Currently, roof maintenance is the least concern of restaurant owners, but they should also have awareness about roof issues that require immediate attention. While businesses are required to institute protection measures against the spread of the coronavirus before they can resume their operations, it is likewise important to remove all safety hazards in facilities or workspaces. This is especially true for businesses engaged in food service as well as food manufacture or processing.
Connecticut CT Commercial Roofing contractors tasked to install the roofing system of new restaurants made it a point to recommend modern roofing materials that can withstand chemicals, oil and grease. These are roofing solutions that can meet the demands of restaurant roofs, where a kitchen as work space commonly go through high levels of temperature, while grease is ever present.
While exhaust fans are required by building codes in every food industry facility, exhaust fans tend to discharge grease and oils from stoves and ovens, while the air disperse the substances on roofs. As time passes, grease and oil will damage roofing materials; although the extent of the damage depends on the roofing material used.
Modern commercial roofing materials can be custom-fabricated in terms of curb flashings and roof stacks as a way to reduce rooftop maintenance in the most critical roof spots. This is of particular importance to restaurant roofs because several areas of the rooftop can be affected by the operation of kitchen vents, air conditioners and cooler compressors.
Still, in certain situations that call for extra roof maintenance, food production facilities and restaurants have to make sure that their roof systems have not been compromised by the grease emitted by exhaust fans. Roof damage is only one of the issues that need addressing because other hazards include fire and infestations of pest and small animals.
Infestation is actually a liability risk in light of Environment Protection Agency laws that point to roof runoffs as sources of pollution materials contaminating the ground and sewer.
The Importance of Restaurant Rooftop Grease Containment
Regardless of the roofing materials used, all roof systems require preventative maintenance, most especially in restaurants and facilities largely involved in food manufacture and/or processing.
Below are some examples of how grease contamination can infect the integrity of a commercial building’s roofing system:
Roof blistering that occurs on single-ply thermoplastic roofing when exposed to oil and grease.
Swelling and breakdown of thermoset roof components like ethylene propylene diene terpolymer materials a.k.a EPDM, when affected by grease and oil. Moreover, exposure to such substances can also remove the adhesive qualities of the glue or tape applied on roof seams. .
Where bituminous roofing systems or built-up roofs (BUR) are in place, grease and oil contamination can soften the roofing material over time. If not addressed as early as possible, such roofing issue will cause the materials to disintegrate and subsequently solidify into jelly-like substances.
Regular check ups of roof systems can help prevent such damages from getting worse. Rather than recommend large costs on repairs, some commercial roof contractors may instead deem it fit to recommend installation of grease filtration units; or placement of catch pans to stop exhaust fans from emitting grease and oil toward roof systems.