Why Inspect Your Commercial/Industrial Roof
Stay ahead of roof problems with regular inspections. Here are three compelling reasons why.
Saves Money
Preventive measures are always less costly. Addressing a problem before deterioration of the element is almost always cheaper than rebuilding or patching it. Also consider consequential damages that result from roof problems; lost product, safety issues, poor indoor air quality, lost time, and poor morale are all soft costs that are hard to calculate but come directly out of your bottom line.
Longevity
Inspecting your roof and performing necessary maintenance will extend the life of your roof. The sooner small deficiencies are identified and repaired, the greater the chance that the existing roofing system will perform as intended for its maximum life expectancy. Early detection of problems is key.
Inspections also raise awareness about the sources of roof problems (e.g. rooftop workers, weather, environmental debris). Knowing the cause can help you:
- Change behaviors (e.g. sign-in sheet for employees accessing the roof).
- Implement new processes (e.g. inspections before and after HVAC technicians perform work).
- Modify the roof to prevent further damage (e.g. adding walkway pad or grease guards).
Warranty
Roof system manufacturers provide long-term warranties to building owners upon the contractor’s successful completion of roofing projects. Most of the warranties, written by the manufacturer, contain language stating that failure by the building owner to take reasonable care in maintaining the roof is cause for an exclusion from coverage of the warranty.
At a minimum, reasonable care in maintaining the roof system should include inspections of the roof system by a qualified person twice per year and after significant weather events. It is essential for the building owner, or the owner’s roofing contractor, to keep up to date on inspections and maintain a record of any trade work performed, in order to document that reasonable care has been performed in maintaining the roof system.
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