As the seasons shift to the winter months, it makes sense for estates managers to consider their roofing systems and ensure they are in good working order as part of their overall estates ‘health check’ assessments.
The roof is an integral part of the building’s protective envelope, where it must be designed to keep the weather out and maintain a stable internal temperature. It also has many secondary functions, including aiding fire protection, structural rigidity, and constructional support for other services like air conditioning units, ducting, and insulations.
Waterproofing Performance
Many factors can affect the performance of a roof system over time, including wear and tear, ageing, temperature changes, poor quality installation and exposure to the elements. These roofing issues can lead to changes in appearance and defects, such as splits or cracks forming on the roof’s surface. Other signs include damaged flashings or sealants and penetrations around areas where plant equipment has been mounted.
Regular pitched and flat roof inspections and maintenance help your roofing systems perform at their best for longer; taking care of your buildings will continue to ensure that the occupants have a safe and comfortable environment for years to come.
Roof Survey Benefits
A commercial roof inspection and roof condition survey are essential to any organisation’s proactive approach to asset management. From the outset, it is crucial to remember that a survey’s purpose isn’t just to identify the condition of a specific building’s roof but to act as a gauge for the overall health and maintenance programmes for your entire estate. By carrying out a roof condition survey, you identify any potential causes of degradation and potentially head off a costly repair or restoration bill in the future.
At Garland UK, we strongly recommend that all commercial estates conduct a comprehensive survey of their facilities annually to help safeguard their future.
Roof condition surveys are one of the most common techniques used by facilities management teams to identify unexpected building problems. Surveyors can visually check parts of the roof structure, including tiles, flashings and roof lights, for damages and defects using simple tools.
Significant Cost Savings
Preventative maintenance allows for any remedial work to be planned well before failure occurs. Making budgeting easier and it will save you money. Unplanned maintenance costs 3 to 9 times more than planned maintenance.
Prolonging the life cycle of your roofing system through preventative maintenance can save up to 50% over the life of a 30-year roof compared to replacing it every 15-20 years. Not only that, but the cost of repairs is deductible from your taxable profits.
Failure to properly maintain your roof will almost certainly result in significantly higher costs over the life of the building and may well lead to premature failure. Worse still, failures of the roofing system that result from a lack of maintenance may not be covered under your current roofing systems guarantee.
The Process
Start by reviewing the performance and condition of your building’s envelope. If there are signs of damp or water ingress, then some remedial/ maintenance work could be required. This could include repairs, re-roofing or possibly even a complete replacement, depending on the severity of the damage.
A typical roof condition survey begins with assessing your building requirements and challenges. Once on-site, a thorough roof condition examination will be underway to investigate any roof defects, locating any areas of water ingress or system issues.
U-Value calculations will help identify the building’s operational thermal performance, and carrying out a core sample will determine the roof’s existing build-up and condition under the surface. Once the roof has been evaluated, a thorough condition report outlining the technical analysis and findings from the site visit will be provided, with a tailored selection of solutions to remedy any issues.
To ensure your roof receives the best possible service and expertise, we recommend choosing a reputable and experienced roofing partner to conduct the survey, preferably accredited by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC).
Ben Whitemore, Technical Product Manager at Garland UK, adds, “Identifying a defective roof can be challenging, especially when the source of a building’s leaks can be completely untraceable to the naked eye. We always recommend regular checks on your roof with our Technical Managers to ensure it stays in optimum condition, year after year.”
For further roof survey information, please visit www.garlanduk.com
