Do You Need a New Roof?

If you manage any type of commercial property, including an apartment or condominium complex, you may know the importance of always keeping the building's roof in good repair. Even a small leak in the roof can lead to serious damage to the roof's rafters, as well as to other ceiling materials, and may allow for mould growth. While you might assume a maintenance worker can manage replacing a few missing shingles, note a few reasons why this work should always be left to professionals.

Repair versus replacement

In many cases, simple repairs may be all that's needed to keep a building's roof in good condition and keep its framework protected, but this isn't always the case. Damage to roofing paper, flashing, and the building's actual framework can mean that it's time to have the roof replaced entirely.

A maintenance worker may know how to replace a few shingles, but may not know how to properly inspect the roof in order to determine if it's time to replace it altogether. If damaged flashing and other materials are not replaced, and cracks not repaired properly, this can lead to more leaks and damage to the roof structure, damage to units under the roof including upper story apartments, and the potential for mould growth, as mentioned. A professional roofer can inspect any and all damaged areas of the roof, including the chimney, gutters, and other such pieces, and know if repairs are sufficient, or if it's time to replace the roof entirely.

Type of tiles

A maintenance worker may not know how to ensure that new tiles are the same as current tiles already installed on the roof. Concrete or plastic tiles are often stained to look like another material, or you may think a building has a slate roof when it's really ceramic. New, incompatible tiles may not stay affixed, leading to even larger repair bills down the road.

Warranty and codes

A commercial building's roof needs to be maintained to certain local building codes, and failure to have work done properly can mean fines from your city or county, or not having the building pass an inspection. An improperly repaired roof can also void certain warranties, not just for the roof, but for other parts of the building that may be damaged because of a faulty roof repair job. You may even find that your building's insurance is voided if roof repairs are not done up to local codes. To ensure you avoid these potential issues, leave strata roof repair work to a professional and not your maintenance crew.