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Before you contact your contractor to repair or replace your stylish Class-A apartment complex's roof, you may want to think about the type of roofing system you want to use and why. Although there are many types of commercial roofs that may benefit your building, only one is right for it. The roof should protect your building from snow and ice damage. However, it should also save your residents money on heating costs each year. Here are two factors you may consider when choosing your commercial roofing system.

Type of Building Foundation

The roofing system you choose from your contractor should fit the needs of your apartment building's foundation. For example, if your complex's roof is flat, you may want to install a roofing system over the foundation that allows water to flow seamlessly to the ground instead of collect on it.

Flat roofs may not drain water or melted snow as good as roof's with steep or sloped surfaces. Steep or sloped surfaces allow water to pour or drain downward. The wide surfaces of a flat roof may not have the ability to remove water once it collects on it. Instead, the water puddles on your flat roof, freezes and forms deadly ice dams along its edges.

The problem becomes worse if you live in a snowy or icy location of the United States that experiences harsh winters, then unusually warm springs. Once the snow and ice melts in the spring, water can penetrate the building's roof, as well as other foundations in the complex, such as the ceilings and walls of your residents' apartments.

You may want to install a roofing system that accommodates your complex's flat foundation, as well as improves it's ability to withstand ice and water damage in the winter and spring.

Your roofing contractor, like Central States Roofing, may offer systems, such as metal roofs, to fit your needs. These types of systems may be better equipped to drain excessive moisture and water than asphalt shingled roofs because they may have advanced capabilities and features. It may be possible for your roofing contractor to completely replace your flat roof with another system, such as a sloped metal roof.

A metal roof may have the ability to melt ice and snow when it builds up on it. In some cases, your contractor may retrofit the metal roof with special panels that heat up in cold weather. 

In addition to installing the right commercial roof, you may want to ask your roofing contractor about placing additional drainage systems around the building. Even if the roofer placed a metal roof over the building, the system may still fail if it doesn't have the proper drainage system installed. In this case, you may want to have your roofer install a better quality of gutters, spouts and other applications during the roofing project.

Appearance and Style

Once you choose the right type of roof for your apartment complex, you may wish to select a specific style for it. For instance, if you choose the metal roofing system with heated panels and advanced drainage system, you may want to highlight these features as much as possible to attract prospective tenants. 

You can have your roofer install metal roofing panels that look exactly like traditional wood shakes or Mediterranean tiles. You may also choose colors that accent the complex's overall designs. It's a good idea that you select your roof's designs, colors and other features before the contractor begins the installation work.

Your roofing contractor can go over the best products for your apartment complex. But you must schedule your consultation and roofing inspection as soon as you can. The success of your Class-A complex may depend on having a sound and safe roof installed.