Baskets of savings! Get proactive with roof maintenance by following these 6 tips.

As we mark “March Madness” season in college basketball it’s relevant to bring up one of the many inspirational quotes by legendary UCCLA coach John Wooden, who might have been talking about roofing maintenance when he famously said, “Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.”

Plugging leaks on a commercial roof in a reactionary mode not only costs more, but it never gets you ahead of the game. By simply performing semi-annual inspections and incorporating disciplined preventative maintenance practices, you’ll save money AND make your roof last longer.

How much so? The proof is in the numbers:

• Reactive-only maintenance costs an average of $.25/foot annually
• Proactive maintenance costs an average of $.14/foot annually
• 13 years is the average lifespan for a reactive-only maintained roof
• 21 years is the average lifespan for a proactively maintained roof

Spring is an ideal time to schedule a roof inspection. Fresh off the change in temperatures, heavy precipitation and likely several freeze-and-thaw cycles, your roof would benefit from a thorough analysis by a trained, experienced technician.

Following the inspection, make it a practice to incorporate regular, routine housekeeping measures to keep up the momentum and stay proactive about your roof’s maintenance. Best practices include:

• Remove debris like leaves, sticks and garbage so they don’t cause a backup in the drains.
• Make sure contractors who have cause to be on the roof – window washers, HVAC, plumbers and electricians – are being escorted to proper areas and are utilizing walkways as opposed to dragging their equipment and potentially damaging the roof.
• Verify that mechanical equipment and doors are tight and shut.
• Check condensation lines to ensure they are flowing and firmly connected.
• Inspect the portable hangers – where conduit and pipes sit and are connected on the roof – and make sure they are in place.
• Check for coping (metal flashing) that’s missing. Don’t ignore holes in the roof or vegetation growing on the corner of the building.

Contact Simon Roofing to help set you up for a winning proactive roof maintenance plan. You can count on us, and you can count on the savings.