Preventative Maintenance for Commercial Roofs

An active roof maintenance program ensures and extends the longevity of your roof system.

Fact: There is no such thing as a maintenance-free roof (regardless of the length of your warranty).

No other single building component is more critical to the smooth operation of your business than a roof. Potential losses resulting from a failed roof system are staggering.

Roof inspections and maintenance should be performed regularly, routinely, and accurately recorded in writing.

Roof maintenance and inspections are required by manufacturers to keep warranties intact.

Regular roof maintenance and inspections are critical in preventing roof problems and keeping the roof in watertight condition. Early identification and repair of roof problems will minimize repairs, preventing premature failure and providing a long-lasting roof system.

A roof system is arguably the most vulnerable part of a building’s exterior.

Ultraviolet light (the sun), wind, rain, hail, snow, and sleet all affect a roof system’s performance.

Less than 1% of roof failures are caused by defective roofing materials. The true causes of roof damage are installation, severe weather, damage from other trades, and lack of maintenance.

The total cost of your roof system is less than 5% of the total cost of your building, yet it keeps the other 95% dry.

Investing in a preventative maintenance program is tax deductible.

All roof work should be done by a trained roofing professional. Our experienced team of expert roof technicians at O’Hara’s Son Roofing is your smartest choice for preserving the integrity of your new or existing roof for many years to come.

O’Hara’s Son Roofing is a certified installer for all leading manufacturers of all major roofing products. All of the services included in our maintenance agreements meet the requirements and authorizations needed to keep warranties valid and up to date.

Please, note that improper repairs could result in issues with warranty claims. Therefore, proper repairs to a roof system are a must. All information and pictures are saved into our database and compiled into a report for you, easily accessible at any time.

All manufacturers require inspections, maintenance, and sometimes roof membrane cleaning to maintain warranties for roof systems. Warranties can have direct or indirect exclusions based on lack of maintenance. If yearly or biannual maintenance is not performed and documented, damage from water intrusion may be excluded if it is determined that the leakage could have been prevented with typical maintenance. We recommend a minimum maintenance every 6 months, and after any major weather event or construction project. Many businesses have machinery or equipment that is costly. In these cases, our partners require inspections and maintenance 4-6 times a year, and for some with special needs, every month.

24-hour priority emergency service.

Inspection of complete exterior and interior of building looking for signs of water intrusion with photo documentation of concerns.

Removal of all debris from the roof surface including drains and gutters.

Walk the perimeter of roof and check for open seams and deterioration on wall flashings.

Inspection and repair of edge metal for separation at the seams/possible wind damage.

Check and repair flashings on all projections for deterioration and holes.

Clean and refill pitch pockets where there is cracked or shrinking filler.

Check all caulking and sealants on flashings and copings. Remove and replace any cracked or weather damaged caulk.

Check mortar on chimneys and parapet walls or wall joints – if deficiencies are spotted, a detailed report is provided so that repairs can be made by a masonry contractor.

Post-inspection report with photo documentation of any repairs that have been made (before and after) as well as recommendations for future prevention.

Post-inspection walk-through with your dedicated service technician if possible, to show and explain the work completed along with the work order checklist.

Budgetary numbers for capital expenditures available upon request.

Building owners should keep an updated specific roof system historical file. Maintenance personnel should be familiar with the contents of the roof system’s historical file (which should be kept on-site) and the conditions of the warranty so that the proper course of action can be taken when a problem occurs. This includes a detailed history of the roof installation, an original roof drawing showing the locations of all penetrations, roof top units, drains, roof type, insulation and R-value, warranty paperwork, a manufacturer’s user manual, thorough documentation of any maintenance or repairs and changes made, a roof plan, and original plans and specifications, if they are available.

This file should be kept with the building when sold and purchased – it provides much of the information needed for purchase and sale of properties and condition surveys of the property.

Add Years to Your Warranty: Ask us if your roof is a candidate for an upgrade to a longer warranty tied into a maintenance plan. Some manufacturers offer warranty extensions when you have preventative maintenance in place for your roof system. Where foot traffic is expected, and at access areas, membrane protection should be provided. Walkway pads or roof pavers will protect the roof’s surface.

