A roof provides you with protection from the elements, enhances the aesthetic appeal of your premises, and is a helpful tool in reducing energy costs – what business owners wouldn’t want to properly care for their roof?
For those who have never had to deal with maintaining a commercial building before, this can be a daunting task. From a roof walkway system to leak inspection, here are 4 maintenance tips to keep in mind to make sure your roof sticks around for as long as your business does.
1. Look Out for Leaks
A leak – no matter how small and seemingly insignificant – can wreak utter havoc on a commercial roof when unnoticed or untreated. Far from just a mere inconvenience, leaks can cause an array of problems including:
- Water damage to your roof and in turn your ceiling, flooring and anything stored or kept inside the premises
- Mould contamination can pose a huge risk to the health and safety of all workers, tenants, or clients under the same roof
- The compromised structural integrity of the roof which in turn impacts the structural integrity of the entire building
- Damage to your electrical systems can lead to the short-circuiting of appliances, electrical fires and shock hazards
All of the above can have detrimental effects on your business and your bottom line. This is why it’s of the utmost importance to constantly look out for leaks so that the repairs can be actioned immediately.
2. Keep It Clean
As is the case with any area in or outside of your building, your roof needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. Generally speaking, a roof should be cleaned one to two times per year, but this number depends on the type of roof you have as well as its age, condition and exposure to harsh elements.
By not cleaning your roof you are not only creating an eyesore for your clients and competitors to gawk at, but you’re also shortening your roof’s overall lifespan. A dirty roof doesn’t just look bad, but it can have surprisingly severe consequences.
The biggest consequence of not cleaning your roof is the build-up of dust, dirt, and debris. This build-up can easily result in the formation of cracks, clogs, rot, mould, and algae.
With the help of a ladder or a roof walkway system and the correct supplies, you can carry out the all-important roof clean yourself or task your maintenance manager with handling it. Alternatively, you can call in professional roof cleaners.
3. Walk on Walkways
Regular inspections are the single most important aspect of properly maintaining a roof. After all, without a professional roof inspection, you may not be able to detect any issues and rectify and repair them in time.
Roof inspections should take place on a bi-annual basis, preferably before and after winter. To ensure the safety of yourself and any contractors you entrust to carry out inspections and maintenance, roof walkways are non-negotiable.
A roof walkway system provides anyone working at height with safe passage while also preventing any damage from occurring to your roof while it’s being worked on. If a contractor tries to conduct any repairs without using roof walkways, you should consider hiring someone else.
4. Watch The Weather
Your roof is the physical barrier that protects your business and its contents from the elements. Being the first – and often only –line of defence means that it can and will sustain damage while doing its job. That’s why you should always keep an eye on the weather. We don’t feel the impacts of bad weather as our roofs shield us from them. If you know your roof is not in good condition and intense weather conditions are forecast, get your repairs actioned immediately.
While prevention is always better than cure, performing a thorough check after a particularly bad bout of bad weather is also recommended. You should always perform a roof inspection straight after:
- High winds
- Intense heatwaves
- Heavy rains
- Hailstorms
- Rainstorms
- Snowfall
If you’re a hands-on business owner who isn’t afraid of heights, a roof walkway system will enable you to perform self-checks after every unfavourable weather event. If you’re not comfortable working at height, rather leave these checks to the professionals.
Conclusion
Whenever things are difficult in life and business, one of the things that well-meaning people tend to say in way of support is “At least you’ve got a roof over your head”. And, though it’s a bit cliché, it’s completely true.
That’s why it’s so important to keep your business’s roof in tip-top shape. Keep the tips you learned today in mind and caring for your roof will be a pleasure, every shingle time.