In medical buildings, hospitals and clinics, timing and preparation are key to minimizing damage and jeopardizing patient safety. An ideal scenario involves being proactive with roofing maintenance and inspections, and being timely with interventions, to extend the life of the roof you have and avoid opportunities for water intrusion. Basically, the proven best practice for commercial buildings of any type.

Many facility managers are getting back on a roof maintenance schedule after having recently been closed or only operating with a skeleton crew.

In light of these changes, we thought it might be a good time provide some top recommendations for Safe and Proactive Roof Maintenance.

There are many types of warranties that contractors and manufacturers sell to promote their product or service, and it’s important for the customer to understand what they are buying. Many contractors and manufacturers market long extended warranties. Wayne's Roofing would much rather see you invest in long-term roof performance and roof maintenance.

Regardless of the time of year, it’s important to inspect your facility roof, perform periodic maintenance, and make any vital repairs before the rain and cold weather sets in. Besides the rain and wind fall brings, fall leaves and debris can wreak havoc on a facility roof.

One of the biggest frustrations a facility manger experiences is when money is spent on a major expense like a roof replacement only to find evidence of water entry reoccur shortly after.

When you see a puddle of water on the floor or a drip coming from a ceiling tile, it’s common to suspect the roof, but the truth is, there are several places where the water could be coming in from. Becoming familiar with the most likely scenarios and understanding how to identify the source of water intrusion can save you time and budget.

Walking across a blacktop parking lot on a sunny day can feel like the temperature just went up 20 degrees, because surface material has a lot to do with temperature. If you move from the blacktop to the grass and you can instantly feel the difference.

It’s the same with roofs. Dark roofs absorb light — up to 90% of solar energy — and convert it to heat, emitting it back into the atmosphere. White ones absorb less light by reflecting the light without transferring it into heat.

Wayne’s Roofing provides Sikalastic® RoofPro System to REI Warehouse. Learn more about the project.

If you knew the exact year your commercial roof would fail, what would you do to prevent it from happening? Being proactive is the most cost-effective method. At Wayne’s Roofing we’ve found that facility managers and building owners who implement preventative maintenance strategies end up spending significantly less per square foot for maintenance compared to those who manage reactively or wait until there’s a problem.

As a business owner, one of the most important and most overlooked things is the roof over your business. Luckily, there are some things you can look for to be proactive in the care and maintenance of your roof, and spring is great time to do that.