The most important structural element of any building is its roof. This is clear because a problem with the roof, such as a crack or leak, will negatively impact all other parts of the building. A leak in the roof will allow water to enter the roofing structure and gather, causing expensive damages or even harming building occupants. Water that gathers in an egress path could cause individuals to slip and fall, while water in unmonitored areas will allow allergenic fungi to grow. Cracks in the roofing structure are just as problematic as they weaken the overall structure and provide an entryway for insects or other living pests. Those who have to spend money on expensive roofing repair work to fix the problems mentioned above will wish that they had taken the time to schedule regular roof maintenance checks. Below are some of the most common reasons that a roof fails prematurely, and all of these problems can be detected with regular inspections:

• Poor workmanship is the reason for 47% of roof replacements
• Poor overall design accounts for 16% of roof replacements
• Faulty materials and weathering are responsible for 9% of replacements
• Trapped moisture and mechanical damage cause 8% of replacements
• Excess roof traffic accounts for 3% of replacements

When individuals notice a problem in their roofing structure, they act quickly to bring in a roofing repair company to reverse the problem. However, most building occupants never set foot on their roof so most problems are not found in time to keep damage to a minimum. Building owners therefore can only protect the investment they have made in a building and its contents by scheduling regular roof maintenance and evaluations.

Conventional wisdom says that building owners should schedule one roof inspection each year, but today’s roofing experts actually recommend two inspections. Since each season brings a different climate, it is best to schedule one roof maintenance check in the fall and one in the spring. A fall inspection will look for problems most commonly caused by summer temperatures while looking for vulnerabilities like cracks that can become problematic in the winter. A spring inspection checks for problems generally seen in colder climates while preparing the roof for warmer summer temperatures.

An inspection should prepare the roof for the next season’s harsh temperatures because one of the main purposes of this structure is to regulate temperatures. During the summer, the roof will keep cool air inside the building while during the winter the roof will keep warm air inside the building. If the owner has neglected to hire a roof repair company to fix cracks and leaks, then the roof will be unable to keep that air inside. Consequently the building’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units have to work harder, which results in higher energy bills for the building owner.

Individuals who want to protect their roof and everything that it covers, while avoiding expensive roof repair bills and high energy bills should hire a roof maintenance company to perform semi-annual inspections.