When managing multiple buildings causes your maintenance resources to be stretched, you need to make sure the most important things are prioritized. Since a building’s roof is such a major component of its structural integrity, maintaining it is a critical responsibility. That responsibility is multiplied when you have more than one facility to supervise, and the added complexity makes a uniform approach to maintaining your roofs essential. Roof maintenance planning empowers you to stay on top of your maintenance workload without overlooking any potential weaknesses in your roof systems.
The Value of a Roof Maintenance Plan
Roof maintenance planning provides multiple benefits, some physical, some financial, and some more intangible. The first and most obvious benefit of establishing a routine of roof maintenance is to support the ongoing strength and integrity of the roof system. Preventing damage and identifying defects in your roofs can keep your facilities safe and your business functioning normally.
The financial incentive for roof maintenance is easily illustrated: Simply compare predictable routine maintenance costs against large unplanned expenses caused by roof damage and failures. Finally, you can’t overlook the peace of mind that comes from having a plan that streamlines your maintenance workload and assures you and your superiors that the investment in your roof system is being protected.
Preventive and Scheduled Maintenance
Scheduled and preventive maintenance for each facility’s roof may seem like an unneeded addition to your total maintenance costs, but it is a very wise investment. Your roof maintenance plan should cover three things.
1. Money
Roof maintenance planning is ultimately a money saver, and it can help prevent large hits to your maintenance budget. Budgeting a reasonable amount for quarterly or annual roof upkeep is far easier than trying to guess what to set aside for major roof problems that may arise if you don’t do preventive maintenance.
2. Standard Tasks and Schedules
Having a plan that lays out which roof maintenance tasks are done and on what schedule allows you to standardize the methods used by your contractors or staff. This is an effective way to ensure that you are applying uniform criteria at every site.
3. Monitoring
The single most important aspect of your maintenance routine will be regular inspection of all the basic roof components. Inspection allows you to keep your roof supports, systems and surfaces in good shape from the start, and it also allows you to catch minor problems while they are at an easily corrected stage.
It’s especially important that your roof inspection takes into account the site’s location and environment, for example, making sure roofs are ready for heavy snowfall or high winds if those conditions apply to your region. If you oversee buildings located in separate regions with differing challenges, you’ll need to update your standardized maintenance checklist to make it relevant to the circumstances at hand.
Documenting Your Roof Work
Properly recording the dates and details of work done on your roof systems is always important, and it’s even more critical when you’re responsible for roofs on multiple buildings. Keeping track of things like which building and which sections of the roof were serviced is just the start. Having detailed notes about the problems addressed and the specifics of the work done will help you track costs and evaluate the quality of service provided.
It’s also important to accurately record the dates of service along with details of any warranty agreements, if only to avoid potential disputes with your roofing vendor if work needs to be repaired or repeated. The original plans and documentation for the initial design and installation of a roof system can also be necessary for maintenance or repair.
The value of avoiding costly problems combined with the opportunity to streamline your maintenance workload should make a roof maintenance plan a top priority. Call Benton Roofing today for advice on maintaining your facilities’ roof systems.