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As expert roofing and building envelope consultants, RAM Building Consultancy are ideally placed to provide advice and expertise to our clients to ensure they are to maximise the life expectancy of their existing asset. Here are our top five tips for extending the life of your roof:
1) PARTNER WITH A CONSULTANT
Nothing extends the longevity of a roof better than a fully detailed specification and the appointment of a reputable and accredited contractor during installation. Most short and long term defects can be attributed to the choice of the wrong materials, poor workmanship or poor detailing of roof finishes. Detailing your requirements within a tendered specification, whether they be low maintenance, low installation costs, life expectancy or environmental considerations. Will reduce on going Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) costs, allow budget planning and reduce risk to the internal environment and business disruption over many years.
2) REGULAR MAINTENANCE
Building insurance and product warranties often insist on regular documented maintenance of flat roofs, without this, insurance and warranties can be invalidated. Simple task such as clearing Gullies, Valleys and Rain Water Goods will extend the life expectancy of any roof. This important scheduled maintenance is often forgotten due to oversight, reassignment of budgets, poor access or lack of Health and Safety training to allow safe access. This will often identify leaks early on and allow repairs prior to water penetration and ingress giving a safe and pleasant internal environment.
3) IDENTIFY DEFECTS EARLY
Regular inspection will identify defects prior to them disrupting your business and will maintain your insurance cover. Including a detailed photographic schedule allows the early identification of defects, early repair and maintains insurance cover against internal damage from water leaks. This regular maintenance is usually inexpensive and reduces the risk of water penetration, business disruption and in the worst case prosecution for negligence e.g. slip, trips and falls from standing water.
4) REPAIR DEFECTS AS SOON AS IDENTIFIED
Identify and fully repair defects when they are reported. A quick fix by an unqualified trade person will often stop the immediate water leak and then can often be forgotten, until the leak reappears. A full inspection of the leak site to identify the defect will allow the specification of a full and tested repair. Once the roof defect is identified and the repair specified considering the original material, location of the defect and risk to the internal environment below, then the appointment of a qualified and accredited contractor is essential. This could extend the life expectancy of any roof by more than 10 years and give substantial financial savings.
5 ) ALLOW MAINTENANCE FUNDS AND PPM BUDGET FOR ROOFING WORKS
Roofs are often out of site and therefore out of mind when PPM budgets are agreed. If they are not leaking and performing, life cycle and PPM funding is often passed over for high profile projects that show a greater perceived return on investment or can demonstrate and increase in production or income. If the main asset is your building, and the asset can no longer perform its primary function, keeping your business operations protected from the external environment, then all other business investment is inconsequential.
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