February 19, 2026
Re-Roofing an Occupied Facility: U-Haul – Walker Road, Windsor
Re-roofing an empty warehouse is one thing.
Re-roofing an occupied facility — with customers, inventory, staff, and daily traffic — is something entirely different.
At the U-Haul Moving & Storage facility on Walker Road in Windsor, operations continued throughout the entire roofing project.
No shutdown.
No closures.
No disruption.
The Risk Most Owners Don’t See
The roof protects far more than a building.
It protects:
- Customer belongings
- Retail inventory
- Equipment and electrical systems
- Staff safety
- Brand reputation
Roof failures rarely begin dramatically.
They begin quietly:
• Small leaks around penetrations
• Standing water at drains
• Failing flashings
• Saturated insulation hidden beneath the surface
You don’t see it every day — until it becomes a crisis.
What Happens If It’s Ignored?
For a storage facility:
Water intrusion can destroy mattresses, furniture, electronics, and personal belongings. Now multiply that by dozens of customers.
That becomes:
- Insurance claims
- Refunds and compensation
- Negative reviews
- Legal exposure
- Loss of trust
For large retail buildings like Walmart or Home Depot, the stakes are even higher.
A single ceiling collapse over stocked inventory can mean:
- Six-figure product loss
- Slip and fall hazards
- Department shutdowns
- Emergency remediation
Water and electricity don’t mix.
Neither do leaks and customer traffic.
The Conditions We Identified
The existing roof was showing clear warning signs:
- Surface deterioration
- Evidence of ponding water
- Aging roof drains
- Failing flashings at rooftop equipment
- No defined service walkways
In an occupied building, those are not cosmetic issues.
They are liability signals.
The Replacement Focus: Protection + Energy Performance
The selected system was a white TPO membrane assembly — designed for durability, watertight integrity, and long-term efficiency.
Why white TPO matters for buildings this size:
Reflectivity.
Dark roofs absorb heat.
White roofs reflect it.
On large-format retail and storage facilities, that difference significantly reduces rooftop temperatures and cooling demand.
That translates into:
- Lower HVAC strain
- Reduced energy costs
- More stable interior environments
- Extended equipment life
Over time, energy performance becomes a financial line item — not just a building upgrade.
The Real Cost of “We’ll Deal With It Later”
Most roof failures don’t happen overnight.
They escalate.
A minor flashing issue becomes trapped moisture.
Trapped moisture becomes saturated insulation.
Saturated insulation becomes structural risk.
Structural risk becomes emergency replacement.
Emergency projects cost more.
They disrupt operations.
They happen on the roof’s timeline — not yours.
Living is easy with eyes closed.
But the roof keeps aging whether you look at it or not.
Occupied Buildings Require a Different Approach
Facilities that operate daily cannot “pause for roofing.”
They require:
- Phased execution
- Continuous watertight transitions
- Active safety planning
- Strict debris control
- Clear communication
The goal is simple:
Keep the doors open.
Keep the assets protected.
Keep the risk controlled.
If you own or manage a retail, storage, or high-traffic facility, the roof above you impacts far more than you think.
The question isn’t whether the roof will eventually need attention.
The question is whether you address it before it becomes a problem everyone notices.
Empire Roofing Corporation
Commercial & Industrial Roofing Specialists
📞 1-844-547-7663
📧 service@empireroofing.ca
🌐 www.empireroofingcorporation.com