Roof Maintenance

Your Roof is Out of Sight and Minor Issues Can Become Major Issues

The roof, in most cases, is out of sight and therefore out of mind. Failure to inspect for small roof problems can allow minor issues to escalate into major leaks and premature roof failure. Once water is under the roof, the moisture can cause mold and mildew and attract insects. Major flooding can make a building uninhabitable and/or shut down all productivity in a business. Damage to interior equipment, furnishing and building components can be very expensive to repair and replace. Clearly, the institution of a regular preventive and corrective roof maintenance program should be a top priority for building owners, residents and property managers.A preventive maintenance program will have many benefits, including:

• A reduction in roof related expenses, freeing up capital for other uses;
• A reduction in time, money and energy put into emergency roof repairs;
• An increase in the life expectancy of a roof, sometimes as much as 50%
• and perhaps, a reduction in your insurance premium or deductible cost.

In addition, a roof maintenance program is critical to the validation of most warranties. Manufacturer’s warranties require the building owner to perform roof maintenance routinely and to keep written records relating to the roof work. These manufacturer’s warranties can be technical and confusing to the building owner. Ron Bell Roofing can assist in interpreting their requirements and limitations.In a preventive maintenance program, some of the most helpful objectives are:

• Clearing off debris from the surface of the roof;
• Cleaning of gutters, drains, scuppers and waterways;
• Filling pitch pans and topping off Chem Curbs;
• Field flashing repairs, including reattachment and sealing;
• Regular inspections to determine and document the condition of the roof and its components;
• Cut and patch blisters in the roof membrane before they break open.
• Make preventative and corrective repairs to roof system, routinely.
• Counting on a reliable company, in business since 1987, to have the personnel, funding and dependability to commit to regular service;

Routine inspections will keep you appraised of the current condition of your roof. This can alleviate unexpected and unbudgeted repairs. Minor repairs, when caught early, can prevent major problems in the future. Simple procedures such as the removal of debris and opening of the drainage paths can minimize the pooling of water which can accelerate the deterioration of the roof. If drainage pathways are left unchecked and uncleared, ultraviolet degradation, algae growth and the retaining of concentrated chemicals can also cause failure of your roof system. The upkeep and repair of flashings and other roof components is the preemptive way to make sure that minor issues do not blow up into major problems requiring expensive solutions.A preventive maintenance program will protect an owners investment and add years of life expectancy to the roofs system and structure. Detecting minor problems before damage is widespread will prevent those issues from becoming both extensive and expensive to repair.The building owner or manager should provide the roofing contractor with:

• Specifications pertaining to the construction of the building;
• Roof plans with the current location of any issues;
• The latest inspection reports, including photos;
• Previous roofing problems as well as corrective repairs made, with dates;
• Equipment or roof penetrations added to building;
• Recent work or modifications, including painting, pressure cleaning, etc.;
• Any and all warranties from contractors, suppliers and manufacturers.

Surveys should be performed to diagnose existing problems with the roof structure. A visual evaluation of the roofs components, will identify areas in need of corrective action. In some cases, a moisture survey and sample test cuts may be necessary to determine the extent of roof damage. A survey should consist of a written report, photographs and recommendations based on visual observations.Any initial corrective action necessary, must be addressed prior to implementing the maintenance program. The frequency and extent of tasks performed in your preventive roof maintenance program will all depend on the condition and age of your roof, level of debris accumulation, roof-top traffic, environmental factors, and the size of your project.

Please contact Ron Bell Roofing for more information and pricing on (561) 737-7507

A roof maintenance plan can be modified to meet your budget. Usually, the program will entail a thorough inspection to identify existing problems and potential problem areas. These areas will be repaired for a one-time contract price. The roof system will be brought back into “A-1” condition. The building owner can stop there and wait a period of time before inspecting the roof again, gambling that the roof will weather normally.But, don’t wait for a problem to surface on the inside before considering further roofing work. Be proactive. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The owner may want a yearly inspection with written report and pictures including prices to repair problems identified during the inspection. This yearly inspection costs $175 – without repairs, per building for exterior inspection and to inspect the underside of the roof from inside the attic. The attic inspection is not necessary at this time.

Another option is to do the inspection and sign up for a yearly maintenance program. The initial, start-up repair work, which is identified in the inspection, is performed and paid and then a predetermined, quarterly fee is paid to maintain the roofs. Maintenance will include an annual inspection with written report describing deficiencies found and work performed. The annual work will keep the roof in “A-1” condition and if a leak is reported, Ron Bell, Inc. will respond and repair the problem at no additional charge, as long as the leak was not caused by an act of God or another tradesman’s negligence.