The initial cost of a roof system is typically 10 percent of
the total building cost. However, over the life span the building the roof
could account for nearly 60 percent of the building’s total maintenance costs.
This provides roofing contractors with an opportunity to become one of the
building owner’s most valuable allies. In today’s economic environment, it has
become more critical that the roofing contractor provide maintenance services
beyond repairing leaks. The roof maintenance program must now also extend the
service life of the existing roof system to provide the owner with an extended
period in which proper finances for replacement can be obtained.
Roofing contractors that are able to provide these services
will be able to help their owner clients get the maximum value out of existing
roofs. It will also put them in the perfect position to handle the roof
replacement project when the time comes.
Extending Service Life
The most important reason to conduct roof maintenance is to
extend the service life of the existing roof system. Comprehensive repairs
extend the service life of the roof system and provide cost savings to the
owner. The maintenance program provides the establishment of a proactive
posture in the detection and avoidance of leaks and other roofing problems
instead of just reacting when a problem occurs. Problems are addressed at their
initial stages, minimizing and preventing damage from leaks to interior furnishings,
equipment, building materials and finishes. In this way, the owner avoids
expenditures for such items as deck damage repair and associated costs
resulting from reactive maintenance. Specific maintenance guidelines are
developed based on the profile of the roof systems in place.
Minor problems can be detected at their initial stages and
corrected before they become severe, extensive problems. The building owner
should view roof maintenance operations they way they view mortgage insurance.
A manageable yearly expense could provide the dividends of a roof system that
meets or exceeds its anticipated service life. For instance, a properly
maintained 20-year roof system should protect the interior operations of the
building for the full twenty years; any service life beyond this time could be
considered free money to the owner.
Similar to preventive maintenance on manufacturing
equipment, once the roof system has extended its depreciated service life, the
owner receives a return on expenditures. Every year that the roof system is
extended is an additional year that the owner does not have to expand a
substantial expense for remedial roof construction.
Long-Term Savings
Building owners often lack sufficient in-house expertise for
optimizing the service life of their roofs. Their main concern, quite
naturally, is in conducting their primary business to which the buildings are
ancillary. More often than not, roof maintenance is fragmented, decentralized,
reactive, and it consists of doing too much too early, or too little, too late.
The theory of “don’t fix it unless it’s broken” results in missed opportunities
to add years of useful service life to roofs.
Roof maintenance, though perhaps the most significant
expenditure in maintaining buildings, is seldom approached systematically and
logically. Too often, roof maintenance expenditures are made by individuals
lacking the tools and information necessary to arrive at appropriate and
cost-effective decisions. Without proper guidelines, information, and assurances,
a significant percentage of roof dollars can be wasted.
A proper roof maintenance program will provide the building
owner with a systematic approach to controlling and budgeting roof maintenance
dollars. The primary goal of the program should be to direct the owners roofing
dollars where they will do the most good. The owner should realize both
short-term and long-term returns. The owner should also have a clear and
verifiable system of allocating the money that they are currently spending on
their roofs and have a practical understanding of what they are getting for
their money.
All warranties provided by roof material manufacturers
expressly state that the building owner is required to complete maintenance of
the roof system throughout its service life. The absence of proper maintenance
may be grounds for warranty nullification. Read the fine print of the warranty
and clarify with the manufacturer what they consider to be maintenance items.
Removal of the existing roofing due to poor workmanship or material failure
should not be construed as maintenance and should be covered under the
manufacturer’s warranty. In addition to maintenance, the building owner is
required to contact the manufacturer when any alterations or additions are
completed in the warranted roof areas.
Recommendations
While the weathering process of roof systems cannot be
arrested, certain administrative actions, combined with technological
advancements in roof maintenance, can amount to a major step in controlling
roofing dollars. Achieving controlled maintenance of the building’s major
protective system - the roof - can lead to savings in energy expenditures and
increased success in the maintenance of structural components of the facility.
The following five broad recommendations encompass the
fundamental elements of an effective approach in the maintenance of roofing
assemblies:
1. Maintain an adequate level of in-house expertise to
diagnose maintenance and corrective action requirements, or develop an
administrative process for obtaining adequate expert support.
2. Keep a suitable inventory of the roof’s material and
system information to ensure proper materials and procedures are used in roof
maintenance.
3. Take advantage of new maintenance materials. Many have
more universal applications than conventional materials. Also, new moisture
detection systems, including handheld moisture meters and infrared cameras, can
be used to assist in the analysis of problems.
4. Be proactive to keep the roof functioning and prevent
damage to structural or mechanical systems.
5. Set up a monitoring system that verifies repairs are
being properly completed. Document and maintain a record of all work done on
the roof (with photographs)
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