Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Using Preventative Maintenance to Extend the Life of Your Commercial Roofing


An investment in a commercial building has several dynamics. Not only are buyers relying on earning rental income, they are investing in the structure itself. The roof of the building is an important component and commercial roofing contractors recommend a preventative approach to maintenance in order to extend its life.
Why Preventative Maintenance Is Important
To ensure that a commercial building is protected against wind, rain, ice, snow, and other weather conditions, its roof must be cared for and maintained. It can be very expensive to replace a commercial roof and preventative maintenance decreases the chance that this will be required. Commercial building owners should find a qualified contractor experienced with commercial roof installations. This professional will provide a maintenance service program designed to extend the life of the roof and ensure the property owner does not create unnecessary costs in regard to repair bills.
Preventative maintenance can double the life of the roof system, deferring capital expenses. It helps prevent the frequency and severity of leaks, trapped moisture, and growth of mold, which can threaten rental income due to dissatisfied tenants and unhealthy or unsafe working conditions. Regular maintenance also helps maintain the shingle warranty.
Preventative Maintenance for a Commercial Roof
An annual inspection is the minimum amount of maintenance required for a commercial roof. Lack of inspection and maintenance are primary contributors to roof failure. A periodic visual inspection of the roof identifies deficiencies. The roofer points these issues out to the commercial customer and recommends a method to address each one. It costs much less for an annual inspection and periodic repairs than it does to replace the roof or even a section of it before necessary.
During the inspection, the roofer looks for signs of wear and shingles that are loose, cracked, curled, or missing. Penetrations of the roof deck or shingle layer are also identified. Flashing can be a problem with commercial as well as residential roofs so it is inspected to ensure that it is properly sealed. If the building has a gutter system, this will also be inspected to identify whether repair or replacement is needed.
Investors in commercial buildings often take a life cycle approach to components including the commercial roofing system. Maximizing the service life of the roof and realizing the potential of life cycle costing is important to them. A preventative maintenance program for the property helps achieve these goals and requires no effort on the part of the investor.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7205352

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