Roof Preventative Maintenance
Who should have maintenance on their roof?
Everyone! Regardless of roof type or condition, whether or not Placke Restoration Contractors installed it, we can provide maintenance and repair services to address all of a owner’s roofing needs promptly.
At Placke Restoration Contractors, we perform maintenance and repair for the following roof systems:
Metal
Single-Ply TPO
Single-Ply EPDM
Smooth BUR
Gravel BUR
Spray Polyurethane Foam
Silicone Coatings
Elastimeric Coatings
Slate & Tile
Asphalt Shingles
When should maintenance be performed on a commercial roof?
The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) recommends maintenance and repair be performed at least twice a year. More importantly before and after severe weather seasons such as a spring or winter in the Midwestern United States. These inspections are to clean the roof system of natural debris, clear all gutters and waterways, and assess vulnerable points in the roof system to ensure that there is no degradation that can leak in the future.
In addition to scheduled maintenance twice a year, it’s important 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 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.
From preventative maintenance to emergency repairs, our full service, in-house team is ready to help you with your roofing maintenance.
6 Basic Facts About Roof Maintenance
Flat roofs are ideal for large commercial buildings, industrial applications and residential low slopes. Unfortunately, these roofing types require more maintenance, more frequently. Here are five maintenance and inspection tips to keep your Missouri flat roof in tip-top shape.
Flat Roof Maintenance and Inspection Tips
1. Drains and scuppers
Clogged drain holes or side scuppers cause water to remain on a flat roof. Unless your building is single story and situated among trees, you can probably get away with cleaning drains a few times a year. A quick walk around the roof once a month will ensure this problem doesn’t develop.
2. Ponding Water
Random puddles on a roof indicate sagging and/or buckling. This can quickly become a problem with Missouri’s heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. If you notice this, you should schedule an inspection by our roofing professionals.
3. Post storm inspection
Storms in Missouri can be rough on roofs. Heavy wind-blown rain has a way of taking advantage of even minor roof weaknesses. We all know that we get hail about every year along with these storms. Up top, do a walk-around looking for obvious damage like separated flashings. Next, go inside and look for signs of leaks. This is a good time to identify and fix problems that are just beginning.
4. Flashing inspection
Roof flashings protect seams, which are the weakest point when it comes to developing leaks. Over time, flashing become loose for a variety of reasons, which allows water to enter and remain in the seams. Inspect these areas at least quarterly and pay special attention to the area around vents, skylights and other openings. Minor separations can be patched, but more serious flashing damage requires professional attention.
5. Area inspection
This is when you walk the entire roof looking for anything out of the ordinary. Check for holes and cracks, and if your roof is asphalt as most flat roofs are, keep an eye out for bubbles and blisters that often form in the hot, Missouri sun. All are indications of problems and must be patched immediately. Even the smallest entry point can cause considerable damage. If a problem is found, perform an interior inspection to ensure leaks haven’t formed.
6. pRODUCT wARRANTY
All roofing manufacturers require you do maintenance annually to keep your roof warranty. Most all Extended Roof Warranties require semi-annual inspections and maintenance. You spent a lot of money on the new roof, don’t let it not be covered under warranty by not taking good care of it.
Conclusion
Prevention is easier than correction. Schedule time each month to catch little problems before they become disasters. Commercial Roof Maintenance Contracts range in price from $0.05 - $.010 per square foot.
Call our office for a free assessment: (636) 333 - 2950
Commercial Roof Maintenance Contracts
Many material manufacturers have warranties that require a building owner to have inspections periodically, and maintenance performed regularly on their roofing systems. A maintenance contract is an easy way for building owners and managers to ensure their commercial roof remains under warranty and in good condition while staying in their budget.
A maintenance contract between a building owner/manager and contractor to have ongoing maintenance performed over the roof system’s lifecycle. There are three main types of maintenance contract options:
A contract that requires the contractors to visit the facility regularly for gutter and drain cleaning along with a visual inspection and report.
A contract that requires gutter and drain cleaning, debris removal, along with a visual inspection, small general repairs, and a report.
A contract that requires gutter and drain cleaning, debris removal, along with a full inspection, medium general repairs, roof survey and a report.
A maintenance contract is a great way to keep your facility in good shape while holding your contractor accountable for the performance of their work.
Flat Roof Cleaning
Autumn is always a good time to clean your flat roof as this is the season when the leaves fall from the trees. We gently clear any debris with a brush before any cleaning commences.
We will use a pressure washer to clean your flat roof. This environmentally friendly method has become increasingly popular as no chemicals are required. A gasoline-powered pressure washer easily removes any moss and algae that has grown as a result of stagnating water. However, it can take some time to wash and clean the entire area.
Alternatively, you may want to opt for our chlorine solution wash. This method is considerably quicker and can mean less wear and tear as it doesn't require hours of washing and spraying. However, chlorine can be toxic for some people and plants. Therefore, care does need to be taken if you choose this solution to clean your flat roof.
The other option is sodium hydroxide. Equally as effective, it can take a little longer to complete as the method requires more intensive rinsing as a chlorine solution. It is also worth noting that if the sodium hydroxide solution used is too concentrated it can actually cause significant and irreversible damage to your flat roof.
Residential Roof & Gutter Cleaning
Here are five things that you probably didn’t know about roof cleaning.
Roof Algae is Dangerous: Many homeowners think that roof algae is harmless. Sure it looks unsightly, but they don’t realize it is also causing significant damage to the roof’s surface when allowed to flourish unchecked. Roof algae is a living plant and it feeds off the home’s shingles. Algae utilize the limestone filler used in roofing material for growth. Allowed to grow, algae will take years off your roof’s projected lifespan.
Roof Cleaning Needs to be a Regular Home Maintenance Practice: Even if you cannot see algae growth on your home’s roof, it can still be there. In its infancy, algae plants are not visibly noticeable but it is still doing considerable damage to your roofing material. It will infiltrate the cracks and crevices of the shingles to gradually deteriorate their integrity.
Roof Cleaning is Overpriced: Many homeowners mistakenly consider roof cleaning overpriced, but when you consider that a roof typically costs over $10,000 to replace than the cost of annual roof cleaning becomes very reasonable.
You Can Clean it Yourself: Nowadays with home improvement stores offering a bevy of supplies to the general public, many homeowners want to embark on a DIY project and clean the roof themselves. However, roof cleaning is not for the novice. Roof cleaning takes time and knowledge. You could inadvertently knock shingles loose or cause other problems with the roofing material by walking across and scrubbing its surface.
Methods Used to Clean a Roof: Two roof cleaning methods are used by professional roof cleaning companies: pressure-washing and chemical cleaning. Chemical cleaning is typically considered a soft cleaning method that uses chemicals to clean away debris without any high pressure burst of water. Pressure-washing entails high pressure water that is sprayed onto the roof’s surface to break away dirt from all crevices. Metal and concrete roofs benefit from pressure washing. If the shingles on the roof are near the end of their lifespan or deteriorating then pressure washing should not be undertaken.