Rooftop Safety: OSHA requirements for roof access and fall protection systems such as fixed ladders to access roof sections, guardrail systems, roof hatch systems, stair systems, ramps, bridges, and platforms that may be needed for safety and protection.

Snow Removal: Snowfall pushes weight limits on the roof to dangerous levels, it is imperative that the snow be removed to prevent a roof collapse. Heavy, wet, or packed snow can weigh substantially more, adding 10–20 pounds per cubic foot of weight to the roof’s surface.

Disaster Responses: When a roof gets damaged, time is critical. High winds, torrential rain, heavy snow, tornados, and a host of other disasters can leave you needing a roofing contractor quickly. By providing you with 24-hour emergency response, we can restore operations quickly and in the most efficient and cost-effective manner, ultimately reducing business interruption and any possible claims.

Roof Cleaning Services: A clean roof offers additional benefits other than just being aesthetically pleasing. Regular cleaning can identify potential problem areas early-on, avoiding costly repairs later. Also, clean roof membranes have a lower surface temperature than dirty ones, which increases the energy efficiency of the roof system. We also extend an option for Nano eco-friendly treatment that increases reflectivity and extends the cleanliness of the roof surface.

Elastomeric Roof Coating: as roof systems age, roof coating should be a consideration if the roof is still in fairly good shape for a smaller investment to increase the warranty.

Asset Management and Due Diligence Reports: Buying or selling a building? Budget costs and assessments needed? We’ve got you covered.

All work and repairs done to the warrantied roof system must be done by a manufacturer’s licensed roofing contractor. Let O’Hara’s Son Roofing be your single source protection.

O’Hara’s Son Roofing works with and is licensed by most major commercial roofing manufacturers. We will provide that contact information to you ahead of time if and when you may need to make that call.

O’Hara’s Son Roofing currently provides warranty management services for many of our maintenance customers.

If your roof system is under warranty: 1) Contact O’Hara’s Son Roofing to set up repair. 2) Manufacturers state in their warranties that you must contact them to report a leak. We will provide you with this contact information if it is not available. Inform them that O’Hara’s Son Roofing will be doing the work and they will give you a reference number. 3) Once our service has been completed, both the customer and manufacturer are informed of any repairs made, and the manufacturer is invoiced for the warrantable repairs. Items not approved by the manufacturer as warrantable are the responsibility of the building owner.

Example #1: Exclusion due to failure by the owner to use reasonable care in maintaining the system or materials.

Example #2: Failure by the owner to use reasonable care in maintaining the roof, said maintenance to include, but not be limited to, those items listed on care & maintenance Information sheet provided by manufacturer.

Example #3: Failure to follow the maintenance program on documents provided to you with your warranty will void this warranty in its entirety.

Example #4: There are several items not covered by this warranty that are the sole, exclusive responsibility of the building owner. In order to ensure that your new roof will continue to perform its function and to continue obligations under the warranty, you must examine and maintain these items on a regular basis: Maintain a file for your records on this Roofing System, including, but not limited to, this warranty, invoices, and subsequent logs of all inspections performed and repairs that are made to the roofing system.

Inspect your roofing system at a minimum, semi-annually. This is best done in the spring after the roofing system has been exposed to the harsh winter conditions, and in the fall after a long hot summer. It is also a good idea to examine the Roofing System for damage after severe weather conditions such as hailstorms, heavy rains, high winds, etc.

There are many exclusions to every warranty. It is important to read and understand the limitations of a roof system warranty. For manufacturers’ warranties, damage to the roof system that is not attributed to a material problem will not typically be covered and the manufacturer will not pay for the repairs. During inspection, we can determine what the manufacturer’s responsibility is, and supply you with photos to report to them. Please, note that all leaks are to be called in to the manufacturer during warranty period. A call to us can also speed up this process and get your roof leak stopped with photo documentation showing before and after repair if it is a manufacturer’s responsibility.

