In this month's Roofing Contractor magazine (Nov. 2009), there is a great article about maintaining one's flat roof in a proactive versus reactive way. It even shows how being a reactive roof owner, that is, waiting to deal with one's roof after the problems have made their way INSIDE your house or building, can cost you nearly double AND shorten your roof life by almost half:

"According to data gathered in a 15-year alliance between Firestone Building Products and ProLogis, a global provider of distribution facilities, with a proactive maintenance schedule in place, the average life-cycle cost is 14 cents per square foot. The average reactive maintenance life-cycle costs are 25 cents per square foot. a roofing system with proactive maintenance can have an average roof life of 21 years compared to 13 years with a reactive maintenance program, depending on the roofing system and building type."

So what should homeowners or building owners do to maintain their roofs? They need to set up a proactive maintenance plan that not only considers the local Pacific Northwest climate but also their roof manufacturer's suggestions for their particular roofing product. Definitely after every major storm that includes high, windy conditions, hail, or extreme precipitation in the form of rain or snow, homeowners should have their roof inspected.

Be sure to check out the following tips so you'll know what to look for:

Winter Roof Care Tips
Fall Roof Care Tips
Spring & Summer Roof Care Tips

Tags: flat roofs| homeowners| roof maintenance| tips