October 23, 2015
Is it possible to extend the life of a roof?
When you consider a standard roof, you expect it to last, 20, 35, or even 50 years depending on the materials used. But because the roof is your building’s primary line of defence when it comes to fending off the elements, it is constantly exposed to a wide range of harsh weather conditions year round, and this can eventually take its toll.
Cracks, leaks, and other kinds of roof damage can eventually become a serious problem that compromises the protection of your building. To avoid this and extend the service life of your roof, regular repair and maintenance is important.
Causes of roof failure
It is unfortunate that many roofs fail before they should, usually due to several factors including:
- Poor choice of materials
- Poor design
- Poor installation
- Natural causes
- Lack of maintenance
- Rooftop traffic
- Building component failure caused by incompatibility of components
- Man-made causes, like material defects or lack of proper and timely response to roof problems
Two components of extending roof life cycle
- Care and prevention
- Inspection and evaluation
Prolonging the life of your roof and increasing the return on investment (ROI) of your assets depends on many factors, including proper system selection and maintenance to provide long-term performance.
To optimise roof performance, it is critical that you understand how to maintain different roof systems and prevent damage that is unique to each system. Knowing how your specific roof system is affected over time, and what actions are necessary to prevent premature ageing, helps to eliminate many of the common issues that occur.
A regular roof inspection plan helps identify issues before they become costly problems. As part of the roof maintenance program, you can include evaluations to add value for resale, through among other things, repair and maintenance history.
How a good inspection and maintenance plan helps
An inspection helps you determine the right time for an intervention. Of course, the objective is to prolong the roof’s useful life while avoiding the disruption, material waste, and high cost associated with a complete tear-off and replacement.
Proactive roof maintenance can help detect early signs of failing roof components, like cracks and leaks, and allows you to mitigate these problems in a timely manner to help avoid expensive repairs and extend the service life of your roof.
Who should you call for assistance?
To develop the right maintenance and repair plan, you should hire a professional company that can address your roof’s specific needs within your budget, and works in all Canadian seasons. For more information, contact the Empire team today.
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