Roofs, in general, take a lot of beating, but commercial ones are more susceptible to the rigors of Nature. Flat roofing systems lack a steep pitch to drain water, snow, and debris efficiently.
For this reason, commercial roofs rely more on preventative maintenance than their residential counterparts for longevity. And yet, many property managers are guilty of paying less attention to upkeep.
Do not make this mistake. It is imperative to seek commercial flat roofing service periodically, or else you might contend with these otherwise avoidable headaches:
Accelerated Wear
Preventive maintenance allows a qualified crew of roofers to spot signs of structural damage early. Detecting roof problems at their infancy is crucial, for they can quickly worsen without immediate professional intervention.
Furthermore, one issue can compound another. For instance, old frames can become much weaker because of a leak caused by a damaged single-ply membrane.
Many property managers choose a designated staffer to perform a cursory inspection now and then, especially after bad weather. This strategy is effective because roof problems can present themselves at any time.
However, a non-pro does not have the trained eye to uncover rather obscure causes for concern. Scheduled evaluations let experienced inspectors to thoroughly check your commercial roof’s most vulnerable areas and determine every red flag of damage.
Unscheduled Downtime
Problems undetected are problems unaddressed. A leak can develop at the worst possible time and can bring your operations to a halt. Unexpected downtime can hurt your company, irrespective of the nature of your business, in numerous ways.
Preventive maintenance will keep the chances of leakages to a minimum. You might still need to stop any business activity during a thorough commercial roof inspection, but at least you can schedule it when it is least disruptive.
Interior Water Damage
Water intrusion can ruin the contents of your building. If you have expensive pieces of machinery inside, one leak could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
The worst part is that your insurance company might decide to reject your claim. Even if water damage is part of your policy’s coverage, your insurer can justify the denial if you did not take every measure to prevent the leakage. Yes, you might be left high and dry just because you defer roof maintenance.
Unquestionable Liability
Accidents happen, and someone usually has to take the blame. When a person, be it an employee, a guest, or a customer, suffers an injury inside your building due to a leak, your organization can be sued and forced to pay a fortune in damages.
Beyond the financial side of such an incident, imagine the bad press your company might get because of it. The consequences of careless deferred roof maintenance are destructive for public relations, and it might take a while to repair the damage to your brand.
Roof maintenance matters, but it is always better to be preventive than to be reactive. Take regular roof inspection seriously to keep your building as well as everyone and everything inside safe from the elements.
