No roof maintenance plan?

By Henry Staggs, roofing expert.

If you do not have a roofing preventative maintenance program, get ready for an early and costly roof replacement!

Roof neglect is a terrible problem across the nation. The phrase "out of sight, out of mind" applies here. Most commercial building owners and homeowners never go onto the roof and look around. Let me stop there and make one disclaimer before moving on. Getting on the roof is dangerous. If you are not experienced and know what you are doing, please hire a professional. It's not worth your life.

Did you know that neglecting the roof can cut its service life dramatically? This means you will pay for a new roof years sooner than if you had a regular roof maintenance plan.  

Do you want to spend that kind of money? Do you want to end up paying thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars years in advance? I bet the answer is no, of course not.  

It's already tough enough dealing with the weather, structural movements, vendors walking around up there, and other wonderfully damaging things that happen on the roof. Not to mention vegetative growth in your drains and gutters that do their fair share of damage, which can lead to leaks and disruptions to the occupants and could create a hazardous situation.  

Why would you want to add a costly and disruptive re-roof project years sooner than needed? It does not make sense, yet thousands of commercial building owners do that yearly by not having an effective roof maintenance plan.  

Let's look at one of the more common challenges in the retail marketplace. Shopping centers with restaurants have vents in the roof over their cook's ranges. Those vents end up spewing grease all around the vent. Sometimes, there is a grease containment system in place. Often, however, there won't be, and if there is one, it needs to be addressed to the point of being completely ineffective. That grease keeps piling up, damaging the roof membrane, clogging the drains, and making the entire space smell bad.  

Another example of a typical roof challenge are those condensation lines designed to drain condensation from the HVAC units. They break, warp and come loose and end up not draining to the drain as designed. The result is standing water, sometimes water running constantly, damaging the roof membrane, and often resulting in a leak.  

Any roofing warranty or insurance policy will not likely cover either issue. Both of those items are evidence of the owner's roof neglect. Which means the owner will pay for these repairs out of pocket. And the roof will need to be replaced years or even decades before it was designed to, cutting its entire service life short.  

What's the answer?  

Easy! Hire a professional roofing contractor and schedule regular roof inspections. The frequency of these inspections will depend on the location of the building, the surrounding environment, and the age of the existing roof system.  

What does a roof maintenance and inspection program include?  

• A visual inspection of the roof  
• A visual inspection of the drains and or guttering system  
• A visual inspection of any flashings  
• A visual inspection of any rooftop equipment  
• And performing general preventative maintenance  

Any professional roofer will draft a report that may include the following:  

• An overall condition rating  
• Identifying any problem  
• Identifying any potential problems  
• Predict the remaining service life of the roof system  
• Offer recommendations and budgeting information  

Before closing this article, I want to be as straightforward as possible about needing a roof preventative maintenance program. Without it, you will void most warranties and will not likely be covered by any insurance provider. And remember the cost of unplanned repairs, which are always temporary, and the possible disruptions a roof leak may cause the occupants. In the most sever situations, the roof could become hazardous, and someone could get hurt.  

Take care of your roof, and it will take care of you.  

Have a question? AskARoofer.   

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Disclaimer: The information provided on AskARoofer.com or information sent by emails is the opinion of the writers. It is the responsibility of the reader to check for accuracy in one's own jurisdiction, as there are different codes and restrictions for different parts of the country. AskARoofer.com does not accept any liability for the use of information on this website or email. AskARoofer.com has no controls over product failures, installation, or climate conditions that may change the roofing process in your area. Our information is in general to our area and cannot be the same as your local town or state. It is advised to seek the local Building Department, Licensed Contractor, and local Product Representative for proper installation requirements and code enforcement when installing a new roof.