Building Owners Roofing System Inspection and Maintenance

Why Inspect and Maintain the Roofing System?

• Periodic inspection and maintenance is needed in order for the roof to perform as designed.

• Inspection and maintenance is typically required by roofing manufacturers to keep roofing warranties in full force and effect.

Proactive vs Reactive Maintenance

• Reactive Maintenance: is a response to a existing problem:– Leaks– Repairs after damage due to weather events– Changes in the rooftop (relocated RTUs, new

adjacent construction, etc.)

Proactive vs Reactive Maintenance

• Proactive Maintenance: stopping potential problems before they impact the roofing system - can create significant savings and extend the service life of the roofing system:

The above cost analysis was prepared by a development firm owning in excess of 550 million square feet of commercial space.

When Should the Roof Be Inspected?

• Make a roof inspection plan part of the overall maintenance of the facility– Schedule regular inspections by on-site facility

management team– Schedule twice-annual inspections by Roofing

Professionals– Inspect following weather events (wind, hail,

etc.)– Inspect when leaks or damage occurs

Who Should Perform the Inspection?

• The local facility staff can perform casual inspections:– Observe and record the status of the roofing system.– Use data gathered to direct a Roofing Professional to

problem areas• A Roofing Professional should perform a

thorough inspection:– At least twice a year.– Whenever repairs is required.

Who Should Perform Maintenance?

• Local facility management staff: – Clean single-ply membranes– Remove debris, especially from

drains/scuppers/gutters– Locate areas of damage/leaks and safely mark them

• Roofing Professionals: – Repair leaks and perform reactive maintenance– Perform proactive maintenance– Provide estimates for future roofing maintenance

needs– Use manufacturer-licensed roofing contractors to protect your warranty

Inspection ChecklistsWhere to Look - What to Look For -

Remedial Actions

• Rooftop Traffic Areas• Contaminants• Drainage Components• Wind Storm Damage• Moisture Infiltration• Roof Membrane Seams• Base Attachments

Rooftop Traffic Areas• Where to Look:

– Roof Hatch area or roof access points– Walkways and “natural” paths– Mechanical Equipment

• What to Look For:– Cuts & punctures– Compressed/crushed insulation– Always monitor and log rooftop traffic

Displaced walkway pads

Rooftop Traffic Areas• Remediation:

– Emergency repair of cuts and punctures• Duct tape open areas of single-ply

membrane/flashing• Seal open asphalt membrane with plastic roof

cement• Cover repaired area with tarp if possible

– Permanent repair of cuts and punctures• Contact manufacturer’s licensed Roofing

Professional– Crushed insulation

• Have Roofing Professional replace with new insulation

Rooftop Traffic Areas

• Preventative Actions:– Add or enhance Roof Walkways– Register all rooftop traffic on a Roof Access

Log

Keep debris cleared!(…always remove ducks…!)

Contaminants

Membrane split

Membrane swelling

Contaminants• Where to Look:

– Kitchen Exhaust Fans– HVAC Compressors

Membrane swelling

Contaminants

• Remediation: – Membrane which has cracked, split, or swelled

should be replaced by a Roofing Professional• Preventative Actions:

– If grease traps are not present, consider installing grease traps

– If sacrificial layer of membrane is not present, consider installing additional layer over waterproofing layer

Drainage Components

Roof Drain & Overflow Drain blocked by debris

Open scupper flashings

Drainage Components

Blocked Drain Debris in gutter, broken gutter straps, open fastener holes

Drainage Components• Where to Look:• Mid-span of Roof Beams & Joists• Around Rooftop Units (RTUs)• At Drains, Scupper, Gutters, Downspouts

• What to Look For:• Debris• “Ponding,” Sagging, or Deflection• Discoloration at Curbs and Walls• Damage to Drainage Components

Drainage Components• Remediation:

– Remove Debris - bag and dispose– Drainage components – have Roofing Professional

replace defective drainage components and flash them, according to manufacturer’s approved details.

Blocked Drain

Drainage Components

• Preventative Actions:– Add roof drains– Add Tapered Insulation (“saddles and

crickets”)– Add a redundant layer of membrane

Wind Damage

Wind Damage

“Tented” and Backed-Out Fasteners

Displaced Insulation Boards

Wind Damage• Where to Look:

– Roof Edge – metal, gutters, downspouts– Rooftop Units– Roof Membrane surface– Flashings – metal and membrane flashings

Damaged Metal Coping

Wind Damage

What to Look For:• All Systems:

– Loose or missing sheet metal flashing components, especially at the roof edge

– Deflection or distortion of insulation boards– Large cuts or slices in the roof membrane

• Ballasted systems – displaced rock/pavers, displaced insulation boards under membrane

