FlatRoofing › SinglePly › PVC › RoofInspections

PVC Single-Ply Roof Professional Inspections

Roofing problems at commercial and industrial facilities can quickly add up.

Maintenance managers are often burdened with extra costs for roof repairs and not enough money to pay for them all. Although lack of finances is sometimes to blame, in more cases than not, the real problem is the lack of a roof inspection plan. This is especially true with PVC roofs and other single-ply rubber roofing.

PVC roofs have become an increasingly popular singly ply flat roofing option for commercial facilities. PVC roofs are known to be durable, energy-efficient and chemical resistant. If not properly taken care of, these roofs will likely tear or puncture. By caring for your roof, you can reduce ownership costs, minimize the frequency and severity of leaks, while also extending the life of your roof. A standard PVC roof can last up to 20 years with regular care.

Contact our Roofed Right experts to set up a roof inspection plan that can spot problems before they turn into emergencies.

Process of Making Your Commercial Roof Right

1.The Right Motivation

Businesses often avoid roof inspection plans while roofing structures are operating smoothly (the best time to prepare). They usually end up needing to make major repairs or replacements before even considering an inspection plan. The hassle and cost of emergency repairs and replacements are preventable.

Extending the life of your PVC roof by just one year offsets the cost of a maintenance management plan. As the lifespan of each roof increases, so do the savings.

If a PVC roof management plan is so beneficial, why do we still find that a majority of businesses fail to implement one? Whatever the reason, we know that even a minimal plan is better than no plan.

2.Taking Stock

After a manager commits to Roofed Right’s roof inspection plan, the first step is to assign someone to head the program. Next, we will lay out a plan including annual inspections and regular maintenance to prevent any major repair expenses.

From there, we will take inventory of the roof and its condition to develop a historical file full of the following information:

Date of installation
Installing contractor
System manufacturer
Warranties
Type of roof system, insulation & roof deck
Leak history
Repair history, dates, type & cost of repairs

3.Condition Consideration

3.Condition Considerations

A roof cannot be properly managed without understanding its current condition. Once a plan is laid out, Roofed Right sends an inspector to perform a condition assessment with two types of inspections: visual and non-destructive.

Visual Inspections

Our roof management plan includes an annual or semi-annual visual inspection, depending on your roof’s physical condition, amount of rooftop traffic and preferences of the facility’s occupants. Visual inspection is the ideal first step for a PVC roof because any hole, tear or puncture in the membrane can be easily spotted. Leaks and soft spots are also easy to detect. Low areas, wrinkles and cuts in the membrane are all signals to the inspector that the roof needs repairs.

What to expect from a typical visual inspection:

An inspection of the membrane and its mechanics
An examination of the roof system, flashings, sheet-metal flashings, drains & gutters
An evaluation of observed conditions that might affect the long-term performance of the roof system
Documentation of deficiencies requiring corrective action
Collection of any other information needed for developing long-range preventive maintenance (PM) needs.

Non-destructive Inspections

Non-destructive inspections are designed to complement a visual inspection. These measures include infrared, nuclear and capacitance tests that can identify the presence of moisture, locate leaks and back up the inspector’s observations.

The infrared test is our most effective non-destructive measure. An infrared test scans the entire roof through aerial pictures to identify any leaks in the membrane. Now the inspector should have all the information needed to conduct repairs.

Infrared Roof Scan

Request a Quote

4.Formulating a Plan

Once the necessary information is collected and organized, our roofing managers will identify spots needing repairs, maintenance or re-roofing and you will receive a developed inspection and maintenance plan. Committing to annual or bi-annual inspections allows business owners to avoid unnecessary business interruptions and expenses.

A roof maintenance plan formulated with your needs and budget in mind enables increased levels of operation for years longer than a neglected roof. We identify the problems in your roofing system and you save money.