Managing and preserving roofing assets.

In order to know and implement the basic elements of roof management, one should consider the roof assembly as a vital asset of the building, and preserving this asset should be a major focus for the building owner and property manager.  The roof keeps the building clean, attractive, safe and functional, but requires ongoing responsibility of the owner to keep it in shape.  The roof is one of the most complicated sub-assemblies found in a building, but yet is considered the most important as it protects the building’s interior.  Roofs are expected to keep the building dry through rain, snow, winds, summer heat and winter’s chill, and to withstand structural movement and foot traffic.

It’s easy to understand and realize that the roof plays an important role in protecting the building.  It should hold true then that the roof on the building is considered an asset, and asset preservation should be a major focus of building owners and property managers.

The Importance of Preserving and Managing Your Roof as an Asset

Keeping buildings safe and functional is an on going responsibility for the building owner and property manager.  This is especially true in the retail store sector.  Maintaining buildings in a clean and attractive state will help draw patrons to the store.  Keeping those facilities safe and functional will help insure your customer’s patronage.

Consider this scenario:  Two retail stores are vying for your business.  Both stores are about the same age and carry the same line of goods and services.  Store “A” has implemented a proactive roof management program and the interior of the building is freshly painted with no signs of roof leaks.  Store “B” has plastic hanging from the ceiling to catch and direct leaks to buckets sitting in the aisles and ceiling tiles about ready to fall to the floor as they are saturated with water.  Which store is most likely to get your business?

What is Roof Management

Identifying Information About Your Roof Asset

You must first know what you have before you can manage it.  A thorough roof survey should be completed that will identify all roofing components from the deck up.  All past history of the roof should be assembled and organized such as leak activity, corrective repairs, reroofing dates and warranty information.  The roof survey should also include recommended repairs, preventive maintenance measures and corresponding budget estimates.  It should also identify the roof’s age.

Identifying the Condition of the Roof Asset

Once the assets are known, the next step is to determine the condition of those assets. 

The roofing survey mentioned in the preceding paragraph would likely provide this information.  The purpose here would be to determine the life expectancy or remaining service life of the roof.  Are repairs necessary?  Is roof replacement required?  Would repairs or preventive maintenance effectively extend the service life of the roof? And would those repairs be cost effective?

Making effective decisions to preserve those assets

Your roofing portfolio is now coming together.  The assets are identified.  Their condition is known.  You now know how much life can be expected from your roofs and what it will cost to make needed repairs or to replace the roof.  The decision maker is now armed with all the facts and figures to make effective and appropriate decisions to preserve the asset.

The Five (5) Basic Elements of Roof Management

Step #1 – Database System

This is really the heart of a sound roof management program.  The four steps that follow are fuel for the database system.  The database system is the method of documenting roof activity and organizing information so it is easy to find and understand.  Your database should be a powerful tracking and planning system, which you can prioritize and budget from.  If you have multiple facilities and property managers, a database system, which is Internet accessible, is advantageous. 

Step #2 – Roof Investigations and Reinspections

This is the first step toward identifying and inventorying your roofing assets.  It is extremely important to actively inspect your roof at least once a year (preferably twice) in order to catch any developing deficiencies early prior to them becoming a problem.  By catching the defect in its early stages of development, one can make repairs much less expensively and keep leaks from occurring.  Once a leak occurs, damage has been done to the “insides” of the roofing system.

Step #3 – Corrective Repairs and Maintenance

When repairs become necessary, make sure they are properly done and based on life cycle cost analysis.  Repairs should be permanent in nature rather than temporary.  A dab of roof mastic may stop a leak for the time being but is not cost effective if the same leak develops again and requires a more permanent repair.  It is also the owner’s responsibility to perform routine maintenance in order to satisfy most roof warranty requirements, such as cleaning, resealing and documentation of roof activity.

Step #4 – Roofing Project Implementation

When roof replacement is necessary, it is important to remember that it is the building that is being protected and the roof design and installation should not be taking for granted.  A roof replacement project should include:

If leaks develop, do not delay.  Take steps to correct the leak immediately.  Prompt action will keep damages to a minimum.  A roof management program should include complete documentation of repairs made.  This documentation should include as much information as possible, such as date, location, weather conditions, who made the repairs, and what work was performed.  This type of thorough documentation will create a leak history that may provide critical information to the building owner/property manager when decisions need to be made regarding future repairs and/or roof replacement.

Putting It All Together

The roof is a critical component of the building envelope, which needs to be considered throughout the life span of the building.  Proper commitment to quality in design and installation of new roofs can mean the difference between maximizing the value of roofing investments vs. premature failure and the costly risks involved.  The ultimate goal of roof management is to protect and preserve the roofing asset.  Applying funds effectively toward the maintenance and repair of your roofs go a long way towards the realization of that goal.