Preferably on a biannual basis (once in the spring and once in the fall). After the winter, we look for potential damage caused by snow loads and freeze/thaw cycles. In the fall, we make sure drains are clear and that the elements have not caused anything that may leak during the winter with snow sitting on the roof. Inspections and maintenance should also be made after extreme weather events, such as hailstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes. If damage is detected, it should be repaired as soon as possible. Early problem detection makes repairs manageable before they become serious and costly.

At O’Hara’s Son Roofing, we begin with an extensive inspection of the Exterior and Interior of the building:

Exterior Inspection begins with a building walk-around. We search for possible leaking scupper boxes, or downspouts that may have frozen, expanded, and split open at their joints. Also, any staining on walls that may have been caused by open flashings on the roof system. We look for any trees that may need to be trimmed as the leaves falling on the roof will clog drains and scuppers, which in turn will cause ponding water on your roof with a possible decking deflecting or collapse due to the weight. Water weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon or 5.17 pounds per sq. ft. per inch of water that is sitting. A 30’ x 30’ area holding 2” of water is 1,240 gallons or 10,341 pounds. Most likely it is not designed for this much additional weight.

Interior Inspection of the decking, searching for rust, deflection, or spalled concrete. We also look for any type of water intrusion visible by staining on ceiling tiles, inside of perimeter walls, at skylights, drains, and any other projections that may be visible from below.

Moisture surveys can determine if, where, and to what extent moisture has compromised a roofing system. By making this determination, a building owner may have more options regarding corrective actions. A moisture survey can save an owner significant costs by allowing him to replace only the damaged areas of roofing rather than the entire system.

Flood Testing We do not recommend flood testing of roofs. Flood testing takes 24 - 48 hours, is often inconclusive, and can cause structural damage. As a result, NRCA and CRCA do not recommend conducting flood tests as part of a routine quality-control or quality-assurance program for new roof systems.

Infrared Moisture Surveys IR scans are the most common moisture detection method for identifying wet insulation on commercial roofing systems. During the day, wet insulation will absorb much more heat energy than dry insulation. At night, this heat is retained in the wet insulation longer and is released slower into the atmosphere. Most IR scans are done at night in order to capture this thermal signature of wet insulation trapped in a roofing system.

Nuclear Scans are slightly more expensive than infrared, but unlike an infrared scan, can be performed during the day. Nuclear testing can read through multiple layers of insulation as far down as 8” utilizing a radioactive isotope to emit high speed neutrons aimed at the roof from the roof surface. Nuclear scans use a nuclear gauge to detect various levels of hydrogen ions trapped within the roof system. The readings displayed by the gauge are a measurement of the quantity of hydrogen ions that are present within a detectable area beneath the gauge. Since hydrogen ions are present in water, these readings can be correlated to moisture content once a base line reading for a dry area has been established. This is more precise than the infrared scan.

Rooftop mechanical equipment and penthouses inevitably require maintenance – therefore, other trades will access the roof. A roof system can become the platform and headquarters from which maintenance for the exterior of the building is initiated and performed. Window washers, tuck-pointers, caulkers, and glazers will often stage their work from the roof. In addition, electrical and mechanical trades will sometimes require roof access to repair heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment. All of this can mean considerable roof traffic which can quickly cause damage to a roof system if care is not taken. If you allow equipment servicemen on the roof, please advise them to be careful of dropped tools, heavy equipment that can damage the roof. Keeping a log of all trips on the roof system will assist investigations of roof damage.

Costs are listed above. Please, keep in mind that roof age is also considered when we create a plan for your roof. Only workmanship and labor deficiencies are repaired under contractor/manufacturer’s warranty. Roof age of 1-2-years: $0.02-$0.05 per sq. ft. per year. Roof age of 2-10-years: $0.05-$0.10 per sq. ft. per year, 2-4 visits per year. Roof age of 10-20-years: $0.10-$0.15 per sq. ft. per year, 2-4 visits per year.

All types of roofing, large and small, flat, steep slope, metal, and tile, etc. should be inspected and serviced to extend roof life and protect from the inconvenience of a leak. Here are just a few of the markets we cover: Private Sector Public Sector Multi-Unit Housing Industrial Commercial National Retail Regional Retail Restaurants Hospitality REITS (Real Estate Investment Trusts) Townships Schools and Universities Churches Federal buildings