Fall Roof Inspection Time
October 29, 2009
Today’s tip is about how to do a good fall roof inspection. Most experts recommend doing twice-yearly inspections, one in the spring and one in the fall, so if you or your staff haven’t been up on your roof since summer ended, now’s a good time.
The first thing you may want to consider is dusting off that roof warranty to find out if there are any restrictions regarding repairs that may need to be made, or, if you haven’t been up there since it was installed, if you’re even able to walk the roof without voiding the warranty.
Next do a walk-through of the interior of the building – especially unoccupied areas - to check for leaking. Then, inspect the building’s exterior to find any cracks in exterior masonry or pre-cast panels. These could be indications of a roof leak as well.
Then, walk the roof to look for ripples or areas where water may be ponding. Look for any loose seams or any other obvious signs of distress. Take special care at the corners and edges, as most roof problems begin in these areas. Finally, carefully inspect flashings and roof drains, and the area around any rooftop equipment.
If problems are detected, it may be a good idea to hire a roof consultant to investigate more fully, or have the contractor that installed the roof come do a follow up inspection, especially if the roof is still under a workmanship warranty.
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