At a minimum, you should conduct roof maintenance annually on your buildings. More often than not, when a roof fails it is due to lack of regular maintenance. Consistent roof maintenance can prevent a multitude of issues that could escalate into the expensive and sometimes preventable need for a complete roof restoration or replacement.
A few things you and your maintenance team can do on a regular basis to extend the life of your roofing systems:
1. Drainage Systems: Clear all gutters, downspouts, scuppers; clean out all drains; check strainers and clamping rings.
2. Is there debris or materials on the roof that could damage the roof system? Is there excessive foot traffic that necessitates more walkway pads?
3. Proper maintenance to rooftop equipment and their surrounding area: check for oil, animal fats, and other contaminants that could degrade the roof system. Change the equipment filters regularly to prevent these deposits on the roof.
4. Ponding water: Aggregate is likely to collect in these areas which could result in vegetation growth and impede drainage.
5. Penetration flashings: Pitch pans and pipe boots are maintenance items that should be checked regularly for voids.
6. On all HVAC units, check the ductwork connections, access panels, gaskets, condensate lines, etc. to make sure there is no water entry. Identifying and correcting these items could eliminate unnecessary roof service calls.
7. Walls: Check interior walls for stains or bubbling paint. Check exterior walls for bubbling paint, missing mortar, deteriorated blocking, etc. Identifying and correcting these items could eliminate unnecessary roof service calls.
8. Always use a professional roofing contractor to assist you in your roof maintenance needs. The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) offers a few tips and guidelines for selecting a commercial roofing contractor.
Also, all of the major roofing system manufacturers encourage semi-annual inspections with documentation to maximize the life of your roof and possibly extend your warranty term (if applicable).
If you are limited in staff or time, let RoofConnect take care of your roofs for you. RoofConnect can manage your entire roof portfolio. We will schedule out all roof inspections, perform annual maintenance, track your roof warranties and provide you with 24/7 access to the your roof inventory data via a personalized roof management portal.
Don’t wait for a roofing problem to occur --- by then it is too late! Be proactive in your Roof Asset Management! Planned preventative roof maintenance can save money, time and heartburn.
This topic will never dull for us here at RoofConnect: see our previous post "When a flat roof is not regularly maintained it may cost far more over time"
Note: NRCA believes that the best way for a building owner to ensure satisfactory post-installation roof system performance is to have a formal, long-term maintenance agreement with a professional roofing contractor. Building owners should take care in selecting a roofing contractor to perform the maintenance work. Additional information is available from NRCA.
Call us 24/7/365 at 877-942-5613.
RoofConnect – At your Service!
RoofConnect, Liz Miller
Start the new year right - be prepared for Storm Hercules and excessive snowfall.
Now is a crucial time to evaluate your roofs and enact your winter emergency and snow removal action plan. As a preventive measure, it is good to have a yearly assessment of your roof to make sure there are no underlying repairs that need to be done prior to a heavy snow. It’s important to understand the risk that snow and ice accumulation poses, and it’s even more important to secure proper snow and ice removal from a reputable roofing company, like RoofConnect...before the storm, before all resources are allocated.
In the event of any winter storms, snowfall can be monitored, measured and assessed to determine whether or not it exceeds your roof’s weight capacity, and when it does, it is important to remove immediately.
Even when snow or ice accumulation does not exceed your roof’s weight capacity, drifting and wind can cause unanticipated roof failures or leaks. Furthermore, snow and ice melt-off can freeze and block drainage systems.
RoofConnect Five major items of review should be considered for winter Commercial Roof Maintenance:
1. Current Snow Load on Your Building. With snow storm followed by snow storm, roof weights can become an item of serious concern. We want to ensure that this doesn't happen at any of your locations.
2. Proper and Continuous Roof Drainage. Accumulating snows coupled with thawing and then refreezing make it critical that you clear all drains, gutters and scuppers. Every winter buildings collapse due to poor roof drainage.
3. Ice buildup and Falling Ice. Ice formations form on gutters and overhangs that can cause serious concerns to customers, employees and other visitors to your facilities. Ice buildup must be addressed to prevent injuries and damage at your facilities.
4. Snow Packs Around Building. Often times snow plowing causes snow build up against the exterior walls. Moving snow away from the exterior walls can avoid moisture problems inside your building.
5. Roof Leaks and Water Infiltration. Snow and ice build up on your roof can cause leaks in unusual sources. Snow build up around unit fans and over the height of roof flashings can cause leaks into the building creating hazards.
RoofConnect utilizes our vast network of experienced Roofing Technicians for your winter related roofing needs, ensuring there is no long term damage to your roof system.
Don’t forget…Inexperienced crews can damage or destroy the roofing membrane with improper shovel or snow blower use.
RoofConnect has the experience to properly analyze, design and execute a plan to take care of any of your winter roofing needs. Please contact your RoofConnect representative today or if one is not assigned, please call 877-942-5613 or email info(@)roofconnect.com to receive immediate answers to any of your questions or roofing related winter weather roof concerns.
Call us 24/7/365 at 877-942-5613.
RoofConnect – At your Service!
RoofConnect, Liz Miller
