Food processing and cold storage roofing
Food and cold storage buildings put a roof under more strain than most. Exhaust settles on the membrane, the temperature difference across the roof is high, and a leak over a production room is a bigger problem than a wet floor. A-1 finds the wet insulation first, then restores or repairs the roof around how the building runs.
What fails, and what we do about it
Processing plants
Exhaust residue builds up around vents and wears at the membrane, and leaks can reach production rooms.
Exhaust areas cleaned and detailed, then a coating system chosen for the existing roof.
Cold storage and freezers
Moisture gets into the roof assembly, wet insulation stops insulating, and the building works harder to hold temperature.
A moisture survey, wet insulation removed, and closed-cell foam where the assembly needs more insulation.
Dry storage and packaging
Aging seams and flashings let water reach packaged product and paper goods.
Seams, flashings and penetrations repaired, then the field restored in place.
Wet insulation is the first question
A roof can look fine from above and still hold water. Over a cold room, wet insulation loses its value and can stay hidden for a long time. A moisture survey shows where it is, so it can be removed before the roof is sealed over it.
If the roof needs more insulation, closed-cell spray foam adds about R-6 to R-6.5 per inch along with the new surface. If it only needs to stop leaking, a coating is usually the simpler choice.
Planning around a food building
Before work starts we go through the air intakes, exhaust points and production schedule with the plant, and we ask about any rules the facility has for contractors on site. The sequence is set around those answers.
Food plant roofs in Iowa
Iowa's food processing plants have some of the largest single-building low-slope roofs in the Midwest. With roofs that size, a moisture survey shows how much of the roof can be kept before anyone prices the work. A-1 serves plants across Iowa from its base in Platte, South Dakota.
Where we do this work
Six states- South DakotaSioux Falls · Rapid City
- NebraskaOmaha · Lincoln
- IowaDes Moines · Cedar Rapids
- North DakotaFargo · Bismarck
- MinnesotaMinneapolis · Rochester
- Eastern WyomingCheyenne · Casper
One vertical linked from every state hub, rather than a separate industrial page per state. The building stock genuinely differs by region; the service does not.
Common questions
- Does exhaust residue damage a commercial roof?
- It can. Residue from process exhaust can build up on the membrane and wear it faster around vents. Those areas are cleaned and detailed first, and the coating is chosen with the residue in mind.
- Can you find wet insulation without opening the whole roof?
- Yes. Infrared, nuclear and capacitance surveys locate moisture from the surface. Spot cores can then confirm what the survey shows.
- Is spray foam a good fit for cold storage roofs?
- It can be. Closed-cell foam adds insulation and forms a continuous air and vapor barrier. Whether it suits a specific building depends on the existing roof and the room temperature, so we confirm it during the assessment.
The systems behind this work
Tell us what the building does, and we will tell you what the roof needs.
A-1 Roofing works industrial buildings across 6 states. Free assessment, response within 24 business hours.
41-year commercial roofing and insulation record