Three Ways to Optimize the Roof Maintenance Budget on Your Rental

Neglecting your residential or commercial building‘s roofing system is a financial mistake. Even a small leak can lead to significant damage if not addressed promptly. When it comes to your rentals, make sure to budget for and prioritize maintaining your roof to avoid costly repairs down the line. Don’t let the roof become an “out of sight, out of mind” issue. Instead, keep it a priority as you manage the building throughout the year. Here are some key ways to get the most out of your roof maintenance budget:

1. Investing in maintenance now means saving later on

Investing in regular and professional roof maintenance can have unexpected benefits. Tim Botkin, a former roofing contractor and current GAF national accounts manager, recommends budgeting for semiannual roof maintenance and inspections, which can range from an average of 5 to 8 cents per square foot. One of the main advantages of regular maintenance is that it allows you to catch problems while they can still be easily fixed, maximizing the value of your investment and potentially extending the time between re-roofing.

2. Prepare for all seasons

Botkin also recommends that roofs be inspected and repaired before the winter and summer months to extend their lifespan. These seasons bring the most taxing weather conditions for your roofing system, and encountering problems during these months can be a difficult problem to solve. It’s better to be proactive about maintenance during months with calmer weather. Contractors can perform inspections and proactive repairs, focusing on these issues:

• Identifying loose flashings, clogged drains, or standing water before they become expensive problems
• Removing wind-blown debris and organic matter that can harm the roof
• Cleaning reflective surfaces to maximize their effectiveness
• Meeting maintenance requirements for GAF guarantees

By taking these proactive measures, you can help prolong the life of your roofing system signficantly.

3. Consider more effective roofing system replacements

When it comes time to replace your roof, choosing a stronger system can save you money and maintenance in the long run. “Instead of a standard 60-mil TPO system,” says Botkin, “I am seeing a lot of owners opt for an 80-mil membrane that is going to perform better.” Additionally, using roof coatings is becoming a popular option for extending the lifespan of roofing systems, and these products can often be obtained quickly with just a few weeks of lead time.

“With coatings, it’s all about the dry mils of the system,” Botkin says, concerning the properly applied thickness of the coating. “That can determine how long your coating system should last. Once you have coated the roof, it should be inspected twice a year.”