Owning a commercial building can be a great thing, but it can also bring with it a lot of stress, headaches, and worry about the state of the structure, its lifespan, needs for repairs, and more. The biggest thing to remember is that with maintenance, you can have peace of mind knowing that your commercial building will allow for operations to run smoothly year-round. This starts with the roof of your commercial structure. When you pay attention to the roof and give it some necessary maintenance, you will see the results and how that roof repays you in its functioning.
Commercial maintenance planning for a roof allows you to take control of your structure. You can map out exactly how you want to maintain the roof, get it on a routine schedule, etc. With roof maintenance for your commercial structure, you can help protect the roof from leaks and debris damage.
Knowing some of the top commercial maintenance planning tips to consider for your roof is vital.
Planning Routine Commercial Roof Inspections
The first thing you should do is plan regular and routine roof inspections for your commercial structure. When you maintain a roof well, it will do its job in that it will protect all of the assets, starting with your commercial structure and the contents inside of the structure. If you happen to ignore your commercial roof, it is then that you open yourself up to trouble.
Professionals working at any quality roofing company will instruct you on the criticality of routine maintenance. You want to use commercial maintenance planning to get your roof on a schedule that is looked at twice yearly. The best times to do this would be as soon as the winter ends and later in the fall at the conclusion of summer before you head into winter.
There is also going to be the need to set up off-schedule inspections of your commercial roof. Say you have a major weather event with high winds and excessive rain. The same goes for a significant snowstorm. When you have this type of event, your roof is working overtime, and there is a risk that it could undergo damage.
Signs of Trouble With a Commercial Roof
There are some clear signs of trouble when it comes to a commercial roof that you want to have top of mind. Some of these signs are things you can watch for as a commercial building owner and are also things that professionals will certainly analyze as they perform roof inspections.
When looking at your commercial roof, the first thing you want to keep an eye out for is pooling. There is a risk of pooling on the roof, where puddles could have built up excessively. The pooling on the roof is going to wear down on the structure and could lead to leaks.
Branches and such from trees on the roof are also another sign of trouble. Any type of debris that is just sitting on the roof is never a good thing. Think of a sharp branch or any sharp object on the roof sitting there. When the wind hits it with force, it will move and bounce, pushing into the roof and the materials and potentially causing issues.
Heavy human activity on the roof is another sign of issues that could creep up earlier in the roof’s lifespan. A commercial roof is made to keep out rain and the elements, but it is not usually constructed to withstand everyday foot traffic the same as your commercial parking lot. The foot traffic can add additional wear onto the roof and could cause damage sooner in its life.
Document the Roof and the Attributes
As part of an excellent commercial maintenance planning effort, you must have your documentation in order. This starts with having information on your roof as an asset, what it means for your commercial structure, and its details. Document everything, including how large the roof is in terms of square feet. The materials of the roof, as well as the age of the roof, are also critical. This will help the professionals you hire in their inspection and also help you with indicators of when the roof should be replaced and/or repaired.
Be Proactive With Minor Repairs
Having a proactive approach to your roof is critical. Listen to the professionals when the inspections are being performed on the commercial roof. If they tell you that there is a minor problem or that they are starting to see developments that could lead to issues with the roof, take action. When you can take care of issues when they are tiny, you may be able to avoid the larger repair jobs later on.
When you do your commercial maintenance planning, budget money aside annually for these inspections as well as these minor repairs. When you do this type of forecast planning, you will have the money set aside, so there is much less risk of just deferring the repair because you do not think you can afford it at the moment.
Take Action on Your Commercial Roof
Commercial maintenance planning for your roof needs to begin with action. The more you wait, put off an inspection, and such for another year, the higher the risk of running into trouble with the need for major repairs. When you take action early, you’ll be in a better position to be on top of your roof, figuratively, and keep up with the minor repairs as they arise.
If you want to start doing commercial maintenance planning, reach out to our team of professionals at Canga Restoration in Schaumburg, IL. All you have to do to get in contact with us is to give us a call at 603-912-2635. When you get on the phone with one of our professionals, we can work with you to begin to map out a commercial roof maintenance plan and execute it in short order. Call us today to schedule an estimate with our team to determine the best plan for your structure.
