Regardless of whether you are talking commercial or residential buildings, your roof is a considerable investment; and, like all large investments, you want to protect your roof.  Annual maintenance and regular roof inspections can help you keep your roof in its optimal condition thereby improving its quality and extending its lifespan.  Alternatively, avoiding inspections and maintenance will only serve to expedite the demise of your roof and can ultimately cost you thousands of dollars in repairs or even replacement.  In order to maintain the long term value and functionality of your roof, regular inspections are very important.

The Value of Roof Inspections

Roof inspections are designed to keep your roof free of leaks and leak causing materials.  While checking for leaks is important, this is only a small part of an overall inspection.  Professional roofers will evaluate many aspects of your roof including gutters, fittings, flashing, and other roofing materials as well as seeking out areas of insect damage, rot, or other potential sources of a leak.  Not only does regular inspection protect your roof, but it will also protect the contents of your home or property as inspections are vital for preventing leaks that cause water damage.

An effective roof inspection involves the following elements:

• Checking gutters
• Inspecting, securing, and replacing flashing
• Evaluating shingles and other roofing materials
• Checking for pest damage
• Checking for and clearing organic materials such as moss or algae
• Removing plant overgrowth.

In general, the objectives of any roof inspection should include determining if your roofing system is performing properly, identifying signs of weakness, deterioration, or danger, identifying needed repairs, and maintaining the roof system.  Moreover, your roof inspector should check for signs of roofing problems on the exterior and interior of your home or commercial property.  Exterior inspections will ensure the continuity of your roof covering while ensuring facia, gutters, soffits, flashings, and fixtures are properly installed and free of leaks.  However, interior inspections are also important to ensure there are no signs of water penetration on your ceilings and walls.

Ideally, your inspector should carefully record and report their findings to ensure that any issues can be addressed.  Also, accurate records ensure that future inspectors are aware of areas that require their attention. 

Roof repairs can be incredibly expensive, but in the absence of repair roof problems can also cause extensive damage to your property and belongings.  So while regular inspections and maintenance are not free, they can potentially save you thousands of dollars in future repairs.  New or old roofs on commercial or residential properties should be inspected annually by a qualified roofing professional.  Also, always ask which elements of your roof will be checked to ensure that you get a thorough and effective inspection.

Posted in Vancouver Roofing category.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 2nd, 2013 , 5:52 pm and is filed under Vancouver Roofing category.