September signals the beginning of fall and is a good time to ensure your property roofs are clean and prepared for winter weather. Don’t get lulled into checking only for standard maintenance issues focused on the surface, gutters, downspouts and flashings. As we learned from a short conversation with Mark Stanley of Stanley Roofing, some of the biggest problems can sneak up on you if not careful. Interestingly, it often starts with a new tenant.
Q- When conducting the annual roof inspection, you suggest checking for new penetrations. What should property managers look for?
Mark- Often times a tenant will install something that requires a hole in the roof without informing the property manager. It could be a pipe for plumbing or AC to cool a data center or even a cable for a satellite dish. The chances are good that it wasn’t installed or flashed properly. With winter approaching, this could spell trouble for property managers.
Q- You mentioned this happens a lot with restaurants and exhaust fans. Tell us how that can impact a roofing system.
Mark- Restaurants often install exhaust fans which results in a buildup of grease on the roof. This is bad news for the system. There are different ways to help mitigate the negative effects such as installing grease guards on the roof. You won’t necessarily know about the problem during a standard inspection, especially if it’s been awhile since you’ve been on the roof.
Q- What about the damage caused to older roofs by good old fashioned sunshine? After smith machine tips all, we did just endure a streak of 50+ days without rain.
Mark- The constant UV rays from the sun absolutely has an effect on the roofing system, sometimes severe depending on age. The rays eat the oil in the roof which is responsible for keeping the system malleable. The result is cracks. Cracks lead to other problems, especially during winter weather.
Mark and the team at Stanley are available to inspect any type of commercial roofing system. Since 1954, this family owned and operated business has specialized in the largest commercial roofing projects maintaining the highest quality and most affordable costs. Stanley teams have the experience, equipment, manpower and insurance to handle the toughest projects.
To schedule an inspection call 425-483-6666 or visit www.stanleyroofing.net
