Audrey
Every building has a roof on it these days. From the largest in commercial properties to the smallest residential home, the roof is an important feature of our shelters today. Though while all of these shelters have roofs, there are still different roof types and different ways they slope. From the sorts of materials used in the roof and the colour of the shingles to the sorts of protective layers people put on their roofs to guard against the elements, there are many differences in today’s roofs.
One of the most noticeable differences you will see is a sloped/pitched roof vs. a flat roof. Flat roofing, available at calgarycityroofing.com, still has a slight slope so that the elements can run off, though they’re not pitched at all. These roof types are a lot more economical. And while they have to be maintained more frequently and constructed to be a lot stronger, they’re the go-to roofing type for almost all commercial properties. Here are a few popular commercial building types where you will find flat roofs.
Popular Commercial Buildings with Flat Roofs
Most Stores
These things are probably not something you notice until it’s pointed out, but the next time you go out shopping or to just get gas for your car, check out the types of roofs on these buildings. You will notice that most little gas stations and convenience stores have small, flat roofs on them. The same holds true for most grocery stores and even those big-box stores. The reason they implement flat roof styles isn’t complicated. For starters, it saves on material and makes a more convenient sort of shape that’s just economical. It also allows for a much stronger roof to be constructed than what you would have if you built a larger, taller pitched roof.
Public Schools
A flat roof is also the go-to style for most larger public schools. This is the status quo for elementary schools, high-schools, and even most colleges. The reasons aren’t any different here. It just makes more sense economically to go with a flat roof over a pitched roof. This especially makes sense considering how much money it costs to operate these sorts of schools. Being able to save money in the construction and in maintenance is very important.
Hospitals and Clinics
Hospitals and clinics are other commercial building types where you’re going to find flat roofing. Again, it saves them money in the construction economically, but there are additional reasons to have flat roofs on these large buildings like this. For instance, the HVAC units are very large and need to do a whole lot of work, and having easy access to them on roofs is essential. Hospitals and clinics are also very important buildings that require a lot of strength. Flat roofs just make the most sense in this regard.
Office Buildings
For all of the reasons you’ve read about so far, you will also find types of flat roofs on larger office buildings. This is especially true for taller buildings. If you notice around most cities of the world, most of the tall buildings you see have flat roofs. Of course, this is a very different dynamic from the flat roofs on lower buildings, but the point being that slopes are usually decorative and, to make a statement, not usually functional. Larger office buildings are going to almost always have flat roofs.
Apartment Buildings
Most apartment buildings that are actually larger and have more units are also typically flat and don’t have sloped roofs. If you see smaller residential homes that are perhaps from the Colonial period and have been turned into apartments, they might have sloped roofs. Though when dealing with actual apartment buildings, you’ll be seeing flat roofs mostly. As mentioned above, the flat roofs just come in handy economically and again for that HVAC access. Flat roofs on these types of buildings just tend to have more advantages for people who live and work inside of them.
No matter what type of roofing you have, always know that you can contact a professional roofing company right now to handle any sort of job you need. From inspections and repairs to outright replacement, the pros can get in and get the job done regardless of your roof type.
