Annual Roofing Maintenance and Your Checkbook

Facing economic pressure and amidst a great deal of uncertainty, it has become necessary for building managers and owners to begin to wisely spend and manage their assets soundly. The goal is to reach maximum roof service life with the lowest possible cost. Roof maintenance, for this reason, has never been more important. Many times homeowners deal with their roofs with an ‘out of sight, out of mind” mentality, and this can prove to be very dangerous. It is also considered by many to be a poor way to manage your assets. Time and time again, building managers and owners alike have by spurned by premature roof failure. The second water begins to leak into a building, everything you care about suddenly becomes in danger. Your roof is more important than you know.

We consistently believe, when it comes to roofing, that if the roof does not have a leak then there is no problem and we don’t need to bother with the roof. Unfortunately, this is not how the real world works. Take into consideration these facts:

• As much, if not more than 80 percent of roofs will need to be replaced prematurely.
• The average cost for a building owner to be spent on roofing over the life of a building is over $127,000.
• A new commercial roof will set you back about $42,000 (10,000 square foot average)
• The total cost of maintenance, restoration and repairs is thousands of dollars less than a full roof replacement.
• You can deduct roof maintenance programs from your taxes.
• Roof maintenance programs cost between one to three percent each year of the total costs for replacement.
• The same programs could save you nearly 50 percent over a 30 year lifespan compared to every 15 years having to replace it.
• Leaks can be sneaky. They can exist up to months before there are signs on the inside of the building.

It’s something to think about. If a building owner has a bad roof from the very start then often the situation deteriorates quickly, often giving owners and managers fits. Let’s say you are beginning with a pretty good roof installation as part of a tear-off or construction process. You immediate goal should be to have a preventative program in place to make sure the roof lasted as long as it possibly could. Do not pass up an opportunity to add to the lifespan of your roof. It is your responsibility to maintain your roof. Many times it is a requirement in roofing manufacturers warranties. And most times you No Dollar Limit warranty does not cover issue that are related to maintenance. For instance, say water clogged up in a drain filled with leaves, your impending service call could cost you upwards of $300. Just ask around. Most roofing contractors in Glendale, residential or commercial, offer maintenance programs and services. It would be wise to look around for companies that offer completely separate, dedicated divisions to maintenance. And make sure they are staffed by some of their most capable and qualified individuals. The most basic version of a maintenance program should go as follows:

• A visual inspection of the roof accompanied by a 50 point inspection performed on site.
• Documentation of the conditions on the roof. Photographic, and/or written.
• A quote for the work they propose is needed.
• Minor repairs for improper conditions.
• Routine maintenance as needed.

 
Peter Kalinger, the technical director of a Roofing Contractors Association says, “As long as the cost of maintenance is less than 1.6 percent of the initial cost of the new roof, the cost of the maintained roof—on an annual basis—will be less than the unmaintained roof.” These programs are available for existing roofs after an intense inspection is made by the Arizona roofer providing the roof repair in Glendale. Dan Rheaume of Raynproof Roofing says “Based on a 15-year industry study, a proactive maintenance program lowered the average life-cycle cost of a roof to $0.14 per square foot.”

When the contractor is only called after a problem is detected is referred to as a “reactive” maintenance program. This is projected by experts to cost around $0.25 per square foot. Lastly, the study shows if you are running a proactive maintenance program you stand to have your roof last you about 21 years on average, compared with just 13 years for people running a reactive program.

So if you’re planning on repairing or replacing your Arizona roof, count on the professionals at Arizona Native Roofing. We have the experience to get the job done right. Contact us today for your free consultation.

Written By:
Jason Swim – Owner

Category: Roofing
Genre: Home Repair