Commercial roofs should be inspected twice yearly — in the spring and the fall. During an inspection, a roofer looks for signs that your roof is in need of repairs and recommends routine maintenance, like cleanings.
As a commercial building owner, you may wonder if you really need to have your roof inspected and maintained, or if it is something that just wastes time and money. The following are a few of the reasons why maintaining a commercial roof is so important.
Routine Maintenance Helps Extend the Life of Your Roof
Commercial roofing is not cheap to install. As such, you likely want your roof to last as long as possible. One of the top ways to extend the life of your roofing is to have your roof routinely inspected and maintained.
When your roof is routinely inspected, minor problems are caught when they are still in their early stages. This means the problems can be corrected before they cause damage which can shorten the life of the roof. And regular maintenance, such as sealing roofs or cleaning them, also helps prevent damage that can shorten the life of the roof.
Commercial roofs that are properly maintained last an average of 21 years, compared to just an average of 13 years for commercial roofs that are not.
Maintenance Helps Minimize Repair Costs
Maintaining a commercial building does add up. But maintenance work can help reduce the costs associated with repairs, including those to your roof.
Think about maintaining your car for a minute. A car needs to have the oil changed. If you fail to do this, you can develop engine problems that are significantly more expensive to repair than the costs of the routine oil changes.
The same is true of a roof. If you fail to have your roof inspected or maintained, you can develop costly roofing problems, such as decking problems or leaks, which could have been prevented with routine maintenance.
It is estimated that those who have routine maintenance done on their roof spend an average of $0.14 per square foot of commercial roofing annually. Those who skip maintenance and only make repairs when they become obvious spend an average of $0.25 per square foot of commercial roofing annually.
Routine Maintenance Minimizes Your Liability
As a commercial building owner, you are required to maintain your commercial roof. If you fail to do so, you can be held liable in a number of ways.
Your commercial building insurance policy requires that you keep your roof properly maintained. If you don't, your insurance can deny your claim. For example, if heavy rains leak through the roof of your building, they may argue that the rain wouldn't have seeped in if your roof was maintained and deny the claim.
You can also be held liable if your negligence causes damage to your tenant's property. As such, if you fail to maintain the roof and it leaks, any tenants you are leasing space to in your commercial building may turn to you if their computer equipment or inventory is damaged.
Lastly, you can be held liable if someone is injured on your property. Roofing materials that are not in good condition are more likely to fly off or fall when it is windy or rainy. If these items hit someone walking into your building or someone trips and falls over the fallen debris, they can sue you for their injuries.
Maintaining your roof helps you avoid these scenarios, minimizing your exposure to these liabilities.
Has it been six months or longer since you last had your commercial roof inspected? If so, now is the perfect time to schedule your next roof inspection. If you are in the greater St. Louis area, Bartch Roofing Company can help you with all of your commercial roofing needs. Call us today to schedule your appointment.
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