Thin Insulation Under Old Roofs
Older roofs often sit on thin board or none at all. New insulation under the membrane lowers heat loss through the top of the building. Thicker board also raises the roof, so wall flashing is checked first.
Harvard, Nebraska
Harvard Commercial Roofing Contractor
Flat Main-Street Roofs Rebuilt From Insulation Up
As a Harvard commercial roofing contractor, we replace flat main-street roofs with new insulation, membrane, and parapet flashing, and reroof metal shops in town.
Insulation and Parapets
Harvard Commercial Roofing on Main-Street Flat Roofs
Harvard commercial roofing on older main-street buildings usually means three jobs at once: thin or wet insulation, worn membrane, and parapet flashing that has slid down or pulled loose from the brick wall.
Doing all three together costs less than coming back for the parapets later, and the new roof ties into the wall correctly the first time, with flashing terminated high and sealed.
- New insulation to bring the roof up to current needs
- Parapet flashing and coping reset
- TPO or EPDM chosen for each roof
Roof Conditions
Roof Conditions on Commercial Roofing Jobs in Harvard
Older flat roofs in Harvard tend to show these conditions when it is time for a new roof.
Flashing Peeled Off the Parapet
Base flashing slides down the wall as the roof ages, leaving a gap where rain runs behind it. New flashing gets fastened and terminated high. Termination bar and sealant hold the new flashing at the top edge.
Loose Coping Stones
Cap stones on top of parapets shift and open their joints. Water enters the wall from above and shows up inside as a stain. Resetting and sealing the coping closes the wall from above.
Low Spots Between Drains
Old decks sag between supports and hold water. Tapered insulation slopes the new roof toward the drains. Leaving them in place keeps aging the new membrane at those spots.
Patched Seams Along the Edge
Edges patched many times show layers of tar and tape. A new membrane replaces the patches with one continuous sheet. Each patch layer adds weight and hides wet board underneath.
Metal Shops at the Edge of Town
Steel shop roofs show backed-out screws and dried laps. Refastening or new panels stop the drips. Many Harvard shops pair a steel roof with a small flat office roof.
Roof Systems
Commercial Roofing Systems for Harvard Roofs
Low-slope main-street roofs take membrane, and pitched shops take steel.
TPO Roofing
Main-street roofs that want a white welded sheet tied up the parapet walls.
TPO Roofing detailsEPDM Roofing
Older flat roofs with pipes and vents where flexible rubber flashing closes each opening.
EPDM Roofing detailsCommercial Metal Roofing
Pitched shops and storage buildings with worn screw-down panels.
Commercial Metal Roofing detailsIndustrial Roofing
Larger processing or storage buildings where the work is phased around operations.
Industrial Roofing detailsHarvard Commercial Roofing With Parapet Leaks?
Stains along an outside wall often start at the parapet. We check the coping, flashing, and membrane on the same roof walk.
Before and After
Commercial Roofing Changes on Harvard Main Street
Before and after, the biggest changes are at the walls and under the membrane.
Before the Work
- Base flashing slipping down the parapet
- Coping joints open to the weather
- Thin or wet insulation under the roof
- Water sitting between drains
- Layers of tar on every seam
- Stains on the upper wall inside the store
- Gravel and tar pooled near the roof hatch
After the Work
- New base flashing terminated high on the wall
- Coping reset and sealed at each joint
- New insulation across the full roof
- Tapered board sloping water to drains
- One continuous membrane sheet
- A dry wall with flashing sealed at the top edge
- Walkway pads from the hatch to each unit
Our Steps
How a Harvard Flat Roof Gets Rebuilt
Flat main-street roofs are rebuilt from the deck up, with the walls done in the same pass.
- Walk
Inspect Your Roof
We walk the roof and parapets, take core cuts, and check coping joints and base flashing along every wall. A photo set of each wall goes with the proposal.
- Strip
Tear Off to the Deck
Old membrane and wet board come off, and soft or rusted deck is replaced before anything new goes down. Debris goes down a chute to an alley dumpster.
- Insulate
Add New Board
New insulation goes down, with tapered sections that slope water away from walls and toward drains. Board seams are staggered between layers.
- Membrane
Install TPO or EPDM
The chosen membrane covers the field, then turns up each parapet wall as base flashing. Seams are welded or taped and checked by hand.
- Walls
Terminate and Reset Coping
Flashing is fastened and terminated high on the wall, and loose coping is reset and sealed. Scuppers and drains are flashed before the final walk.
Nearby
More Towns We Roof Near Harvard
Harvard is part of our service area along with Hastings and four other towns.
Building elsewhere? call us or send us a message.
Hastings
Home base for our commercial roofing work.
Kenesaw
Smaller shop and co-op roofs with layer and ponding questions.
Superior
Downtown storefront roofs and ag buildings with staged deliveries.
Red Cloud
Brick downtown roofs with masonry counterflashing.
Elm Creek
Metal shop roofs and farm-service buildings.
Questions
Commercial Roofing Questions in Harvard
Which roof systems suit Harvard, Nebraska commercial buildings?
Low-slope main-street roofs take TPO or EPDM, and pitched shops and storage buildings take metal. Older flat roofs usually need new insulation and parapet flashing too, while metal buildings need new panels or retrofit framing.
What is the usual Harvard commercial roofing cost driver?
Insulation and wall work move the number most. Replacing thin board and rebuilding parapet flashing adds labor beyond the membrane itself, and wet insulation found in core cuts adds more.
Where do I find Harvard commercial roofing near me for a small building?
Call us with the address. Small main-street roofs get the same roof walk, core cuts, and written scope as large ones.
Is there a commercial roofing contractor near Harvard for parapet repairs?
Yes. Parapet flashing and coping work can be done alone on a sound roof, or with a new membrane when the roof is also worn.
Does new insulation change the parapet height?
Thicker insulation raises the roof surface, so flashing height and coping are checked before the board is ordered. The scope shows the new flashing height.
Can a main-street roof be replaced while the store stays open?
Work runs section by section from the back of the building forward, material moves through the alley, and each section is sealed before the crew leaves for the day.
What happens if the deck is damaged under the old roof?
Damaged deck is cut out and replaced as soon as it is exposed, before insulation goes down. The proposal lists a per-sheet price so deck repairs are clear before work starts.
How do you handle shared walls with the building next door?
Shared parapets get flashed on your side, and we coordinate with the neighboring owner when flashing or coping crosses the wall. The scope shows which side of the wall the work covers.
Hire a Harvard Commercial Roofing Contractor
Call or request an estimate. We check the roof, the insulation, and the parapets in one visit.