Property Types We Roof
Self-Storage Roofing in Federal Way, WA
A storage job opens with a count of the buildings, each marked on a site plan. A facility is a set of long, narrow roofs, and the work goes one building at a time so customers can still reach their units. He walks the first deck, marks the tear-off limits and decides where the lay-down yard sits without blocking a drive aisle.
Storage roofs in Federal Way, WA and the surrounding valley carry the same winter as other buildings in the region. Rain in Auburn totals 37.1 inches a year and concentrates in November and December, so the tear-off schedule has to fit the dry months. We walk the plan with the manager before pricing, because the gate hours and the rental office decide how the day runs.
What does the first walk of a storage building roof show?
We walk each building end to end. On a metal roof the superintendent presses on fasteners, looks for backed-out screws and elongated holes, and checks the laps and the ridge cap. On a membrane roof he cuts cores at the low corners and runs fastener pull tests.
Gutters, downspouts and end-wall flashings get the same walk. The result is a site plan that ranks buildings by condition, so the worst roof is done first and the best last. A building with a few loose fasteners may need only a repair, while one with rust and open laps may need a metal roof retrofit. We also check the rooflines for sag, since a row of buildings that has settled unevenly leaves low spots where water stands and fasteners rust first. Those low spots go on the plan with a note on whether they need new purlins or just fresh panels.
How do you set the work area on a long, narrow roof?
A storage roof is long and narrow, which makes sections easy to mark. We paint the tear-off limit across the roof at the end of the section that the crew can dry in before quitting time. Panels, insulation and flashings for that section are staged on the roof before the old material comes off.
When rain is in the forecast, the open edge is sealed temporarily and the crew leader tests the seal before the crew goes home. Units below the open area are cleared for a few feet on each side where the building allows. The manager posts a notice at the gate telling customers which building is under repair that week. Material for the next section is staged at the end of the roof, not stacked over units, so the load stays off the framing and the crew does not carry panels across wet metal in the morning.
Where do the crane, trucks and lay-down yard go on a storage lot?
Drive aisles are narrow, and customers use them all day. We choose the lay-down yard at the edge of the property or in an unrented parking area, and bring panels and materials in small loads. A telehandler or crane pick is scheduled for early morning, before the office opens.
Gate hours stay as they are. Customers with a code can enter, and a flagger keeps trucks from blocking the aisle. Fife's economy leans on warehousing, industrial facilities and car dealerships, with freight forwarders drawn to the Port of Tacoma, I-5 and Highway 167, so truck routes around a storage site there are planned before the first delivery.
What is the order from tear-off to dry-in on a storage roof?
On a metal roof the order is: remove panels from the top of the section, inspect the purlins or deck, replace damaged members, install underlayment, set the new panels and seal the laps. On a retrofit, new panels go over the old ones on framing, and the sequence adds flashing at every penetration.
A standing seam metal roof hides its fasteners and sheds rain well, while an exposed-fastener panel costs less but needs fastener maintenance. We cover the open section with underlayment at the end of each shift. A sound metal roof with surface rust can sometimes take a coating, which is the kind of roof coating restoration we price after the pull tests. Coatings do not fix open laps or loose fasteners, so those get repaired before anything is rolled on.
How are edges, gutters and end walls secured?
Storage buildings are low and open on the ends, which gives wind an easy path under the eave. Eave trim and rake trim are fastened to the framing at the spacing the panel manufacturer requires, and we pull-test the attachment on any trim we reuse.
The owner and the superintendent walk the edge securement together, because Enumclaw recorded 74 mph during the November 2024 bomb cyclone. After a storm, wind damage repair starts at the eaves, the ridge and the end walls. Gutters and downspouts are reattached and tested with a hose before we leave. Downspout outlets at grade get checked too, because water that runs against a slab edge or into a drive aisle freezes or floods and the owner ends up with a different problem.
How do customers keep access during the work?
Customers rent units for different reasons: a business inventory, a household move, a boat or a vehicle. They come at all hours, and some need to reach a unit on the day we are on the roof above it. We keep the aisle open and protect units below the work area with poly sheeting.
The manager receives a daily plan: which building, which section and which units are affected. If a customer needs access, the crew leader pauses and escorts the customer. A facility next to an auto dealership or a flex industrial building may share a drive, so we coordinate truck times with the neighbor.
What happens at the closeout walk?
The manager joins our crew leader for a last walk of each building. Each panel run, ridge, trim line and downspout gets a look, and whatever needs more work goes on the punch list in paint. Photos of the underlayment and the fastener pattern join the product data and warranty forms in the file.
For an owner of several facilities, the file becomes the record. Storage owners with sites in Kent and Fife can use the same format at each location, and a fall check of gutters and downspouts keeps the buildings dry through the wet months.
Commercial Roofing Questions
Can customers keep access to their units during a reroof?
Yes. We work one building and one section at a time, keep the drive aisle open and protect units below the open area. The manager posts a notice at the gate, and the crew leader escorts any customer who needs a unit under the active work area.
Should we retrofit or replace a storage roof?
Cores and a fastener pull test settle it. If the framing is sound and the old panels are not badly rusted, a retrofit over the existing roof avoids tear-off. If the panels are corroded or the framing is damaged, replacement is the safer plan.
Do exposed-fastener panels need ongoing maintenance?
Yes. Fasteners back out and washers age, so we recommend a fall walk to reset loose screws and reseal the laps. A standing seam system hides its fasteners and needs less of that, though it costs more up front.
How do you protect the contents of the units below?
We stage the work in small sections, cover units under the open area with poly sheeting and seal the open edge before the crew leaves. A shower during the shift stops the crew and closes the section.
How do you phase a multi-building site?
We rank buildings by condition and do the worst first. Each building runs as its own project, with separate limits, staging and closeout, so the owner can spread the cost over one season or several.
Send the site plan and the gate hours
Send the site plan, the building count and the gate hours. We will walk the sequence, staging and tie-ins with your manager before a number goes on paper.
