What is a Flat Roof Preventative Maintenance Program?
Commercial roofing systems such as flat roofs are built to be durable and provide protection for decades. However, a commercial roof will not last for its expected lifespan if it does not receive regular maintenance and inspections to look for potential problems.
All types of roofing, including commercial roofing, are subject to damage and general wear and tear because they are exposed to wind, rain, snow, ice, direct sunlight, and animals that can cause damage. If damage or general wear to a commercial roof is not found and repaired, the damage will get worse which can lead to costly repairs and threaten the safety of the building. The most effective way to keep the roof of your commercial building in good repair is to start a roof maintenance plan with a professional roofer like Reliable Roofing.
What is a Roof Preventative Maintenance Program?
A commercial roof maintenance program is a program offered by a professional roofing contractor in which they will regularly inspect your roof and perform any maintenance and repairs that are needed. These programs help business owners and property managers keep their roof in excellent shape and save money on repairs by catching and fixing problems quickly. Regular roof maintenance will also extend the life of your roof and keep it under warranty.
When entering a roof maintenance program, there are generally three contract options:
- Regular visits by the contractor for a visual inspection and gutter and drain cleaning.
- Regular visits by the contractor for a visual inspection, gutter and drain cleaning, debris removal, and small repairs.
- Regular visits by the contractor for a full inspection, gutter and drain cleaning, debris removal, medium repairs, and roof survey.
You can choose your roof maintenance program based on the level of inspection and maintenance you want. With all roof maintenance programs, you should receive a report of the findings. Entering into a commercial roof maintenance program is the best way to ensure your roof is in good repair.
The Importance of Roof Maintenance Programs
The property owner or manager is responsible for ensuring that the building, including the roof, is in good repair. The roof is one of the most important features of the building to maintain because any problems with the roof can lead to bigger issues like water damage and structural issues. It is common for damage to a commercial roof to go unnoticed without regular roof inspections because no one is ever on the roof. Failure to inspect and maintain the roof can not only lead to serious damage, but also void the warranty.
In many cases, your commercial roof needs to be inspected at least once each year by an authorized roofing contractor to maintain the warranty. Staying within the warranty benefits you as well as the roofing contractor. The contractor that provides the inspection will locate current issues and identify potential problems that could cause damage in the future. Minor repairs, cleaning, and mending of the flashings may also be included in a good roof maintenance program. Having your roof inspected by a qualified roofer will give you some peace of mind knowing that your roof will last longer and that it will remain under warranty.
Finding a Roofing Contractor to Provide Roof Maintenance Program
Finding a reputable and trusted roofing contractor to provide roof inspections and maintenance is important. You need to know that you can trust the roofer to inform you of all potential issues so they can be taken care of before they become more expensive problems.
If possible, it is best to start a roof maintenance program with the contractor that installed your roof. If you cannot do that, then you will need to find a roofing contractor that has proven they can provide quality roofing services and be trusted to provide you with accurate reports of their inspection and maintenance.
You must consider the following when looking for a contractor for roofing maintenance:
- Communication: The roofing contractor has the expertise to notice issues and provide general repairs and maintenance. It is important to know that the contractor you work with will communicate openly with you and give you detailed reports, including pictures and video, regarding the condition of your roof. They should also be easy to contact and responsive in case there is an emergency.
- Services: You should ask to see if the roofing contractor includes services with their inspection including gutter cleaning, debris removal, and general repairs. Make sure you work with a contractor that provides quality roofing services.
- Warranty compliance: You should hire a contractor that understands the warranty of your roof and stays in compliance with the warranty. If you work with the contractor that installed the roof, then they already know the conditions of your warranty.
- Safety: Make sure the roofing contractor you hire has a history of following safety protocols. You can search for past safety complaints and violations by searching for the contractor on OSHA’s website.
- Reviews and reputation: Read reviews of the contractors before hiring them to get an idea of the experience others have had working with them. You can check Google, Yelp, and BBB for reviews.
What to Expect from Roof Maintenance Program
When you start a roof maintenance program with a contractor like Reliable Roofing, you can expect the following to be part of the maintenance plan:
- Full inspection: A reputable contractor will provide full inspections in which they will look for damage, leaks, and other issues that can become major problems in the future. They will also provide a detailed report that includes the issues they found and suggested repairs to keep your roof in good shape. Reliable Roofing provides full roof inspections and we will have a qualified roofer conduct the inspection and maintenance at least twice each year.
- Repair and replacement cost analysis: When the contractor provides you with the report of the inspection, they should also give you a report that includes the repair costs for the identified damage. They will then advise you on what repairs need to be done while keeping your budget in mind.
- Repair and replacement schedule: Based on their inspection of the roof, a contractor will set up a repair schedule to ensure that all repairs are made within a reasonable timeframe. They should also keep you updated on repairs you will need to make in the near future so you can be prepared for the expense.
- Manufacturer’s warranty: All maintenance and inspections of the roof need to be well documented in case the roof needs to be repaired or replaced under warranty. A reputable contractor will provide you with more than enough documentation to have your roof repaired or replaced under the warranty.
- Maintenance of documents: Roofing contractors should keep track of the documentation of the maintenance and repairs of your roof in a database so that there is a recorded history of all maintenance and repairs performed. This will help the contractor determine what needs to be done on each maintenance visit and identify problems before they cause damage that requires expensive repairs.
- Return on investment: Having a contractor perform regular inspections and maintenance on your roof will save you money and yield a better return on investment on your roof. It is estimated that you can save $3 for every $1 spent on commercial roof maintenance.
Preventative Roof Inspections and Maintenance from Reliable Roofing
Having the roof of your commercial building regularly inspected by a roofing contractor will ensure that your roof is in good repair, keep you in compliance with the warranty, and save you money by addressing issues before they cause serious damage. if you need a roofing contractor to provide roof inspections and maintenance in the Chicago area, contact our professionals at Reliable Roofing.
Reliable Roofing offers a roof maintenance program in which we will provide detailed inspections as well as needed maintenance and repair. You can expect one of our qualified commercial roofers to come to your property to provide maintenance at least twice each year.
Give us a call at (888) 915-7197 for more about our roof maintenance program.
About Vince Sandri
Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.
