Scheduled Roof Maintenance: Prevent Problems Before They Happen
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Roofing
professionals will agree that choosing the right roofing system
is critical to protecting your property. They will also agree
that quality materials and proper installation are essential for
the roof to perform successfully.
But these factors alone do not ensure a trouble-free roof;
nothing is more critical to a roof’s long-term performance than
regular preventive maintenance. The best preventive maintenance
measure a facility manager can do is to conduct semi-annual
inspections to identify problems before they occur. Doing so
can extend the life of the roof and save money in the long run.
Unfortunately, many property owners do not perform this basic
but essential task – thus risking early failure of their roofing
system. Facility managers invest every day in little things that
help prevent big problems, like regularly scheduled
inspections and tune-ups for the HVAC system, periodic carpet
cleaning to extend its life, or routine maintenance of computer
systems.
One of the biggest mistakes a facility manager can make is to
leave the roof alone – until there is a leak problem. The roof
of a building is the first line of defense from the elements of
nature, and experiences more abuse than any other part of the
building. By conducting routine inspections twice per year,
typically in the spring and fall, you can identify minor
problems before they become major problems needing repairs or
replacement. Neglect a roof until it leaks, and you risk
increased costs to repair the roof, or cause premature, but
often avoidable, roof failure.
In the spring, check for any maintenance items that can be
performed after winter weather has wreaked havoc on the roof.
Extreme weather such as lightning, high winds, hail, drenching
rains, freeze/thaw conditions, and heavy snow can cause
immediate problems that should be addressed.
In the fall, inspect the roof again to make sure it’s ready to
go through those harsh winter months.
Most manufacturers issue guarantees that require routine
inspection and maintenance. It is recommended that inspections
and maintenance be performed by roofing national professionals
who know from experience of what to look for and how to perform
any maintenance and repairs, or by properly trained facility
managers.
GAF Materials Corporation, North America’s largest roofing
manufacturer, has long recognized the value of proper inspection
and maintenance of a new roofing system. For many years, GAF has
provided quality roofing products installed by factory-certified
roofing contractors, and now provides the training and
information necessary to facility managers to help maintain a
new roof and guarantee coverage for many years to come.
Every guarantee that GAF issues on an installed roof comes with
a Scheduled Maintenance Checklist manual. Like when you buy a
new car, and the car comes with a maintenance guide – every roof
GAF guarantee comes with its own scheduled maintenance checklist
manual. This guide is packed with useful information, such as
why roof maintenance is necessary, common causes of roof
problems, what’s typically included in guarantee coverage, what
the building owner can do to protect the roofing system, and
much more.
It also has a comprehensive list of steps that should be
performed periodically to protect the roofing systems. And more
specifically, it provides scheduled maintenance checklists to be
performed at the critical first six and 12 months of a newly
installed system, and annual checklists for an entire 25 years.
It’s roofing system maintenance in an easy-to-understand format
– with everything needed to preserve the quality and function of
your roofing system.
GAF believes so strongly in regular roof inspections and
maintenance, that it developed its Well Roof Advantage program
for newly installed roofs. Property owners agree to have annual
roof inspections performed by a qualified roofing contractor,
and GAF will extend its guarantee by 25 percent — at no extra
charge. The only investment necessary is proper inspection and
maintenance during the life of the roof.
According to the Whole Building Design Guide, a collaborative
effort among federal agencies, private sector companies, nonprofit
organizations and educational institutions, the following
concepts should be an integral part of a well-designed and
maintained roof.
• Adequate slope (1/4 inch per foot is recommended minimum) to
drain.
• Always use construction details recommended by the NRCA
Roofing and Waterproofing Manual or the SMACNA Architectural
Sheet Metal Manual.
• Use extra care at the weak points of the roof like flashing;
roof penetrations and pitch pockets, and, seams of single ply
roofing.
• Accessibility is very critical for a good maintenance program.
Roof ballast or
pavers can hamper this effort.
• Use products with a known national material standard as a
benchmark of
their quality.
• Never re-roof on top of wet insulation.
• Keep the drainage system free of debris.
• Commit to a semi-annual inspection and maintenance program. A
poorly maintained roof can be costly; but a solid preventative
maintenance program can help save money over the long term, and
extend the life of the roof. ❑ |
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