While most commercial roofing tasks should be left to professionals, there are some tasks that can help prolong your roofing lifespan. Here are the things that you can do that can be beneficial to your roof’s service life.
Familiarize Yourself With Common Roofing Issues
Commercial property owners and managers are expected to perform regular roof inspections and report their findings to their roofing contractor. Therefore, you need to know how to find and identify common roofing issues, such as pooling water and impact damage, as well as issues specific to your roofing type. For example, if you have a single-ply roof, you should know what punctures and loose seams look like. If you have a built-up roofing (BUR), then you should keep an eye out for issues like alligatoring, which happens when the top surface starts forming cracks.
We recommend signing up for a roof maintenance agreement, which lets you schedule maintenance appointments well in advance. You won’t miss maintenance appointments, and you won’t have to worry about booking an available roofer, which can be difficult to do during peak seasons.
Conduct Regular Inspections
Commercial roof companies recommend performing roofing inspections as often as every six months depending on the type of roof. This is a schedule that you need to stick to, instead of waiting for a storm to hit your area or for a leak to make its way into your indoor spaces. Roofing problems will cost less to repair the earlier you find them. Taking this preventive approach also helps ensure business continuity as disruptions caused by widespread repairs would be far less likely to happen.
Know the Roofing System Inside and Out
You’re not expected to be an expert on the inner workings of every roofing system. However, knowing how your roof works – what it’s made of, what goes into each layer and what components like flashing are for – can help you make informed decisions during critical situations. For example, you’d have better understanding on why repairs would take a certain amount of time or whether a roofing upgrade is worth it.
Roofing by Curry is your leading provider of commercial roof repair and installation services. Give us a call at (941) 921-9111. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve customers in Sarasota, FL, and surrounding communities.