1. It shields the occupants, structure, and contents from direct exposure to the elements,
2. It is a critical part of the building envelope: the systems that control the home’s internal climate. More than any other component of the building, problems with the roof expose other important structures to the risk of damage. The effects of a leaking roof will ripple through the building and inevitably result in sagging ceilings, damp drywall, rotting wood, faulty foundation, decaying carpets, and mold. It will make the home more vulnerable to pest infestation.
A malfunctioning roof will also allow the conditioned air – heated or cooled – inside the home to escape. It will compromise the building’s ability to maintain its internal climate through the presence of leaks. This will not only make the home uncomfortable to live in, but it will also increase its energy usage.
Whatever affects the roof of your rental property affects your ability to attract and keep tenants in the home. It increases your maintenance costs and the overall profits from the business. This is why roof maintenance should be a major part of your property maintenance routine. Good maintenance will help you prolong the roof’s life.
Roof maintenance is a program that helps you detect faults in the roof before they become big issues that cost a lot of money to fix. It ensures that instead of fixing roof damage, you are preventing it. It can result in significant reductions to how much you spend on the roof while improving its function and appearance.
Proper roof maintenance involves the following:
Regular inspection is the heart and soul of preventative roof maintenance. Most landlords do not inspect the roof of their rental properties at all. However, for the few that do, they do not have a good method for making sure they inspect the entire structure.
In order to be able to inspect the whole roof without missing or overlooking vital areas, you need a roof inspection checklist. This is a document listing all the critical aspects of the roof, as well as, explaining the step-by-step procedure for checking them.
Without a checklist to guide your roof inspection, it is likely to be haphazard and ineffective. When inspecting the roof, do not walk on it, as that could make it more vulnerable to damage. Hiring a roofing expert is recommended when inspecting your rental’s roof.
Some of the important things to look out for during roof inspection are:
Doing the following tasks on a schedule will minimize the risk of damage to the roof and reduce the likelihood of costly repairs.
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