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
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?
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