Advances in the quality of commercial roofing products in the last few years are giving facility owners top-notch, long-lasting roofs. Despite these improvements, no roof is maintenance free. The best way to get the most useful life out of your new roof is to develop a comprehensive plan to prevent damage to the roof and to spot small issues before they can become problems.
Roof Health Checkup
Roof checks after a major storm are essential, but plan to give the roof a comprehensive checkup at least twice a year to protect your investment.
Rooftop Checklist: Roofs serve multiple purposes, providing an installation base for satellite dishes, heat-and-air units, HVAC ducting and other types of roof-mounted equipment. Every item that penetrates the roof creates a potential leak spot. Start your checkup here.
- Examine the sealant around all terminations and penetrations. Replace weathered or deteriorated sealant promptly.
- Look for and replace any missing fasteners.
- Inspect seams and roof surface for splits and cracking.
- Check stability of rooftop units. If they’re wobbly, they’re more likely to work loose during high winds and storms and damage the roof.
Edge and Perimeter Checklist: The edges of the roof bear the brunt of high winds. Inspect edges during your twice a year checkup and implement an ongoing clean-perimeter plan throughout the year.
- Inspect roof corner and edge details to ensure that they fit snugly and that the sealant is in good shape.
- Remove or secure loose items around the building. This includes things like trashcans, stacked materials or inventory and anything else that could become airborne during high winds.
- Check large trees for dead or broken limbs that could damage the roof during a storm.
Drainage Checklist:
- Inspect roof grates, if applicable, for debris and remove blockages.
- Clean away leaf debris and flush out drains to ensure unobstructed water flow from the roof.
Reduce Roof Abuse: Unless your roof was designed for entertainment or recreation – limit foot traffic to only essential personnel.
- Lock access doors.
- Install protective walkways and pad to and around HVAC units and other rooftop equipment that requires periodic servicing.
- Ask contractors who use roof-secured swing-stage platforms or boson chairs to provide protection for rooftop flashing.
Schedule Annual Preventative Roof Maintenance
Your new roof can last for decades with the right care and maintenance. At North American Roofing, we help our clients develop roof protection plans to extend the useful life of their roofs. We offer state-of-the-art inspections, preventative maintenance plans and professional repairs. The sooner you start protecting your roof, the more money you’ll save in roof repair and replacement costs.
You’ve invested a chunk of change in your new roof. Don’t neglect it now. Give us a call today at 800-551-5602 and let us help you design the best plan to protect your roof investment.