Is Roof Maintenance A Good Investment?
Roofing systems are assets and have a finite life expectancy. Life expectancy can range from as little as 5 years to as much as 30 years, with 20 years being a good milestone when replacement or significant restoration will need to be performed.
Few people would purchase a new car and not change the oil or do periodic maintenance. All too often people invest in a new roof system and because the roof is out of sight, they forget about it until there is a problem. By then, the damage done may be extensive.
It takes a proactive commitment to ensure that the investment in your new roof is maintained. Fortunately, the financial payback of a sound preventive maintenance program can be spectacular over the long term.
What should a good roof maintenance program cost? What should it consist of?
A comprehensive roof maintenance program can cost anywhere between $0.10 to $0.20 per year and require a visual inspection at least twice a year. A non-destructive moisture survey should be performed on insulated roofing assemblies at a 2 – 5 year interval.
The following chart is an example of the true costs in three different maintenance scenarios; Reactive, Moderate, and Aggressive. The example is based on a 100,000 S.F. roof over a 20-year life cycle with an initial cost of $300,000.
The Reactive approach assumes there is no formal maintenance program, the roof is repaired only when it leaks, no measures are undertaken to protect the roof warranty and the roof will need to be replaced at the end of 10 years.
The Moderate approach assumes that one visual inspection is performed per year, a moisture survey is done at year 15 prior to recovering and damaged areas are properly repaired.
The Aggressive approach assumes a visual inspection twice a year, a moisture survey is done every three years and all necessary preventative maintenance items are addressed.
The savings speak for themselves!
| Roof Maintenance | Reactive | Moderate | Aggressive |
| Capitol | $800,000 | $625,000 | $300,000 |
| Leak Repairs | $21,000 | $9,000 | $5,000 |
| Consequential Costs | $4,984 | $2,566 | – |
| Asset Management Costs | – | $41,000 | $58,000 |
| Preventative Costs | – | $2,250 | $4,500 |
| Net Present Value | $503,921 | $394,756 | $284,928 |
| Annual Costs | $40,436 | $31,676 | $22,863 |