Encourage Preventative Maintenance for a Healthy Roofing System

By Polyglass. 

Annual roof inspections are essential for extending the beauty and durability of a roofing system. 

As the seasons start to change, buildup of debris becomes more prevalent on roof systems and in gutters. It’s the perfect time to share the importance of annual roof inspections with your customers to help extend the design life of their roof and prevent costly repairs from preventable damage. Provide this information to homeowners and building owners to ensure their roofing system stands up against the weather. 

Preventative maintenance is better than cure 

Semiannual site visits and preventative maintenance are not only recommended but required for all warranted roofs whether they are low-slope assemblies (BUR, EPDM, modified bitumen, PVC, and TPO) or steep-slope roofs (metal, tile, slate and shingle). Most importantly, a proper site visit allows a contractor the opportunity to view the roof (e.g., edge metals and rooftop penetrations) with the experienced eyes necessary to implement a comprehensive maintenance program. 

Most contractors offer fall or spring (semiannual) programs, including roof clean up and removal of airborne debris, small general preventative maintenance repairs and upgraded repairs to extend the design life of your roof. These services may include removing and replacing worn existing flashings or the recommendation of a liquid applied roof system. Upgraded repairs usually come with warranties from the product manufacturer and, in most cases, the contractor. 

After a contractor performs repairs, they generally like to do a visual inspection within six months of completion. 

Roof inspection checklist 

Checklist items in an annual or semiannual site visit by a contractor may include: 

• An onsite visual inspection 
• Photo reports 
• A customized maintenance program 
• A roof evaluation program and report 
• A roof condition assessment 
• Preventative maintenance and repair recommendations 
• A list of necessary upgrades 
• Suggested upgrades to extend the historical design life of the existing membrane/flashings 
• A record of new installations performed by others and not authorized by the property management company 

Roof systems do not fail overnight 

Neglected repairs can be costly and possibly not included in the budget. A proper annual roof visit can result in thousands of dollars of savings by preventing emergency site visits or capital expenditures for an unexpected roof replacement. Routine inspections and annual maintenance are recommended for all roofs and should always be discussed during onsite roof visits.

Original article source: Polyglass