The Importance of a Roof Management Program 

The roof is the most remote element of a building. This system, consisting of a membrane, protective surfacing, insulation and its anchorage, skylights, HVAC and other rooftop equipment, penetrations, drains, and their respective flashings, involves the use of different materials installed at different times by different trades. These components come together to provide the building’s weather barrier. The completed roof system remains unseen by most building occupants, including those responsible for its continued well-being.

Adhesives, sealants and coatings may not have the same useful life span as other key component materials. For example, a roof system with a membrane expected to last more than 20 years will not function as intended when the five-year sealant used to counter-flash the base flashing wears out.

Workmanship errors are not uncommon because all roofs are constructed in place on the building. Pre-manufactured sheets and other flashing components may reduce some field fabrication, but labor is never eliminated. Workmanship is difficult to control because much of the work is covered during the later stages of construction and is not visible during site visits during construction or final inspection. With time, any latent workmanship defects may threaten the roof’s waterproofing integrity. Full-time monitoring during the construction phase or re-roofing is a step toward minimizing construction errors, but the risk is never eliminated.

The roof takes the most severe punishment from nature’s elements. Normal seasonal changes induce cyclical thermal stresses and accelerate the normal aging and degradation of the component materials. Other unforeseen factors that can contribute to the wear and tear of the roof include:

• weather extremes, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, hail and
  heavy snow build-up
• rooftop service traffic by individuals unfamiliar with the roof
• sparks and burning embers from a fire in a nearby building
• vandalism
• birds, small animals, insects, bacteria and fungi
• slow accumulation of dirt and other debris, providing an ideal medium for plant growth and hindering prompt drainage (plant roots can penetrate membranes and seams, resulting in leaks)
• chemicals and oils (spills and slow accumulation of exhausted waste can slowly destroy the membrane)
• wind or rain damaging rooftop units or corroding the housings (a loose door that blows off during a storm can inflict serious membrane damage)
• the protective coatings on some systems, which are designed to wear away and be renewed periodically (erosion of these sacrificial coatings must be monitored for timely renewal to prevent premature aging of the exposed surfaces)

Typically, none of the preceding items fall within the manufacturer’s warranty coverage. They cannot be monitored from inside the building, unless a leak occurs. Every owner should be made aware that the roof needs to be regularly inspected and maintained so that wear can be anticipated and corrected before leakage occurs. Often, warranty-related items can be discovered and corrected through the manufacturer before an actual leak occurs.

Why Manage the Roof System
The first and foremost reason for including the roof in overall building management is to protect the capital investment and maximize its return. A leaking roof may quickly render itself beyond repair because of water contamination of key components. Premature failure will require a new roof as well as the costs of removing and disposing the failed system.

Imagine what the interior of a building would be like if there were no interior management. In a managed interior environment, windows are washed, carpets are cleaned, HVAC equipment is periodically serviced and elevators and other operating equipment are checked and maintained. The unmanaged roof typically deteriorates more quickly than the unmanaged interior.

Additionally, damage from a roof leak is seldom confined to a roof system. An owner rarely becomes aware that a roof problem exists until the water has leaked into occupied areas and inflicted damage on the building’s interior and contents. The costs of repairing water damage can quickly surpass the value of the roofing system. Insurance may cover some of the costs involved, but often, more time and money are lost through interrupted operations than can never be recovered.

“Negligent abuse” is used to describe roof-system damage caused by a lack of normal maintenance. An example is leakage or membrane damage from failure to keep the roof drains and gutters clear. If water is allowed to build up over flashings or create an overload condition resulting in structural deflections that damage the roof membrane, required repairs would not be covered by the warranty. In addition, once this condition occurs, negligence voids the warranty. Insurance claims are often denied due to deficient roof systems.

Design and construction professionals can influence the long-term performance of a roof, or any other building component, by encouraging the owner to implement a maintenance program. The program can be in-house, under contract to a professional or in the form of a service contract with a roofing contractor.

When to Start A Maintenance Program
It is never too early to implement plans to monitor the condition of the roof and perform maintenance as needed. Devoting financial and personnel resources to a roof that does not pose an immediate problem is a difficult yet necessary decision.

However, it is never too late to start a maintenance program. A roof that has never had any maintenance may still have many years of life left if weaknesses are discovered and corrected.

When to Inspect
Scheduled inspection should be performed at least twice annually. In temperate climates, the first inspection should occur during the spring, closely following winter. This will allow the evaluation of winter damage and provide for the planning and scheduling of any necessary repairs during warm weather. The second scheduled inspection should be conducted during the fall, early enough to provide for any required repairs. This will prepare the roof for winter.

In addition to the two scheduled inspections, investigate rooftop conditions following severe or unusual storms or leakage. Inspections following storms should concentrate on damage that may have been inflicted on the roof or equipment. Other interim inspections will depend on the severity of exposure to other adverse conditions.

Schedule an inspection before any scheduled construction, on the roof or elsewhere on the property. Existing roof conditions should be documented before any work begins to provide valuable information for establishing responsibility should any damage be discovered following the work.

Who Should Inspect
Responsibility for implementing the roof management program should be placed with experienced facilities management personnel, preferably with someone who has knowledge of roofing technology. Actual inspections should be performed by someone who has experience with roofing and with the building’s particular system.

In-house inspections require a committed, persistent individual who will conduct surveys a few days a year, update records, and perform or arrange for needed repairs. This typically involves pulling the designated person from his or her day-to-day activities. The problem with in-house programs is that they lose momentum and are forgotten. The sad reminder usually appears as a roofing problem.

Professional service organizations can be contracted to provide reliable roof management services on a regular basis. The inspections are programmed and conducted based on seasonal and regional expectations. The professional is also prepared to perform unscheduled inspections if an emergency or other event, such as a severe storm or new equipment installation, occurs.

Keep Records
A historical file of the roof should be established and kept current. Building management should maintain data by keeping a list of all parties and activities pertaining to contractors and roof maintenance. These records should include original construction documents, as-built specifications, a copy of the contract, the manufacturer’s name, a copy of the warranty and a roof plan with all features located.

This data can assist management in developing annual maintenance budgets and scheduled re-roofing requirements.

Don Wessinger is Principal Consultant, Childress Engineering Services.

Best Practices: Walking the Roof 

Major roof damage is easily recognized by most anyone viewing from the ground. However, subtle damage is discovered only through close examination—typically when a construction manager walks the roof.

John Shaw is a Construction Manager with Milestone Management in Houston. He is responsible for approximately 40 communities in Texas and recommends that communities perform a walking inspection of their roofs at least once a year.

“The first sign of trouble is spotting gravel coming off of a shingle,” Shaw says. “The shingle might have indents, too. That means it was hit by something such as hail. You can’t always see that from the ground.”

He says inspectors also must look to see if there’s any fracturing of shingle membrane and uplift in the shingle—a sign of wind damage. Damaged shingles can lead to leaks, which produce even costlier repair bills.

There are many roof types and Shaw says each has its unique way of showing wear.

In the case of flat roofs—a common style for apartment buildings—Shaw says finding standing water or soft spots indicates trouble. “And when you spot color inconsistencies among shingles it’s a clue that there was damage there before,” Shaw says. Additionally, maintenance technicians should make an effort to view the roof’s conditions from the ground. Another good time to check is whenever they are making routine repairs or patching leaks, provided that the management company allows its maintenance technicians to go on the roof.

—NAA’s Paul R. Bergeron III

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