Preventative Maintenance for Commercial Roofs

Your roof is a significant investment in your building and, as such, should be looked after and maintained. Unfortunately, once a new roofing system is installed, it is not uncommon for it to be quickly forgotten and for maintenance to be neglected.

In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of preventative maintenance and provide guidance on how this should be carried out on different roofing systems.

Why is Preventative Maintenance Important?

Regular inspection and maintenance are always essential to maintain the integrity of your roofing asset. This allows for potential problems to be spotted early, minimising any remedial works that will be needed to restore and repair your roofing system, saving you both significant time and costs. Regular maintenance will guard against leaks and extend the life of your system so that a complete roof replacement is not needed sooner than expected.

Conversely, 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 roofing systems guarantee.

Significant Cost Savings

Preventative maintenance allows for any remedial work needed to be planned well before any failure occurs. This makes 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 actually deductible from your taxable profits.

General Guidance for Maintenance

As a basis for good maintenance practice, you should:

• Ensure safe access can be gained to the roof and relevant health and safety procedures are followed
• Maintain and manage accurate documentation:
  • Keep records of original roof construction, conditions and guarantees; including photographs and detailed drawings
  • Keep a history log of inspections and repairs, including rooftop equipment repairs
  • Report any signs of damage, degradation or missing items to Garland UK

How to Maintain Bituminous Membranes & Cold Liquid Applied Systems

The following maintenance procedure should be carried out at twice-yearly intervals, preferably in the Spring and Autumn or after any major weather events. Also, inspections need to be performed before and after rooftop equipment repairs.

During your maintenance check, you should look out for:

• Blockages in gutters
• Debris
• Trim any branches of trees that overhang the building
• Damaged metal counter flashings and termination bars
• Damage to mastic sealants and mortar
• Mounted equipment or plant is not in direct contact with the waterproofing surface
• Any rooftop equipment oil or lubricant leaks may contaminate and degrade the roof surface

Cleaning (for Cold -Applied Liquid Systems only)

• Pressure Washing – use cold or warm water with a detergent that does not contain alcohol or solvents. Keep the pressure under 725psi and water temperature under 50°C and keep 50cm from the surface. Rinse the surface with cold clean water.
• Manual Washing – use cold or warm water with a solution of approved detergent or degreaser.

How to Maintain R-MER Metal Building Envelope Systems

The following maintenance procedure should be carried out annually, preferably in the Spring or after any major weather events. Also, inspections need to be performed before and after rooftop equipment repairs.

During your maintenance check, you should look out for:

• Blockages in gutters
• Debris
• The dirt where profiled sheeting is not naturally cleared by rainwater
• Damage to the colour coating
• Damaged profiled sheets or flashings
• Damaged mastic seals or missing items

Maintenance personnel should use scaffold boards on all roofs to protect the sheets and always use load-spreading measures at the ridge and eaves, especially at the point of access to the roof.

Cleaning

• Wash down and clean dirt infected areas only
• Washing may be carried out with a hose and soft bristle brush
• Use a non-abrasive, approved biologically degradable cleaner/mild detergent
• Always rinse with clean water
• Always wash from top to bottom
• High-pressure water jets are not recommended, as mastic or fillers could be damaged

How to Maintain Green Shield Extensive Green Roof Systems

The following maintenance procedure should be carried out at twice-yearly intervals, preferably in the Spring and Autumn or after any major weather events. Also, inspections need to be performed before and after rooftop equipment repairs. Depending on the type of roof, the following maintenance may be needed:

During the first 2 – 3 years as necessary:

• Irrigation during establishment and application of nutrients
• Removal of unwanted plants and dead flowers
• Replacement of dead plants (When combined with a maintenance contract with one of our approved contractors the vegetation layer is guaranteed in perpetuity.)

For the life cycle of the roof:

• Check drain outlets and fire breaks
• Inspect all components including, flashings, mastic pointing, and waterproofing system
• Address drainage erosion channels or substrate settlement
• Remove litter and debris (including dead leaves from adjacent trees)
• Remove any planting encroaching into drainage outlets or the pebble barrier areas
• Monitor the rate of growth of the vegetation
• Repair bare patches from abundant growth areas
• Remove any colonising vegetation. Saplings in particular must be removed if found as their roots can cause serious damage to the system components

Partners for the life of your building

Garland UK believes in partnering with you for the life of your building. As part of our PartnerCare service, the Garland UK aftercare programme will provide you with regular roof inspection reminders, giving you all the support and guidance you need. These range from annual ‘health check’ site visits by your dedicated Technical Manager to providing general maintenance schedules and tailored cleaning plans for your roof.

Garland UK has a national network of approved contractors with extensive expertise and training, who can provide yearly maintenance contracts. Combined with our PartnerCare service and up to 30-year single point guarantees we can help to take the stress out of maintenance throughout the life of your roof.