One of the responsibilities of a commercial property owner or manager is anticipating the maintenance needs of the most important part of the building: the roof. This means you need to prepare a solid roof management plan. To get you started, local roofing and replacement windows contractor Hinkle Roofing shares these questions you have to ask yourself while creating your roof management plan.
What is the building’s purpose?
Commercial roofs come in all shapes and sizes, each with their unique set of requirements. The roof of an office building is very different from that of a warehouse’s, therefore they have different maintenance requirements. Also, consider the property’s hours of operation because you’ll have to schedule your maintenance appointments around them. It will be more difficult to set up roofing inspections if your tenants operate 24 hours a day, easier if the building is occupied during office hours.
What is your general approach to roofing maintenance?
Ask yourself: do you wait for leaks to happen before you call for repairs? Or do you take the preventive approach and regularly inspect your roof? Of course the latter is ideal, but only if you can spare the time or delegate this task to someone from your team. If neither is an option, ask your commercial roofer if they offer maintenance agreements, which basically pre-books roofing maintenance appointments over your roof’s service life. This will help ensure that your roof receives proper care and maintenance, as well as eliminates the frustration of searching online for “roofers near me” at the last minute.
Do you keep roof maintenance records?
Make it a practice to keep a file that contains all roofing maintenance records, past and present. Historical records are important for building performance analysis, which can help determine the building’s structural integrity and inform decisions such as whether or not the roof has to be rebuilt.
Are you planning on making changes to the property?
Changes to the building structure and utilities can affect the roof. A new HVAC system, for example, may require new vents and air conditioning condenser units. This means additional penetrations on the roof that will need flashing. You will also need to inspect such changes after they’re done to make sure that the roof is free from damage caused by debris or foot traffic.
Searching online for “commercial roofing contractors near me?” Call Hinkle Roofing at (205) 964-9677. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.
