Roof Maintenance Tips For Facility Managers
When it comes to properly maintaining, replacing, or installing roofing, there are several factors to remember as well as common mistakes to avoid. With roofing maintenance, there is usually a right way and a wrong way and not much of a gray area in between.
Here is a checklist of tips to follow to ensure that you are taking the best route possible to a safe, trouble-free, and long-lasting roof:
1. Never Assume Your Roof Is Safe
Remember that your roof is also a workspace for contractors, and you are responsible for their safety. Have a professional roofing service provider perform a safety inspection and give you a report in writing to keep on file. In the event of an accident, you will have a record of your due diligence.
2. Properly And Regularly Maintain All Roofing, Even New Roofs
Don’t assume because a roof is new, or just a couple of years old, that it does not need to be maintained and regularly inspected. All roofing needs preventative maintenance. Not just to fix any problems that may have occurred, but to keep the manufacturer’s warranty valid. Many manufacturers will extend their warrantees if the roofing system is properly and regularly maintained.
3. Don’t Just Fix Problems As They Occur
A reactive approach to roofing maintenance will always be more costly than a proactive approach. Catching problems before or when they occur, will enable you to keep repair costs down and minimize any major disruptions to the building. Don’t fall prey to the out-of-sight-out-of-mind mentality. Many facility managers forget about the roof until there is a problem. Keep your roofing system front-and-center and top-of-mind. Preventative maintenance is the key to both a healthy roof and a stable budget. The goal is to stop problems before they start, therefore avoiding costly repairs and replacements. In order to maintain a healthy roof, a walkover assessment is recommended twice a year, specifically during spring and fall, to protect the structure from harsh conditions.
4. Address Small Problems Right Away
Small problems can quickly become big problems. A minor leak, left unaddressed, will not only worsen, but lead to rot and other structural damage that could ultimately require replacement. Catching these small issues right away helps avert bigger and costlier problems.
5. Never Use Non-Roofing Professionals
Never rely on non-roofing professionals to inspect and assess your roofing system. It takes a trained professional to be able to identify many non-obvious problems that could soon be large and costly issues. Do not allow non-licensed roofing professionals to make repairs that may or may not be per the manufacturer’s specifications. This may inadvertently void the manufacturer’s warranty.
6. Supervise Anyone That Needs To Be On The Roof
Monitor what maintenance staff has been on the roof and supervise anyone who needs to be on the roof to make repairs for non-roofing equipment, such as HVAC systems. Oftentimes these techs can accidentally damage portions of a roofing system that could become bigger issues. Because they are not roofing professionals, they can inadvertently cause problems while performing their work.
7. Remember That Repair Is Not Always Less Expensive Than Replacement
While in the short term, repair is less expensive than a replacement that may not be true in the long term. When warranted, consider replacement over repair. Throwing good money after bad is not going to be a smart move in the long term. If a roof or portions of it, need to be replaced, it might not be worth a band-aid approach just to extend the life another few months.
At Solid Rock, we are behind your business success www.solidrockfacilitymanagers.com
