ROOF MAINTENANCE
Schedule Regular Maintenance
ThFirst, a good roof system requires proper design, quality materials and quality installation. Once you have a quality installation of a great roof it is important to have regular inspections and proper maintenance. If you do not have a quality roof to start with then maintenance is that much more important.
Who should be hired to maintain your roof? It is recommended that you hire a professional roofer that understands local building practices, understands different roof systems and can make recommendations concerning which type of system is best for a building. The roofing contractor should have a trained and experienced work force that knows how to complete the work, can respond quickly if a problem arises, is well-established in the community, so the owner understands with whom he or she is working.
Should I have my maintenance guy perform the roof maintenance? Most building insurance does not cover a maintenance employee to be on a roof or to do roof repairs. If that employee was injured on the roof this could be detrimental to the business. A third party documented maintenance plan is a tax deduction for the building owner and has the potential to lower insurance premiums as it transfers risk from the insurance company.
All Low Slope Roofing Systems are susceptible to severe weathering, expansion, contraction and even abuse. It is not uncommon for some leakage to develop at any time after the original roof application as a result of these causes. In addition, exposure to strong winds, hail and tropical storms, may result in additional roof system degradation. Roofs frequently don’t last their design life, but with proactive inspections and scheduled maintenance, you can ensure that you’ll beat the odds with a roofing system that lasts beyond its normal life cycle.
Even though a manufacturer’s warranty may have been purchased with your new roof, most roofing materials manufacturers require regular maintenance to keep their roof warranties valid. This means the building owner continues to be responsible for the proper roof care and maintenance to insure its top performance. Warranties often contain provisions that significantly limit the warrantor’s liability and the consumer’s remedies in the event problems develop or damage occurs to the roof system. A maintenance program is proactive (rather than reactive). It can help to identify problems at their early stages when they can be corrected and before they become catastrophes.
Regular maintenance can reveal and address sources and causes of leaks before they occur. Too many owners have their roof systems examined only after a leak occurs. A maintenance program allows for a planned, organized approach to management of a roof asset and allows for responsible, timely preparation of long-term capital expenditures. Response time to address leakage problems is greatly improved. Warranty repairs, on the other hand, can take time to be processed while the problem remains unresolved.
It cannot be emphasized enough how important pictures with dates are when having a maintenance service performed. In the event there is a named storm or other peril the burden of proof to prove damage is on the owner. By having the before pictures can make a claims process move much faster and easier. Ask your Roofing contractor to see specific maintenance reports they have done and look for these details in the report.
Required Care and Maintenance: A Care and Maintenance log, or similar record, is the minimum requirement to document care and maintenance. The following activities should be required:
• Date of Inspection: The minimum requirement is two times per year.
• Inspected by: Name and signature.
• Conditions: Record observations of accessible roofing or waterproofing membranes and membrane flashing’s at all edges, terminations and penetrations. Record observations of any other conditions that may influence the roofing or waterproofing.
• Leaks: Document all roofing or waterproofing leaks. Notify contractor immediately– Maintenance Plan Procedure.
• Repairs and Modifications: Date of all work, and the individual or company who completed work that may influence the roofing or waterproofing.
• Pictures documenting the findings.
For more information request to see one of our maintenance checklists.
– Chris Porosky
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