Roofing Maintenance Tips
Facility executives should ensure that a range of routine tasks are performed throughout the year. These tasks, which the facility executive’s maintenance personnel or contractors should perform on a regularly scheduled basis, include:
- Gathering debris, such as paper, bottles, broken glass, tree limbs, vegetation or other foreign matter, and dispensing of it properly.
- Trimming tree limbs or other items that could fall onto the roof and cause damage.
- Removing all obstructions from roof drains and scuppers, ensuring that they are free flowing.
- Redistributing ballast across bare spots.
- Consulting the membrane manufacturer to determine how to protect the roof system if traffic patterns are developing.
- Examining the roof membrane where any of the aforementioned items have caused physical damage. If the roof system is covered by a membrane manufacturer’s warranty, notify the roof system manufacturer as soon as possible to obtain instructions and recommendations for performing a permanent repair.
- Observing the integrity of any surface coating as a maintenance item. Coatings generally require reapplication during the roof system’s life. There are many factors affecting the frequency of recoating, including the local environment, ponding water, slope of the roof system and quality of coating. In addition, recoating often is an integral part of the roof system’s maintenance and may be a part of the roof system’s warranty. It should be noted that recoating is the facility executive’s responsibility.
Thomas W. Hutchinson, AIA, CSI, FRCI, RRC, is principal of Hutchinson Design Group, in Barrington, Ill. He is former president of RCI, Inc.
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