When faced with an economic downturn, the natural reaction of most businesses is to rein in all unnecessary expenditures. Reducing your roofing maintenance budget may seem like a great way to cut some corners, but are you really saving money? Here are some things to keep in mind.

Bring in an Inspector
Spending small amounts on maintaining and restoring your roof now, means avoiding the risk of sudden failure in the near future. The last thing you want in times of economic strain is the sudden expense and inconvenience of a full roof replacement. Get your roof inspected as soon as possible, especially if it is nearing the average roof lifespan of ten years. An independent inspector can assess the situation and give you a range of options. A trained professional can often guide you on ways to add years to your existing roof.

Do the Math
A roof inspection generally costs around two cents per square foot of roof area. A full roof replacement costs up to $11 a square foot, and the costs go up every year. Roofing insulation, just one component of a full rebuild, saw a 300 percent price increase in the last three years. Other roofing materials, many of which are petroleum-based, are seeing steep increases as well. On the whole, roof restoration usually results in a 3 to 1 return on your initial investment – where else can you get that kind of yield?

Why Wait?
Roofs are not self-healing. Nothing miraculously improves a damaged roof and deterioration never just goes away. Waiting for actual signs of damage often makes it too late for restoration. Once water has gotten into your roof and the insulation gets wet, it is a surefire sign of mold. At that point, full replacement may be your only option. Molds are harmful to the people and products within your building and given enough time, often result in expensive employee lawsuits. Call an inspection firm now and they can take infrared imaged of your entire roof, showing you problem points where patches should go. Providing evidence of these fixes to your insurance company can lower premiums on your building, allowing you to recoup some of the restoration costs.

Environmental Impact
Consumers are wary of paying premium for anything these days, but many are still willing to pay the price for truly “green” products from environmentally conscious companies. Establishing yourself as a green company takes more than efficient product, it requires deep-seated practices that evidence your commitment. Your roofing restoration practices can play a large part. For instance, building materials account for 65.2 percent of U.S. electricity consumption, 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and create 36 million tons of construction and demolition waste in annually. Actively maintaining and restoring a roof uses fewer resources, vastly reducing your environmental impact. Even better, it’s one more way of showing that you stand behind your green promise.

Your roof is essentially the fifth wall of your workspace. While restoring it is an investment, neglecting it can be a huge liability. There is enough uncertainty associated with a slow economy, get your roof inspected as soon as possible and find out the facts about where you stand. Restore now and you could avoid a costly replacement for years.

About Kenderson, Inc.
Kenderson is your single source for inspection, assessment, budget development, specification design, and management of immediate or ongoing roofing and masonry solutions. With over 75 years of combined industry experience, Kenderson’s award-winning experts are fully committed to helping customers in a variety of industries maximize their roofing investments.