Your Commercial Roof in Winter: Watch Your Step!

Winter can pack a powerful punch in the Chicagoland area. Here we’re used to large accumulations of snow and ice most winters. Weather like that always requires that we take care when moving around outside, whatever we’re doing. If you’re walking on the sidewalk, shoveling your driveway, or exiting a building, you watch your step to avoid an embarrassing and potentially dangerous slip and fall. This is, of course, something you should always practice anytime you walk on your commercial roof.

Even the smallest accumulations of snow and ice can cause problems that might require you to take a look at your roof. Clogged gutters and downspouts or ice dams can lead to leaks that you might see from the inside, but not always. The possibility of these or a severe weather event might prompt you to check your roof even if you haven’t noticed a problem yet. Whatever the case, winter’s conditions are likely at some point to cause you or an employee to want to check things out.

If you are going to access your roof yourself, it’s critical that you exercise caution, even if the rooftop seems clear. Just because you don’t see any accumulation at all doesn’t mean your roof isn’t slippery. Because of their extremely smooth surfaces, single-ply roofs, in particular, can be deceptively dangerous in the winter. It only takes a little bit of moisture or a small amount of frost to make them risky to walk on. This danger is not one you want to notice after you’ve taken a step out there. Accumulated snow and ice on a roof present their own dangers, including the risk of collapse. You should always be even more cautious on the roof than you would be on the ground.

Even those who are used to spending time on roofs, such as mechanical or construction contractors, can slip and fall if the conditions are right for it. Professional roofers can, too, if they’re not careful. When using a ladder from the ground, the first step onto the roof can be treacherous. Roofing professionals will spend time preparing a roof just so it’s safe to walk on. If they can gain access to a roof—from inside the building is always best—they will treat the roof surface with a mixture of calcium chloride and rock salt to melt any ice, and then wipe the surface to dry it off. “Safety first” continues after this process and should always be a top priority.

If you have an employee or a contractor planning to access your commercial roof during the winter months, confirm with them that they are aware of the precautions they should take. If you believe conditions to be unsafe for individuals to be up there, prohibit access and reach out to a roofing professional to determine next steps.

No matter what the weather brings, always be cautious on your commercial roof. And as with all roof-related concerns, if you don’t feel safe or comfortable doing something, stay off your roof and call a roofing contractor.

This winter, stay safe—on your roof and off.