Proactive vs. Reactive Assessments

September 16, 2014 Laura MacCormac

Introducing 30 Weeks of Roofing Tips! Design Roofing was founded in September of 1984. To celebrate our 30th anniversary, we are sharing some of our wisdom with all of you for the next 30 weeks.

For many people, the roof is something out of site and out of mind. Unlike your car that everyone knows requires regular maintenance; most of us do not consider the roof as something requiring regular maintenance.

In fact, when you think of it, your roof is the main thing that covers you, your belongings, business documents, equipment and so on. So why would you not want a sturdy, well installed and maintained roof covering all of this?

This takes us to our first tip.

Do not wait until you feel a drip of water on your head while inside. A proactive approach, is the best approach. Just like your car, making sure your roof gets a regular check up and tune up is vital to protecting your investments inside and out. Not only do regular assessments and maintenance help ensure your roof is working as intended, they uphold your warranties and in the long run; extend the life span of your roof.

While roof assessments can be done throughout the year, the most common times to have them done are in the spring and fall months. In the spring, it is done to check and see if the roof has sustained damage during the cold winter months. If there are any splits, loose membrane or improperly sealed areas, water can easily get in. When that water freezes, it causes expansion which causes those issues to get bigger which you will most likely notice as a drip inside your building. In the spring and summer months, repairs can be scheduled and performed quicker and easier due to more favorable weather. Less time is spent waiting for the rain to stop in order to fix your roof. So being proactive and knowing the condition of your roof will help prevent unwanted leaks.

Similarly in the fall months, assessments are done in order to make sure your roof did not sustain damage from the summer heat. The constant heat and stress put on your roof during the summer can cause issues during the rainy fall months. Emergency leak calls have a tendency to sharply increase in the fall; less rain in the summer means you are less likely to be aware of an issue with your roof in the form of a leak until it is too late.

Once again, being proactive with regular roof check ups and assessments will help prevent unexpected leaks. If any issues are found, or if your roof simply needs its regular maintenance, it is always best to perform the corrective actions as soon as possible and limit the potential for a leaking roof and subsequent interior damage.

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