Looking after your roof investment

By Rob Harris

Getting a new roof for an existing building not only limited to the actual repair of the is a large investment that institutional man- roof itself; the potential water damage, and agers will eventually have to face. Many disruption to activity within the building, decisions of funding, scheduling and pro- can be more expensive and will likely not tection of the occupants and contents have be covered by the guarantee. Unseen water to be made before the roofing process can from small leaks that is trapped within the be started. There are many types of roof insulation above the vapour barrier will resystems available today due to advances in duce the effective insulation value, resultmaterial technology, which can make the ing in additional heating and cooling costs. specification and tendering of the work dif- The moist areas will spread over time if not ficult for those unfamiliar with the roofing found immediately, causing increasing extechnologies and materials. To make the pense both in heating/cooling costs and best possible decisions regarding the roof eventual repair or early replacement of the system investment, an independent roof roof system. consultant should be retained to advise, A roof maintenance checklist is essenspecify and tender the work to qualified tial and serves to organize the information bidders. A good consultant will know all the required. Checklists are used for all types available materials and installers in the area of inspection work, reminding the inspecin order to acquire a quality roof system. tor of what to look for when reviewing a

After investing in a new roof, mainte- project. A written record of what has been nance of roof system is the best way to get done and items that require repair or mainthe full value over time. When maintenance tenance will be preserved for later referis not done, the roof system will fail prema- ence. Problems that need work to be done turely and the guarantee – however long – by professionals can be more easily passed can be voided. The cost of a roof leak is on in a copy of the report.RoyalStewart_Ad.qxp_Layout 1 12-03-29 2:10 PM Page 1

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The checklist should have basic identification. The address and roof areas involved, as well as the date, weather and inspector should all be recorded. A roof plan or sketch of the roof area is needed to help locate anything mentioned in the report for future reference. Photographs are handy to identify defects for repair, and also provide a good record to refer back to during future inspections. Changes in the roof condition, such as ridging of membranes or curling of shingles, can be verified with a historic record.

The inspections should be performed at least twice a year. A fall inspection should find any damage caused by the heat of the summer changing to the cooler days of the upcoming winter. This change in temperature causes shrinkage and cracking of exposed sealants and older roof materials. A spring inspection can identify any damage caused by winter storms or freezing. Damage caused by snow removal or wind-borne debris can cause leaks that need to be repaired to minimize the damage.

Preventative maintenance resulting from regular inspections will help prevent roof leaks and minimise the water that enters the building. Debris from any nearby trees, etc. should be removed before it restricts drainage and causes water to build up on flat roofs or be redirected on steep roofs. A build up of material will impede the drainage on any roof system and is the most common cause of leaks during a heavy rainfall. Small debris such as leaves are carried by water flow to the drains on flat roofs and effectively forms a dam around them, causing

water levels to rise above the waterproofing height and leak or potentially damage the structure of the building. On steep roofs, the water can be diverted by the debris and run under shingles or flashings. Large items, such as old HVAC units, construction materials, or storage from building occupants left on the roof membrane will eventually deform and push through it.

Caulking and other exposed seals at curbs and pipes, etc. will need to be replaced several times during the service life of a roof system. An appropriate material that is compatible with all the components it contacts has to be selected, and surfaces prepared as per the printed directions from the manufacturer to extend the time between replacements as long as possible. These and other roof material repairs are best done by qualified professionals.

Please refer to the RCABC website [www. rcabc.org] for a free Roof Maintenance Guide with checklist and a list of professional experienced contractors recommended for installing and maintaining your roof to get the maximum value from your investment. The entire Roofing Practices Manual is now freely available, as well.

About the Author

Rob Harris, RRO, is technical manager for the Roofing Contractors Association of B.C. Guarantee Corporation. RCABC provides five- and 10-year third-party Roof Star guarantees for roof systems installed to Roofing Practices Manual standards, and also provides apprenticeship training for the province.

Visit www.rcabc.org for more details. b

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMPREHENSIVE ROOF GUARANTEE

OR THE STUBBORN DETERMINATION OF A SINGLE RAINDROP TO GO WHERE IT DOESN’T BELONG

All roofing guarantees are not created equal. Case in point: a non-prorated RoofStar Guarantee by RGC is good for five- or ten-years and completely covers all labour and materials. RoofStar is also the only one that includes a comprehensive inspection schedule overseen by independent, third-party inspectors who monitor the installation process and follow-up inspections at pre-determined intervals. All of which is comforting. Because the only thing more determined than a raindrop is our commitment to make sure none of them ever go where they don’t belong.

RoofStar: New name. Same great guarantee.

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