Whether you replaced your entire commercial flat roof or you’ve had some repairs done… your commercial roof maintenance does not stop there. It’s important to keep your roof on top of mind to keep it functioning overhead.
“A commercial roof is not set it and forget it…” says Jack Moore, President/CEO of West Roofing Systems, “most people have their windows cleaned regularly but don’t pay attention to their commercial roof, when your roof is arguably one of the most important things to keep maintained in your facility.”
With over 38 years of commercial roofing experience and a dedicated service team to visit and maintain our customers’ commercial roofs, West Roofing Systems knows the importance of proper preventative maintenance, and we want to share with you how to extend the life of your roof by years.
What is a Flat Roof Maintenance Plan?
A maintenance plan for a commercial flat roof is a program facilitated by a commercial roofing contractor to perform regular inspections, cleaning, and maintenance of a commercial roof to prevent more severe damage from occurring.
A maintenance plan or contract is an easy way for building owners and managers to ensure their commercial roof remains under warranty and in excellent condition while staying within their budget.
There are three main types of maintenance contract options:
- A contract that requires the contractor to visit the facility regularly for gutter and drain cleaning along with a visual inspection and report.
- A contract that requires gutter and drains cleaning, debris removal, along with a visual inspection, small general repairs, and a report.
- A contract that requires gutter and drains cleaning, debris removal, along with a full inspection, medium general repairs, roof survey and a report.
A maintenance contract is the best way to keep your facility in working order while holding your contractor accountable for the performance of their work.
Why Are Flat Roof Maintenance Plans Important?
As the person in charge of your facility, it’s your responsibility to maintain your roof system. If you fail to have your roof regularly inspected, cleaned and repaired, you may void your warranty when a leak comes through into your facility, potentially costing you a lot of money.
Read More: Commercial Roof Warranties: Which is Best for Your Facility?
An average roof warranty requires at least one roof inspection to be performed a year by an authorized contractor. This requirement is beneficial for the property owner and the company that issues the warranty. During the yearly inspection, the inspector will check for not only current problems but areas that could turn into problems in the future. This allows repairs to be made before they grow larger and become costly.
Read More: Do I Need a Commercial Roof Inspection or Survey?
A good maintenance plan will go a step further; they will clean your gutters, mend your flashings and perform minor repairs for the cost of the program. Having a service team visit your roof regularly not only gives you peace of mind, but it expands your roof’s lifespan and keeps you within your warranty guidelines.
How to Get Started with a Maintenance Plan
When looking for a company to run your facility’s roof maintenance plan, take the time to hire someone that you trust, and that has a proven record of reliability.
In most cases, you will continue with your original roofing contractor that installed your commercial roof. But when you need a new contractor, it’s important to ask a lot of questions and to vet your contractor thoroughly.
Free Download: Contractor Quote Checklist
Here is a short list of things to consider when hiring a roofing contractor for your maintenance plan:
- Communication: You want to hire a company that keeps the lines of communication open with you and your team. In addition to keeping you and your team updated, proper documentation of all repairs being performed on your roof through photos, videos, and You want to make sure that you have a way to contact them in the event of an emergency.
- Services: In addition to regular inspections, you want your maintenance plan to include cleaning your gutters and roof, along with removing debris and other items that can cause damage.
- Warranty Adherence: If your original contractor is supporting your roof maintenance program, they should be aware of your roof warranty guidelines. If you hire a different contractor, you want to make sure that they understand the importance and can perform work that complies with your roof warranty.
- Safety: If someone is performing work at your facility, you want to ensure that you hire someone who has a solid safety background. You can search the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website for safety complaints and violations.
- Reviews and Reputation: Some of the best places to learn about a company or contractor is from others in your situation. Review websites such as Google, Yelp, and BBB are great places to learn about reputable contractors from their past customers.
Read More: Roofing Contractor Warning Signs: 4 Red Flags of a Disreputable Contractor
Setting Your Expectations for a Roof Maintenance Plan
Every professional roofing company is different in how they handle their maintenance plans. But here are some things you should expect when setting up a flat roof maintenance plan:
Set Your Budget
It’s important to set a realistic budget ahead of time. You want a maintenance program that will last all year, and you still want to have money in your budget in case of a roofing emergency. There are a few aspects of your program that can change your budget:
- Reputation and reliability of your contractor
- How often your contractor visits your facility
- Services performed at your facility
- Where your facility is located
- Size of your facility
Choose Your Services
Depending on your budget, you may have a choice in the
Before West Roofing Systems Maintenance
services performed at your facility. It’s important to know what your contractor offers and what your facility needs that most.
Depending on what your contractor offers, you can choose from:
- Roof Surveys
- Visual Inspections
- Gutter and Drain Cleaning
- Debris Removal
- Small General Repairs
- Roof Status Reports
Agree on a Schedule
The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) recommends maintenance and repair be performed at least twice a year.
In addition to scheduled maintenance twice a year, it’s essential to have a contractor inspect and perform needed repairs after severe weather such as high winds, hail, and severe storms. These inspections are to clear the roof of any debris such as metal from HVAC units or other penetrations and ensure that there is no damage to the roof system, flashings, copings, and other units.
West Roofing Systems’ M.a.R.S. Program
At West Roofing Systems, we take pride in the new roofs we install and the maintenance we provide for our customers and their commercial, industrial and manufacturing buildings. Our M.a.R.S. (Maintenance and Repair Service) Program is available for new and existing roof systems.
Regardless of roof type or condition, whether or not West Roofing Systems installed it, we can provide maintenance and repair services for all of your roofing needs promptly.
The M.a.R.S. Program offers three levels to fit your budget and roofing needs:
Level 1
- Visual Roof Inspection
- Cleaning of Drain Baskets and Gutters
- Roof Inspection Report
Click to view our brochure
Level 2
All from Level 1 plus…
- Debris Removal
- Small General Repairs Performed
- Inspection Report for Larger Repairs
- All Seams & Flashings of Roof Top Units Inspected
- Leak Guarantee of no more than three visits
Level 3
All from Level 2 plus…
- All Visual Repairs Performed
- Completed Roof Inspection Report with New Roof Cost
- CAD Drawing of Roof
- All Seams & Flashings on Roof Inspected
- Infrared Roof Survey
- Leak Guarantee of no more than five visits
If you are looking for maintenance, repair or replacement of your facilities roof, fill out our quote request form for your free no-obligation commercial roof quote from our team of experts.
Choosing West Roofing Systems as a turnkey roofing company will provide you with highly trained teams and award-winning service. Our services are flexible and diverse; we can recoat, repair or replace your facility’s roof so that it lasts decades.
