Roof Inspections (Why Do Them?)

When considering ways to save money and increase your N.O.I. (Net Operating Income) on your existing commercial building, Building owners should take a hard look at the roof on top of their building.  Building owners that are “Pro-Active” with their building maintenance tend to be able to plan and stretch their maintenance / expense dollars further than those who don’t.  Implementing a “Roof Maintenance Program” can not only help save dollars, it can save you from having to perform costly re-roofing which is considered to be an Upgrade to the property and has to be “Capitalized” rather than “Expensed”. 

The beginning of any “Roof Maintenance Program” is the roof inspection.  The NRCA (National Roofing Contractors Association) recommends quarterly inspections of the roof to help identify changing conditions within the roof system.  The initial inspection should provide you with basic information such as building location, building or roof age, an inventory of the roof system materials and components as well as general conditions observed. Because their is a vast quantity of varying roof systems used on a building, It is extremely important to identify the type of roof system present before you can begin to develop a Roof Maintenance plan or strategy. The roof inspection performed by roofing professionals can help with that task. One of the biggest mistakes we see with roof repairs is the use of improper or non-compatible materials. When the wrong materials are used, the repair will ultimately fail prematurely, if it is effective at all.

Roof Inspections can identify the existing roofing system and conditions that need corrective action to prevent water entry. Having this information will help with budgeting and forecasting for future repair and re-roofing. Knowledge is power, as they say, and knowing about your roof condition will definitely give you power over your roofing dollars.

Another scenario where roof inspections can help the building owner is when a warranty is about to expire. Most construction contracts include a 1 year warranty from the general contractor, and nearly all roofing contractors have a contract agreement with the roofing manufacturer’s that provides extended warranty’s to the building owners. Typically, the roofing company is contractually obligated to service the roof for two years. It is highly advisable to have your roof looked at by a professional prior to the expiration of the warranty period. Your roofing professional will be able to identify deficiencies and corrective actions needed to maintain the roof system as designed.

So what ever the reason, Budgeting, Forecasting, Warranty expiration, System failures, or Damage assessment, get that roof inspected as quickly as you can and always use a knowledgeable professional to get you on the right tract.

Vince Jonte

SoCo Roofing Services