• Adhered systems – disbonded membrane, “tented” fasteners and plates

• Mechanically Attached systems – “tented” fasteners

Wind Damage

“Tented” Fasteners

Disbonded Membrane, Failed Base Attachments

Wind Damage

• Remediation:– Remove all debris– Replace any displaced ballast – carefully to

avoid puncture– Seal small cuts and punctures– Have Roofing Professional resecure detached

flashings and sheet metal– Have Roofing Professional make permanent

repairs to membrane and reinstall/replace displaced/damaged insulation

Wind Damage

Displaced Ballast

Damaged Metal Coping

Wind Damage

• Preventative Actions:– Add additional roof ballast to ballasted systems– Review roofing system design – have a Roof

Consultant, engineer, or architect review the design and recommend changes to protect against future wind damage

Moisture Infiltration• Where to Look:• Building Walls and Parapets• Large RTUs• Skylights

Moisture infiltrating around RTU

Moisture Infiltration• What to Look For:

– “Soft” Roof Insulation– Cracking, Spalling, or Discoloration of Walls– Loose Metal Wall Flashings– Covered “Weep Holes”– Missing or Broken Weather Seals on RTU s– Cracked or Sunken Sealants/Caulking

Moisture Infiltration• Remediation:

– Replace wet roof insulation (should only be performed by a Roofing Professional)

– Reattach and re-seal/caulk metal components (either by Roofing Professional or trade professional)

– Repair deteriorated walls, parapets, substrates (should be performed by trade professional)

Moisture stain on parapet wall

Moisture Infiltration• Preventative Actions:

– Have a Roof Consultant perform a Moisture Survey (Thermal Imaging, and/or core cuts)

– Keep RTUs sealed to manufacturer’s standards– Log access to roof by RTU/HVAC maintainers

Moisture Scan Image

Roof Membrane Seams• Where to Look:

– T-Joints (membrane panel intersections)

– Angle changes (such as deck-to-wall)

• What to Look For:– Edge cavitation– Entrapped

moisture

“Fishmouth” in seam

Roof Membrane Seams• Remediation (Emergency Repairs):

– Modified Bitumen (asphalt) Systems: • Apply plastic roof cement to the seam edge

– Single-Ply Systems: • Gently clean the area, then cover the seam edge with

duct tape extending 1.0” in all directions from seam opening

• Remediation (Permanent Repairs)– Should only be made by Roofing Professionals

Open Lap

Base Attachments

Membrane “Bridging”

Failed Base Attachment

Base Attachments

• Where to Look: – Parapet Walls and Equipment Curbs– Roof Edge

• What to Look For:– “Bridging” – membrane pulled away from the

90-degree angle change or greater than 2:12, forming an angled “bridge” from horizontal to vertical

– Loose or “Tented” Fasteners

Base Attachments• Remediation:

– Emergency Repair:• If a leak is present, seal

the area with duct tape (single-ply systems) or plastic roof cement (asphalt systems)

– Permanent repair: • Base Tie-In and

Membrane should be reattached and restored by a Roofing Professional

Membrane Bridging

Roofing Inspection Checklist for use by on-site Facilities Managers

• See Page 13 of the “Firestone Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance Guide” for a reproducible Roofing Inspection Checklist to carry to the rooftop.

• Checklist contains a brief description of what to look for in all of the above conditions.

• Note “Conditions Observed,” and “Actions Recommended” on the Checklist, along with the location of the problem area.

• Reference completed Checklist when contact Roofing Manufacturer to report a leak or problem with the roofing system.

Roofing Inspection Checklist

Guide to Common Repair Methods

• See the “Firestone Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair Guide,” Section II, for drawings and explanations of what quality repairs by a Roofing Professional should look like.

Service Requests/Leak Reports

• Firestone Warranty Services– 1-800-830-5612 - Line answered 24/7– Fax information to 1-317-575-7210– Email information to

warrantyclaims@firestonebp.com

Service Requests/Leak Reports

• Provide the following information:– Building Name and Address– Building Owner Name– Name of contact on-site, fax number, and phone

number – Warranty Number (printed on front of warranty)– Date when leak was observed– Description of leak or issue

Fax Notification Form

Warranted Repairs

• Firestone issues a “Warranty Service Work Order” to the original installing contractor.

• Building Owner or on-site contact is faxed an acknowledgement letter with roofing contractor’s contact information

• Contractor will investigate and complete necessary repairs within 10 working days

Non-Warranted Repairs

• Roofing System Warranties typically cover repair of leaks

• Most other conditions are non-warranted• Building Owner is responsible for payment of

investigation and repair of non-warranted conditions

Questions?