When your contractor completed your roof project, you probably received a warranty of some kind. Did you know that your warranty has limits, and if you don’t take care of your roof…your warranty may not be valid?
In this article, we will cover types of warranties, types of maintenance plans, and why it’s important to have BOTH to protect your facility and everything inside it fully.
A new roof is a significant investment, a lot of money, and is supposed to last upwards of 40 years. If something goes wrong with your roof system, a warranty makes sure that your problem is corrected without costing you more money. Most people don’t think about the warranty they purchase, but they receive one at the end of their roof project. Roof warranties are essential to protect yourself and your building from faulty products and installation costing you more in the end. When you install a new roofing system, you will have a few warranty options. The three most common types of warranties include:
A contractor roof warranty is issued by the contractor or company, that installed the roof on your facility. These warranties cover the workmanship of your roof repair or replacement.
A manufacturer roof warranty is issued by the company that manufactures the materials used by your contractor. These warranties cover any failures or defects in the materials used and is only issued after the contractor installs the materials correctly.
A full system warranty that is provided by the material manufacturer covers not only the material used, but it will also cover the flashings and other accessories used for the roof system. These warranties, when used, will cover any materials and labor needed for repairs that are within the warranty guidelines.
The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) recommends maintenance and repair be performed at least twice a year. More importantly before and after severe weather seasons such as a winter in the Northern United States.
These inspections are to clean the roof system of natural debris, clear all gutters and waterways, and assess vulnerable points in the roof system to ensure that no degradation can leak in the future.
In addition to scheduled maintenance twice a year, it’s important to have a contractor inspect and perform needed repairs after severe weather such as high winds, hail, and severe storms. These inspections are to clear the roof of any debris such as metal from HVAC units or other penetrations and ensure that there is no damage to the roof system, flashings, copings, and other units.
A maintenance contract is an easy way for building owners and managers to ensure their commercial roof remains under warranty and in good condition while staying in their budget.
Now that you know the basics of roof warranties and maintenance plans, why do you need both?
The short answer: Warranties don’t make your roof last longer. As the person in charge of your facility, it’s your responsibility to maintain your roof system. If you fail to have your roof regularly inspected, cleaned and having minor repairs performed, you may void your warranty when a leak comes through into your facility.
An average roof warranty requires at least one roof inspection to be performed a year by an authorized contractor. This requirement is beneficial for the property owner and the company that issues the warranty. During the yearly inspection, the inspector will check for not only current problems but areas that could turn into problems in the future. This allows repairs to be made before they grow larger and become costly.
A good maintenance plan will go a step further; they will clean your gutters, mend your flashings and perform minor repairs for the cost of the program. Having a service team visit your roof regularly not only gives you peace of mind, but it expands your roof’s lifespan and keeps you within your warranty guidelines.
A new roof is one of the most expensive things you will buy for your home or business. A new commercial roof can cost around $60,000 for an average 10,000-square-foot roof, though the material you choose can alter this price significantly. A new residential roof can cost you $10,000 or more.
How long the roof lasts depends on the material used for it and the maintenance it gets. Even a roof that is designed to last a few decades will have a shorter life span if you don’t maintain it. Its like servicing your car and changing the fluids. When your roof needs to be replaced prematurely, you will be spending thousands (or tens of thousands) earlier than you should have.
Roof repairs aren’t cheap, neither is replacing a roof. You can avoid both roof repair and a new roof installation (or put them off longer, anyway) by sticking to a consistent schedule of maintenance.
On average, a roof maintenance program costs about 1 percent to 3 percent of the total cost of a new roof installation each year. When you think of it that way, roof maintenance is actually quite affordable.
By keeping up with a maintenance program, you can extend your roof’s life by many years. In some cases, you could even double your roof’s life span. That’s especially true in a place like Texas, where temperatures and moisture put a beating on roofs and leave them needing to be repaired or replaced more frequently.
Keep in mind that you can also deduct the cost of a roof maintenance program from your taxes, which will save you even more money.
For a roof maintenance program to be effective in saving you money and extending the life of your roof, it needs to include certain things. To start, Prime Texas Metal Roofs will thoroughly inspect the roof for signs of damage or wear to any shingles or tiles, metal ot TPO that needs repair The contractor should inspect every aspect of the roof, and should look for signs of potential future problems, such as granules from the shingles in the gutters or moss on the roof.
Prime Texas Metal Roofs will give you detailed information about the findings, including photographic evidence to help you understand the roof’s condition and what’s needed. Roof repair should be made quickly if it’s needed.
Other routine maintenance can include tightening or realigning, cleaning the gutter system, cleaning tree or plant debri from the roof and drains, tightening flashing, patching cracked seals, or repairing loose shingles or tiles, metal or TPO that needs repair. . The roof may not yet need repair, but these are signs that it would need repair soon, so making these minor corrections can save you a lot of trouble down the road.
Don’t consider maintenance to be a costly chore that you can skip to save money. Maintenance is vital to a healthy roof, and if you are consistent with it, you will actually save a lot of money over time. So, if you really care about smart money management, you will call Prime Texas Metal Roofs and set up a roof maintenance program for your property now.
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