The Lost Guide to Your Roof
4 Simple Steps to…
- Lower Maintenance Costs
- Longer Roof Service Life
- No More leak Expenses
- Significantly Less Liability
- Dramatic Cost Savings
Step 1: Know
With today’s busy schedules, it is easy to forget that the roof is one of the building’s most valuable assets. Not only does it protect the building, but is also safeguards all of the assets, occupants and sensitive materials within the structure. Therefore, the first step in proactive roof management is knowing what is going on up there. Are the problems brewing that you do not know about? Are your flashings secured and roof penetrations properly sealed? Here is where an in-depth roof analysis pays off.
In order to perform the next critical steps, we need to spend a little time investigating what the current status of the roofing system is. Don’t worry, when you call the team at RAMCON, the inspection is free.
Here’s What To Do
Call RAMCON at (877) 726-2661 and tell the friendly voice who answers that you want a roof analysis, they’ll know exactly what to do. They’ll schedule a time to have a survey team come out to your facility and get started.
After the inspection is complete, the team will review and evaluate the condition of your roof. They really go into detail, including captioned photographs, overview of conditions and solutions to solve any problem you may have. You’ll get a nice roof analysis report that goes over practically every aspect of your roof. This is vital to move forward into Step #2.
It’s almost too simple. One short phone call and this step is complete. Head on over to Step #2 so you can see what to do with this information.
Step 2: Plan
Three Things To Plan For
Maintenance: How often? What is the financial investment? What is the Return on Investment (ROI) of the expense of preventative maintenance versus the savings provided by extending the roof service life and eliminating predicted maintenance expenses.
Renovations: The main field of the roofing system may last for decades, but through numerous thermal shock cycle and deterioration, the flashings and penetrations will likely deteriorate. What should you expect?
Re-Roofing: No roof lasts forever. It’s a fact; your roof begins to deteriorate the day it’s installed due to environmental conditions and deterioration. When should you budget for a new roof? How much should you budget? What type of system is best for your facility and most cost efficient?
But Where To Start?
How do you arrive at the bottom line figure for your roofing budget? An “educated guess” or a “shot in the dark?” Maybe you understand that a roof is undergoing constant wear and attack from the elements, so you add a standard 10% or 15% to last year’s budget, but none of these approaches takes the composition, condition, age or life expectancy you discovered in Step #1 into consideration. So instead, consider doing the following.
Here’s How To Do It Right
So here’s what we’ll do: We’ll provide you with a 10 year outlook budget outlook that factors in
- Accurate Maintenance Costs and Schedules
- Predicted Tentative Renovation Costs and Schedules
- Projections For Future Re-Roofing For Your Budgeting.
Step 3: Taking Action
RAMCON is a great resource for planning. You’ll get a complete lifecycle cost plan for your roof, including estimated savings by being proactive and the ROI it provides in comparison to traditional ‘crisis management.’ And as usual, with RAMCON it won’t cost you a dime.
You now know the condition of the roof and with the help of RAMCON, you have a clear plan developed. It’s time to take ACTION. While the overall field of the roofing system is designed to last for many years, the details, flashings, penetrations and sealants simply do not. Very similar to performing a tune up on your car, there are things that need to be checked and repaired as needed. In addition to the general condition, the following are some of the key items that we need to address.
Key Areas To Act Upon
Sealants: Sealants deteriorate much quicker than the roof surface. Deteriorated sealants allow water to get behind the flashing and penetrations, into the system and ultimately cause roof leaks.
Damage: This includes punctures, slits, burn and other types of damage, most often the result of roof traffic, animals and debris on the roofing system.
Deterioration: Sometimes there are regrettably problems with the materials on the roof, such as delamination, voids and large blisters. Many of these problems may be covered by the warranty provided by the manufacturer of the materials.
Debris: Vegetation and granule accumulation causes water to pond on the roof, accelerating the deterioration of the membrane. Excessive water on the system can be downright dangerous (water weighs 62 lbs per cubic foot!). In addition, debris can damage and puncture the roof.
Consequences for neglecting preventative maintenance
- Higher Lifetime Maintenance Costs
- Higher Re-Roof Costs
- Shorter Roof Life