Eight Money-Saving Roof Maintenance Steps

By Unicoat Roofing / Published April 2024

When it comes to building maintenance, property managers don’t often think much about the roof. Unfortunately, the roofing system is out of sight, out of mind until there is damage or some other problem that sounds the alarm about a needed repair—or worse, the roof needs replacement. A building’s roof wasn’t cheap to install and will likely be even more expensive to replace. With that in mind, here is a brief guide on ensuring your roof is maintained correctly to avoid an unexpected and overwhelming business expense. This article provides eight roof maintenance best practices guaranteed to help you limit unexpected expenses and ultimately extend the life of your roof. 

Photo courtesy of Unicoat

Save Your Roof in Eight Easy Steps

1. Take the time to inspect your roof monthly or quarterly, as well as after severe weather. A property manager deals with many distractions and responsibilities on a daily basis, and it can be easy to put off routine roof inspections. But the best way to avoid costly repairs is to catch a problem when it first manifests so that you can deal with it before it expands or spreads.
2. Repair minor cracks or unsealed areas before heavy rain can penetrate the structure. Even the smallest amount of water intrusion can cause significant damage over time, so sealing up any breaches early on is the best course of action. Many regions experience less precipitation during certain times of the year, making those times a window of opportunity to fix cracks or fissures without the risk of bad weather.
3. Limit who walks along your roof. Property owners often don’t realize just how damaging foot traffic can be to the roof’s surface. It is important to limit foot traffic on the roof to essential employees or contractors and to designate traffic patterns to minimize the risk of unintentional damage.
4. Identify and get to know reputable roofing contractors in your area. The best course of action is to form a relationship with a professional roofing contractor who is familiar with your roof, performs routine inspections and maintenance, and can be called in the case of an emergency. In areas prone to severe weather, having a maintenance contract with your roofing contractor can ensure your company is at the front of the line after a regional event.
5. Seek out the sources of any wet insulation or watermarks. You have a leak if you notice that insulation is moist or matted down or there are water stains on interior ceilings, walls, or framing. It is essential to identify the source of the leak as soon as possible and have those leaks repaired before mold or infestation can wreak havoc on your building. These scenarios can also be detrimental to the building’s energy efficiency.
6. Investigate options for roof restoration to determine if there are more affordable methods to extend the life of your roof. We often cite the fact that experts believe that most roof replacements were performed prematurely; that is, there were easier ways to fix and extend the roof’s usefulness. Roof coatings are an excellent option for many commercial building owners. Roof coatings affordably address the issues and can extend the life of the roof for decades.
7. Consider ways to lower energy costs over time. Roof coatings are also excellent for cooling the roof’s surface and saving on utility costs while making the roof watertight and protecting the structure.
8. Familiarize yourself with your roof warranty, including all terms, conditions, and exclusions. It is essential to understand what repairs and replacements are covered under your warranties and which are not so that you do not make purchases and expenditures unnecessarily.

Unicoat Industrial Roofing

     Unicoat Industrial Roofing is a trusted contractor specializing in extending the life of your roof with various roof coating solutions. If you are looking for ways to maximize your budget and the life of your roof, call today to learn more about our services. For more information, call 800-510-7661 or visit www.unicoatroof.com.