Although autumn has barely begun and there are still hints of summer in the weather, rest assured that winter is coming. And that means just as you need to prepare your home, you need to prepare your business, particularly your roof.

If you're not sure where to start, here are a few great maintenance tips that could save your commercial roofing from severe winter damage.

Clear Any Debris From Your Roof This is particularly important if you have a flat roof, as it's much easier for debris to pile up on a surface that's not angled. This also might be a task better suited to non-work hours or days in which you know nobody will be walking by your building. The only thing worse than debris on your roof is debris on your customers (or lawsuit-happy passerby!). Cut Any Low-Hanging Branches There are countless types of commercial roofing, but all of them stand to be damaged if a giant tree branch crashes into them. Approximately 72% of homeowners report that they would choose residential roofing that required little to no maintenance, but that doesn't mean the trees near your roof won't need maintenance. Hire tree trimmers if any plants on your property are getting too close to your roof for comfort. Clean Your Gutters This is an important measure for commercial and residential roofing alike. No matter how few trees are in the area, you should take the time to clean out your gutters before they become even more clogged and potentially damaged by ice or snow. Insulate Your Attic Insulation is just as important for your roof as it is for the rest of your home or business. If heat from your ground floor escapes into the attic, it may melt some snow and result in water damage to your roof. Get Your Roof Professionally Inspected When in doubt, call your commercial roofing company to perform a pre-winter inspection. If you're not sure what to look for, odds are they will. Not only that, but they can assess potential damage and tell you what needs to be repaired before winter really sets in to avoid further damage to your roof.

No matter what type of commercial roofing you have, don't wait to prepare for winter.

Looking for residential or commercial roofing companies in Grand Rapids? Call West Michigan Roofing and Construction today!