ROOF MAINTENANCE

Roof maintenance or as it is more commonly known, roof management is the proactive way to give your roof system a longer life span. Many property owners look for a roof system that can last 20 years or more, but how you maintain that roof will heavily weigh in on whether or not your roof system can last that long. Having a warranty is not enough since most warranties void if the roof is not properly maintained. That is why we offer a comprehensive approach to giving  you the roof maintenance you need to save in the long run.

Common Myths

As well known leaders in roof repair & management, we dedicate ourselves to informing our clients of all possible risks and options relating to their roof system. Many property owners and managers based their roofing decisions on what they hear through the grapevine. Below you will see various common myths that usually put your roof at risk since they are often times not true.

Contrary to what people believe, annual roof maintenance plans can cost as little as 1% of your total replacement cost depending on the current roofs age, number of protrusions, and current roof conditions.

Modern roofing systems can be very complex consisting of a wide range of chemicals, materials and products. Most maintenance departments are not properly trained or certified by roof system manufacturers to understand the complexities of most modern roofing systems. A proactive approach to self maintenance can prove to be much costly in the future due to the extent of harm you can cause if you do not use the proper materials to repair or maintain your roof.

Like any business, some vendors will specialize in something while others go in a different path. Roofers are no different as some are experts in one roofing system while they are clueless in another. Most roofers will try to master the most common roofing systems available to customers however, innovation is always giving us more options and better solutions. Roofers should be knowledgeable and even certified in cool energy efficient roof systems, PVC roof systems, BUR roof systems, TPO roof systems, insulation and foam solutions, shingle roofs, low slope and high slope roofs, and so on.

This statement can not be any further from the truth. Which manufacturer your roofer chooses for your roof system can have a tremendous effect on the future of your roof. Some manufacturers will offer a vague warranty, have unfair and corrupt certification processes which lead to untrained installers, and of course a lacking product line of low quality and service. For these reasons, always do your homework before approving any manufacturer your roofer suggests. For top of the line results, GACO, Firestone, AMES, and GAF are the top manufacturers with quality products that last as well as reliable warranties and installers.

Unfortunately, some manufacturers often state a good amount of reasons why they will not allow their warranty to cover certain issues. Understanding what your warranty does or does not cover will arm you with the knowledge you need to make informed decisions about your roof management. Most manufacturers clearly state within their warranty that the lack of regular maintenance and inspections will void your roof warranty.

We have seen many cases where water has infiltrated a roof’s substrate long before water enters the building or shows signs of leaking. Depending on the type of deck, slope of roof, and point of water entry, water could move through a wall without the building owners ever knowing about it until it is too late. So before assuming you have no leak or water infiltration, be sure with a yearly inspection. This one step can save you thousands in unexpected damages.

PLAN AHEAD & SAVE

Instead of reacting to your roof issues, be proactive and always know the status of your roof system. The best way to accomplish this is by implementing some form of yearly roof management system. Most modern roofing systems include some type of insulation beneath the membrane. As a building owner, you have invested a significant amount of dollars in your existing roof system. However, this major asset can become a liability. But since it is a major asset of the building envelope, you want to protect that investment.

Over time, weather, moisture, freeze/thaw cycles, and other natural and random forces constantly exposed to the building can leave your operations and investment at risk of various types of damage including water infiltration. Water infiltration can severely deteriorate insulation material causing building owners significant repair or costly and unnecessary premature roof replacement.

Proactively inspecting and maintaining your roof each year will ensure that damaging water will stay out of your roofing system, and often offering the opportunity to reuse this material during the restoration or re-covering process. These types of approaches not only extend the life span of your current roofing system, but also significantly reduces the life cycle cost of your roof.