If you live in fear of the next rainstorm or dread irate phone calls from waterlogged tenants, you just might have a case of “dead-roof denial.” Facility owners and managers who wait for an upturn in the economy or a higher annual profit margin before replacing a lifeless roof might think they’re making wise business decisions. Nothing, unfortunately, could be further from the truth.
Ignoring Roof Problems Won’t Make Them Go Away
Although most dead-roof issues occur on roofs that are nearing or past the period of initial warranty, even a relatively young roof can die from neglect. Faulty materials, poor installation or failure to perform annual maintenance increases the risk of premature roof death.
When early failure begins, some managers believe that there is no possible way a six-year-old roof could need replacing, so they ignore the problem. Dead-roof denial sets in and spring showers, instead of bringing May flowers, usher in a rash of complaints from tenants trying to plug the leaks.
Looks Can Be Deceiving
Dead-roof denial can creep up on a facility manager who depends on a building maintenance crew to inspect the roof. To the untrained eye, the roof might look just fine. Meanwhile, every rainstorm brings more water seepage, silently destroying the roof’s insulation, damaging the roof structure and injuring building contents.
Patches Upon Patches: What’s Hiding Under All That?
It’s easy to understand why some roofs die. A roof that’s been recovered, coated, patched, re-patched and patched yet again is a prime example of dead-roof denial. When repetitive repairs and re-coats leave you wondering what the original roof looked like, attempts to resuscitate the lifeless roof are doomed to fail. It’s human nature, especially in an iffy economy, to try and eke out “just one more year,” of service from a dead roof, but it usually ends up costing more.
Signs You’re in Dead-Roof Denial
If you can relate to any of the above scenarios, you’re probably in dead-roof denial, but there are other signs as well. In addition to tenant complaints, if you’re increasingly issuing roof work orders after a storm, or you find yourself trying to justify the cost of roof replacement to others, there’s a good chance you’re in dead-roof denial. To determine whether a new roof is needed — crunch a few numbers. Write down the cost of a new roof and then divide that number by expected roof life, which is typically 15 – 20 years. Then, write down the annual costs of roof repairs, and add that number to the annual cost of interior leak-related repairs and the replacement costs of damaged equipment and inventory. If the cost of the new roof is less than the other costs – you’re in dead-roof denial.
What’s a Manager to Do?
At North American Roofing, we know how easy it is to slip into denial if you don’t recognize what’s going on with your roof, or if you’re trying to pinch pennies. Our trained roofing specialists will inspect your roof and help you choose the best roofing solution based on your budget and facility needs. When you call us, you’re calling the most trusted and respected roofing company in the nation. We stand firmly behind our work and we’re there for ongoing maintenance and repair needs too.