment being dragged. Or just a lot of people walking on areas where the mechanical units reside. Over the years, wear and tear accumulate on the commercial roofing material. Buildings with heavy commercial rooftop equipment need walkway pads and protection boards. Without them, the commercial roof membrane will wear out in high traffic areas. We've ripped up roofing material on rooftop units in many Mason City buildings and discovered the membrane has worn away down to very little. Yes, the roof material matters. And it also matters how the roof is installed, what the local climate is, how the roof is drained, if the roof has regular maintenance, and how the roof is treated on an on going basis. Sometimes the second group matters more. It's an honest answer that people usually don't hear until the damage is already done.