A commercial roof can have significant foot traffic throughout the year as vendors conduct routine maintenance on your building. This traffic inevitably causes damage to the roof from missteps, equipment, and wear. The challenge for the property manager and building owner comes when this abuse is undetected. A small puncture, slice, or movement causes a deficiency that, when added to the extreme elements your roof already endures, leads to unexpected leaks.
Roof Abuse is #1
Since we have been keeping data on the causes of leak calls (2016), roof abuse is the top cause of leaks. Almost half of all leak calls resulted from abuse (46%), with the next highest culprit being aging roofs at 26 percent. So far this year, we have had 1,207 leak calls caused by roof abuse, which has cost our customers well over a half million dollars to repair.
Mitigation
Unfortunately, you can’t keep vendors off your roof. But there are steps you can take to help mitigate the damage.
- Know who is on your roof – Have a process for all vendors to sign in and out before accessing your roof. Not only does this help you keep track of who was on your roof, but also lets your trade partners know that you are paying attention.
- Ask for a post-maintenance report – Once the vendor has completed work, request a post-maintenance report that includes reporting any damage.
- Protective Walkpads – Creating a path from access points to serviceable roof-top equipment can be effective at protecting your roof from damage.
- Enroll in a roofing maintenance program – through a roof maintenance program, such as our ProVigil Total Roof Care, regular inspections with minor repairs can catch issues before major leaks occur.