Preventive Maintenance and Inspection of Your Roof

Preventive Maintenance of Your Roof

A well-planned, organized, and executed maintenance program ensures the long-term performance of roofs.

Ideally, the preventive maintenance program should be considered during the design phase and incorporated into the integrated roof management system.

It should identify areas where the roof covering may fail in the short, medium, or long term due to stresses caused by building use. This program can also take into account historical data from similar roofs.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER

For example, depending on the expected traffic on the roof once the building is in service, the advantage that a protected membrane roof offers in terms of protection compared to a traditional roof may be offset by the fact that inspecting and repairing the membrane is more difficult.

At the same time, the main strength of a preventive maintenance program lies in the frequency and quality of inspections, as well as in the level of perception and ingenuity involved in interpreting the results of these inspections.

ROOF INSPECTION

In an ideal scenario, an annual roof inspection would be recommended in order to better monitor the condition of the roof and intervene early to limit potential issues.

Part of the inspection method requires dividing the roof into zones or drainage basins defined by control or separation joints.

The evaluation strategy is an important feature of roof maintenance. Before an inspection report can be used to establish maintenance priorities, it is necessary to determine which elements within each basin need to be assessed and how the performance of these elements can be measured.

COMPONENTS AND PERFORMANCE

The main components should be evaluated separately:

• Membrane, Drainage, Metal flashings, Water infiltrations.

Their performance level should be assessed as follows:

• Overall ability to fulfill their functions
• Type and severity of imperfections
• Extent of repairs required
• Costs incurred

A comprehensive evaluation of the roof can then be carried out, both basin by basin and as a whole. Budget estimates can be prepared.

A detailed report is provided to the owner, including photos and roof plans. A forecast plan for roof replacement is also produced, enabling the owner to plan budgets accordingly.

In conclusion, a well-structured maintenance strategy and an integrated roof management system will help maximize the roof’s lifespan.