# The Commercial Roof Lifecycle: Repair, Restore, or Replace

## Short answer

- **Years 0–10 — repair.** The membrane is inside its service life. Inspect, maintain flashings and penetrations, keep the drains clear.
- **Years 10–20 — restore.** If the deck is sound and the insulation is dry, coating or recover resets the clock at a fraction of tear-off.
- **Years 20+ — replace.** At or past typical membrane life, recover rarely pencils out.

## What actually kills a commercial roof

Not age — water that got in years ago and never left. The membrane is rarely what fails first. Details fail: base flashings at parapets, curb corners under HVAC units, pipe boots hardened in UV. Water enters there, travels through the insulation, and destroys the thermal value and deck fastening long before a ceiling stain appears.

## The three questions that decide everything

1. **Is the deck sound?** If it has corroded or fasteners have lost grip, nothing above it will perform.
2. **Is the insulation dry?** Dry means restoration is on the table. Wet means you are paying to coat over a problem. Determine it with infrared or nuclear moisture survey, not a walk-around.
3. **Is the membrane aged, or failed?** Aged — chalked, weathered, granule loss — can be restored. Failed — splits in the field, open laps, delamination — is replaced.

## Questions to ask before you sign anything

- Did you take core cuts? Can I see the photographs?
- How many roof layers are already on this deck, and what does code allow?
- Is the insulation wet, and how did you determine that?
- What ply count are you proposing, and what service life does it indicate?
- Who manufactures the system, and are you an approved applicator?
- Does the warranty cover material only, or material and labor?
- What happens to ponding water after the work is done?

Not all roofing contractors are created equal.

---

**Lloyd Roofing Company, Inc.** · 2415 Montague Avenue Ext., Greenwood, SC 29649 · 1-800-421-3830 · Mon–Thu 7:00am – 5:00pm · Fri 7:00am – 12:00pm
Commercial and industrial roofing only. Serving South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia since 1965.
SC contractor license CLG10175 · USDOT 483661