Roof Management Program
Replacing the flat roof over a commercial or industrial facility may be the single largest expense in the lifetime of that piece of real estate. Nonetheless, a recent poll of 2,000 commercial facility owners and property managers in Rocky Mountain states demonstrated that less than 12% currently have a clear and active roof management program. That same survey determined the property’s roof to be the third biggest cause of stress in their day-to-day lives; behind keeping building occupants happy (#1) and protecting the property’s bottom line (#2).
It is our experience that the condition and performance of the roof directly effects the occupants’ happiness and the bottom line of the respective business.
The Importance of a Roof Management Plan
An American football coach needs to know the information on the scoreboard before he/she calls-in a play. A tied game with the offense on its own 10 yard line and 5 seconds remaining in the second quarter is a much different scenario than a tied game with an offense on the opponents 10 yard line and 5 second remaining in the 4th quarter.
Similarly, a roof asset management plan is the real estate managers’ scoreboard. An effective roof management program provides the intel to make proactive decisions versus reactive decision; saving costs and keeping tenants happy.
The Importance of Regular Roof Inspections
The first step in establishing a commercial roof maintenance program is to develop a bi-annual roof inspection system. Discovering and correcting minor roof defects early will not only simplify repairs but also extend the life-span of the entire roofing system; especially here in Colorado!
If inspections are going to be made by in-house personnel, those employees should be properly trained in commercial roof safety, commercial roofing basics, and the use of the roof management program documentation.
Maintaining a roof history will add tremendous value in determining the course of action that may be necessary in treating the roof. Plus, it will look impressive when reporting to the facility owners or prospective real estate buyers.
What is roof maintenance?
Roof maintenance is defined as “the treatment given a roof prior to any actual roof failure occurs.” - That treatment may consist of correcting minor defects in isolated areas, like repairing a hole from a rogue screw dropped by an HVAC technician; or it may be much more involved, like welding a seam on the length of an entire membrane roof due to poor installation.
Some types of flat roof materials may require more maintenance than others. Regardless, the importance of proper roof maintenance cannot be emphasized enough! Good maintenance eliminates roof leaks, extends the life of a roof, and saves the bottom line from costly roof replacements.
Low-Slope Roof Management In Colorado
We have all of the ingredients for a recipe of premature roof failure in Colorado: altitude, ultraviolet (UV) light exposure, rain, wind, hail, sleet, snow, high temperatures, and low temperatures. Most Colorado industrial and commercial buildings have low-slope roof systems with generally less than four percent. Over the last two decades, the use of single-ply membranes has greatly increased. Although many of the installed low-slope roof systems have performed well, many of them have shown premature failure, too.
Factors contributing to these membrane roof failures include:
- Premature membrane deterioration (Exposure)
- Field application deficiencies
- Lack of maintenance & repair
- Biological growth
- Structural Movement
- Modern trend of design & construction
Some of these issues are a part of a roof’s natural life cycle; more are not. Nonetheless, property managers and facility owners have more control than they realize when it comes to the natural progression of their roof. When one takes a proactive approach to roof management, it will not only save money in the long run but also help avoid lost time, preventable damage, and potential setbacks to facility operations.
Commercial Roofing Contractors
Facility managers and business owners don’t need to know everything about their property; especially as it pertains to complex roofing problems and roof management needs. Sometimes its a good idea to just leave it in the hands of a roofing professional!
Titan Applicators has been servicing the Denver and all of Colorado for nearly a decade. Our roof management program offers:
- Thorough bi-annual inspections
- Preventative Maintenance Services
- Repair Services
- Comprehensive property documentation benefits (a complete history including drone footage & detailed specifics)
- Asset liability protection
- Fully warranted work
Give us a call today. We look forward to chatting with you.
