What to Look For: Roof Maintenance Checklist

Before you start inspecting your roof, it’s helpful to create a roof inspection checklist to ensure you don’t overlook essential areas. With a thorough look, you can identify minor roof problems that you can quickly address or bigger issues that require a professional roofing company to repair or replace elements of your roof. Here’s a convenient roof maintenance checklist to assess the condition of your roofing:

• Interior of your space
• Roof surface
• Expansion joints, flashings, and drains
• Exterior structures
• Pipes and supports
• Previous repairs

Start your actual commercial roof inspection by checking for cleanliness and making a note of areas with accumulated dirt, damage, or abnormal weathering that could be problematic. Be sure to clean your gutters and remove any dirt and debris, such as branches and leaves. Areas that accumulate debris are more prone to rot and decay, and clogged drains lead to water drainage issues.

All roofs should be free of blistering, tears, deep scratches, and cracks. Professionals should address these apparent signs of damage to avoid further damage. Inspect tiles and shingles to ensure none are missing, loose, or damaged.

For spaces with a flat roof, be sure to look for areas with standing water or low spots where water could collect. Gravel rooftops ideally have a uniform layer. 

Not all roofs have all of these, but they should be a top priority in your roof maintenance checklist if your roof does. Check your expansion joints for signs of damage, like cuts and tears. It’s a good idea to focus on flashings and make sure they aren’t separated from the roof. Flashing issues require immediate attention. Another critical roof maintenance tip is to check for mold, moss, and signs of water. Unless you have a green roofing system, anything that grows on your roof indicates poor drainage.

As part of your roof maintenance checklist, you should inspect each exterior structure of your roof separately. Ensure the structures maintain their integrity, that pieces have not fallen off, and that pipes remain in working order. The surfaces should be clean and free of rust, growths, and other signs of damage.

Building owners should pay particular attention to pipes and equipment supports. There should be no cracks at the base of supports, and pipes should not sag. If you notice deflected hangers or supports that dig into the membrane of your roof, these elements may be failing and need to be repaired or replaced soon.

Previous repairs, particularly when not done by a professional, are most susceptible to damage. That’s why it’s vital you include them on your roof maintenance checklist. Pay close attention to those areas to ensure the intended fixes are working and that no further damage has occurred. If previously repaired spots show signs of failure, schedule a commercial roof inspection. These are often symptoms of more significant problems that require immediate attention.