Regular maintenance is just a part of life. Every three months or so, you get your car’s oil changed. Every year in the fall, you have your furnace inspected. Your commercial building’s roofing system is no different!
Regular inspections help detect roof issues early and are a cost-effective way to extend the life of your roof. So, is there an ideal time for building owners to get their roof inspected? Let’s find out!
Why are Roof Inspections So Important?
Roof inspections are so critical because they help to uncover small problems in a commercial roofing system before they progress and become large-scale issues. For example, prolonged water damage on the roof surface will degrade the roofing material until a leak forms – and a small roof leak won’t stay small or heal on its own. It will continue to grow until it starts to affect the interior of your building. That means mildew, mold, and interior water damage. Waiting only makes repairs even more expensive!
With regular inspections, however, you can keep tabs on your roof’s overall condition and schedule roof maintenance when necessary.
The Best Time of Year for A Commercial Roof Inspection
Ideally, you should have inspections performed twice a year at regular intervals. Keeping that in mind, it’s also good practice to have your roof inspected if your area experiences a severe weather event.
Spring Roof Inspection
The first roof inspection of the year should be sometime in late spring, after spring storms have passed. The winter months can be tough on your commercial roof, with ice, the freeze/thaw cycle and snow loads taking their toll.
An inspection will reveal if harsh winter weather has damaged the seams of your roofing material and created spots where water can infiltrate. An inspection will also check to see if fall leaves have blocked drains (which can lead to water ponding on a flat roof). Snow and ice can also damage your downspouts and gutters, so the roof inspector will examine these, as well.
Spring is also a great time for a roof inspection because summer is a busy time for roofing companies. Scheduling early means beating the summer rush!
Fall Roof Inspection
Summer brings different weather conditions that can also present problems for your commercial roof, so an inspection in the fall is also a good idea.
In some areas of the country, heavy rains are common during the summer months. If water gets trapped under your roof membrane, the summer heat will cause the water to evaporate, creating bubbles. These bubbles cause the top layer of material to separate from the lower layers, which leads to roof damage and degradation, as well as compromising insulation.
Additionally, a fall inspection helps prepare your roof for harsh winter conditions (like mentioned above) so that you can prevent problems from occurring during a time of year that can make repair or replacement more difficult.
Inspection After Severe Weather
If your commercial building is located in an area that experiences regular severe weather events, such as tornadoes or hurricanes, you should have your roof inspected as soon as possible after the event. While it may seem that your building escaped undamaged, that may not actually be the case. Only a trained roofing professional will be able to tell for sure.
For example, high winds could have pulled up some of the roofing material or destroyed the fasteners. Branches or other airborne debris may have punctured a hole in the roof surface. Fixing these problems immediately drastically extends the lifespan of your commercial roof.
It’s important to note that you should beware of so-called “roofing contractors” that stop at your business and offer to do a roof inspection for a fee after severe weather. These are likely to be scam artists with little roofing experience looking to make a quick profit. Always contact a professional, well-regarded roofing company to perform your roof inspections.
Maintain Your Roof Warranty
In some cases, certain materials used in the commercial roofing industry may have their warranties voided if the material was not maintained. If you have a new roof installed, always make note of the manufacturer’s warranty information, because it may stipulate how frequently the roof needs to be inspected in order to keep the warranty intact.
Roof Asset Management
If you’re having trouble remembering to schedule regular inspections, consider a Roof Asset Management Program, like the one available from TEMA Roofing Services. A roof asset management program gathers all of your commercial roof’s data into one convenient location that is accessible from any computer or device you choose.
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, you can access your commercial roof’s information and find out if you’re due for an inspection. All of your roof’s materials, as well as repair and inspection history is stored and categorized in a cloud-based system. You’ll never be in the dark or caught off guard about your roof’s status.
Let TEMA Take a Look at Your Commercial Roof
If you’ve never had a roof inspection, then the best time of year for a commercial roof inspection is right now! Enlist the help of TEMA Roofing Services and we’ll perform a thorough assessment of your roof, skylights, drainage systems and even your roof-mounted HVAC units (to make sure they are all in good condition), along with a free estimate of any roof repairs needed. With over 70 years of combined experience in the commercial roofing industry, TEMA is your roofing partner for the lifetime of your business. Contact the roofing professionals at TEMA today!
