Why Is Commercial Roof Preventative Maintenance Important?
Here’s a list of what happens during commercial roof preventative maintenance and why contractors carry them out.
Commercial Roof Maintenance Checklist
It’s no secret that roofs on commercial buildings benefit from preventative maintenance. Larger buildings tend to require more expansive roofs, and additional square footage increases the possibility of future damage. Rain, hail, intense sunshine, and other harmful factors all contribute to the wear and tear of your roof. And small problems can turn into an expensive renovation if left unchecked.
Why wait for a costly problem when you can address the issue beforehand? Protecting your business’s roof saves you money and makes sure that your building remains functional, safe, and up-to-code. Put simply, commercial roof preventative maintenance extends the life of your roof and puts off the need for a roof replacement.
Debris Removal
Removing sticks, rocks, branches, and other debris from a roof is the first step of preventative roof maintenance. Sitting water can cause leakage and structural damage if waste is allowed to sit on a roof for long periods of time.
Drainage Inspection
After a contractor has removed debris from the surface, they evaluate the roof’s drainage system—the gutters, downspout, auxiliary drains—and make sure that all parts are working properly. Water can cause deterioration and leaks if it can’t drain off the roof’s surface, which is particularly troublesome if your building has a flat roof.
Roof Survey
After clearing the roof and drainage, they’ll inspect the entire roofing system. A contractor scans the top surface for cracks, gaps, holes, or penetrations. They walk the roof’s perimeter, searching for soft spots and other signs of physical deterioration.
Addressing Problems
After they check everything, they’ll start roof repairs for any problems found during the survey. A contractor will fix cracks, replace faulty shingles, and solve any problem compromising the roof’s integrity. Minor repairs take less time and money to do compared to a total roof replacement.
Preventative Measures
The biggest component of commercial roof preventative maintenance is stopping future problems from occurring. A professional contractor can spot any potential issues in your roof system and fix them before leaks and other structural damage can happen and turn into worse, more expensive problems.
Further Inspection
Sometimes a contractor can’t physically see any signs of future roof damage, so they’ll perform destructive or non-destructive testing to find problems in your roof before they could happen. Destructive testing involves removing a section of the roof to reveal the underlayment, and non-destructive testing uses innovative techniques like infrared scanning.
Commercial Roof Maintenance Plan
Roof maintenance programs take the stress off the building owner’s shoulders. These complete service plans make sure contractors regularly inspect, repair, and record your roof’s condition. Fixed rates and schedules provide ease of mind, too. Roofing contractors will tell you when they’re coming to inspect your property and tell you about any changes in the repair cost. Roofing companies can keep detailed records of your roof’s maintenance for insurance and real estate records. Roof maintenance programs are the complete package.
Buildings That Benefit From Preventative Roof Maintenance
Every building benefits from preventative roof maintenance, but there are some structures that have more to gain by employing this service.
Large Structures
Commercial buildings tend to be larger than residential properties, which is why commercial roof preventative maintenance is so important. It’s easier to maintain a 3,000-square-foot roof than a 10,000-square-foot roof. Larger roofs inherently have higher chances of exterior damage.
Flat-Roofed Buildings
Flat roofs tend to have a tougher time draining standing water than sloped roofs. Single-ply roofs or membranes mainly consist of EPDM, TPO, and PVC. These are durable materials, but mold, mildew, deterioration, and other issues can still affect the roof’s surface if left unchecked. This is why single-ply and membrane roof maintenance is critical for flat roof surfaces.
Weather-Prone Areas
Inclement weather is the leading cause of insurance claims—especially hail. Your roof takes the brunt of rain, ice, and severe storms. It’s important to regularly inspect your roof if you live in an area prone to inclement weather. You want to spot potential or current weather damage before leaks and damage get worse.
Older Properties
The older a roof is, the more wear and tear it will have. Churches, historic sites, and established businesses are prime candidates for commercial roof preventative maintenance because of this. External forces have already beaten them down for many years, so maintaining their structural integrity over long periods of time is necessary.
Choose Elevated Contracting for Preventative Roof Maintenance
Elevated Contracting is an experienced roofing contracting company. We’re one of the few companies in Northern Virginia that are Haag certified, which means we meet all roof and storm damage inspection guidelines. We employ roofing experts to make sure your commercial properties are protected and maintained. We use best practices, quality roofing materials, and hands-on experience when we work on a project. If you’re looking for commercial roof preventative maintenance, you can trust us to do the heavy lifting.
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