Commercial roofing in Brea covers three very different kinds of building: multi-story offices near Brea Mall, tilt-up industrial buildings on the city's business-park streets, and the shops and restaurants downtown. Each fails in its own places, so a good roofer starts by reading the building, then repairs, maintains or replaces the roof to match.
Leak, blister or open seam on a Brea building? Book a roof diagnosis online, or call 1-888-346-7663 if water is coming in now.
Multi-story offices near Brea Mall and the 57
The office buildings around Imperial Highway, State College Boulevard and the Orange Freeway mostly have flat roofs hidden behind parapets and screen walls. On these roofs the open field of membrane often holds up well. The trouble collects around everything that sits on it or passes through it.
Equipment, screens and supports
Rooftop units, exhaust fans, conduit and the steel posts that hold up equipment screens all rest on or pierce the membrane, and each one needs its own flashing. Screen walls also shade parts of the roof, so those areas stay damp after rain while the rest bakes. Larger buildings may carry cooling towers, whose drift keeps the surrounding membrane wet and leaves mineral deposits behind, so walkway pads and drainage near them deserve regular attention.
Getting crews and materials onto a tall roof
A single-story building can usually be loaded with a ladder hoist or a forklift. A taller office building often needs a crane or material lift staged in the parking lot, agreed with the property manager for a quiet window. Access through a stair penthouse or roof hatch, and the location of tie-off anchors or guardrails near the edge, also shape how and when the work happens.
Tilt-up roofs in Brea's industrial areas
Concrete tilt-up buildings in Brea's industrial areas, including the business parks along Lambert Road and Kraemer Boulevard, carry wide low-slope roofs with tall parapets and interior drains. With little shade and long, sunny summers, they show inland wear quickly.
Panelized wood decks
Many Southern California tilt-ups have panelized roofs: plywood sheathing over wood purlins and glulam beams. A slow leak that runs for several seasons can delaminate the plywood or rot the tops of the purlins long before water reaches the floor. Soft or springy spots underfoot are a reason to stop patching and look at the deck. Our guide to warehouse roof repair covers what that investigation involves.
Skylights and smoke vents
Rows of plastic skylights, and in many buildings smoke and heat vents, break up these roofs. Under strong inland sun the acrylic domes yellow, craze and turn brittle, and the flashing around their curbs cracks as the roof heats and cools each day.
Reflash the curb or replace the unit?
A sound dome on a leaking curb usually needs new flashing, not a new skylight. A crazed or cracked dome should be replaced, and when the whole roof is due, replacing tired skylights at the same time avoids cutting into new membrane later. Skylights are also a fall hazard, so screens or guards are worth discussing while the roof is open.
Older metal roofs
Some older light-industrial buildings carry metal roofs with exposed fasteners. The rubber washers under those screws harden and crack in the sun, and loose fasteners let water in at the laps. On a structurally sound metal roof, re-fastening, sealing the laps or a coating system made for metal can extend its service.
Downtown storefronts and restaurant roofs
Around Birch Street and the shopping centers along Imperial Highway, roofs are smaller but busier. Kitchen exhaust fans deposit grease that softens asphalt-based roofing and some single-ply membranes, sign brackets and conduit pierce the parapets, and tenants share walls and roof planes, so water entering above one suite can surface in the next. Grease containment at each exhaust fan, cleaned on a schedule, protects the roof around restaurant tenants.
Commercial roofing in Brea: sun, wind and the canyon edge
Brea sits far enough inland that the marine layer usually burns off early, leaving roofs in strong sun with wide swings between afternoon and night. Membranes chalk, cap sheets shed granules and sealants shrink, so seams and flashings open over the summer and leak with the first storm. When a roof is replaced, a reflective cool-roof surface cuts heat gain into top floors and warehouse space. California's energy code calls for one on many nonresidential low-slope replacements, and we confirm what your project requires when the permit is pulled.
The north side of the city runs into the Puente and Chino Hills, with Carbon Canyon and Tonner Canyon reaching into open land. Buildings near that edge take Santa Ana gusts and face ember exposure in fire season, so secure edge metal, clean drains, no dry leaves piled behind equipment screens and a Class A rated assembly at replacement all matter there. Our overview of Class A fire-rated roofing explains how assemblies earn that rating.
From inspection to a plan for your building
For a Brea building, our commercial roofing service begins with a 4-Phase Roof Inspection of the interior, ceiling space, rooftop and surroundings, followed by a report with annotated photos of each curb, skylight and seam that needs work. A Roofing Advisor then walks you through the options:
- Targeted repair when the problems are details on an otherwise sound roof.
- A restoration coating when the membrane is still attached and core cuts show dry insulation.
- Replacement when seams are failing across the roof, the insulation is wet or the deck needs work.
Rescue Roofer (St. Lic #1137524) has worked on Orange County roofs since 1993, and our T.E.A.M. Certified technicians are trained in-house. Commercial maintenance contracts keep inspections and upkeep on a schedule, and our Yorba Linda office is right next door to Brea.
Frequently asked questions
Can you work on an office roof while tenants are in the building?
Usually, yes. Crane or hoist days are set for the building's quietest hours, noisy steps are timed with the property manager, and nothing is left open overnight: each section opened that day is closed up before the crew leaves.
Should skylights be replaced along with the roof?
Often. If the domes are crazed or the curbs will sit too low once the new roof goes on, replacing them during the reroof saves cutting into new membrane later. Sound units can be reflashed and kept.
Is a coating or a new roof better for a Brea warehouse?
It depends on what the inspection finds. A coating suits a roof that is watertight, well attached and dry underneath. Wet insulation, a damaged deck or seams failing everywhere call for replacement.
What should we do if the roof leaks during a storm?
Move people and stock away from the water, take photos and call 1-888-346-7663. Our 1-hour arrival window guarantee covers emergency calls, and the crew pulls up in a stocked Warehouse on Wheels truck.
Ready for a clear picture of your Brea roof? Book your roof diagnosis online or call 1-888-346-7663. A Roofing Advisor will arrange roof access with your property manager, then walk you through the report and a free estimate for the commercial roofing work your Brea building actually needs.