to call in an expert instead of tak-
ing the DIY approach is an impor-
tant part of getting up to speed on
roofing.
Tips to Find the Right
Professional
Clark recommends starting with
an unbiased consultant who is
familiar with multiple roof mate-
rial types. “A consultant can look
at the existing roof and help you
determine whether that was the
correct roof system choice when
it was installed,” Clark says. “Roof
consultants are skilled in looking
at roof drainage, higher thermal
resistance, wind uplift and other
technical aspects of roof system
selection and design.”
Next, choose a contractor who
will install your roof replacement.
Clark recommends that any con-
tractor doing work on your roof
meet these conditions:
1. Experience in installing the
type of roof you’re using. You
want a qualified and experienced contractor doing that
kind of work.
2. Approval from the roof system manufacturer. Most major
manufacturers certify contractors who have been trained to
install their products.
3. A good record. Your contractor
should be well-established in
your community, pre-qualified,
properly licensed in your state,
and able to show references
for past jobs that are similar to
yours. Additionally, they should
carry an adequate amount of
insurance.
The contractor also should be
willing to submit to a third-party
inspection during and after instal-
lation, Clark recommends. The
inspection serves as an additional
check on the contractor to ensure
proper installation. Some manu-
facturers have in-house inspec-
tion programs and will send out
a technician to look at the roof;
you also can hire an independent
consultant.
With the right background
knowledge and a good team
behind you, you’ll be able to maintain your portfolio’s roofs for years
to come. Invest the time in getting
to know your roof – the headaches
you’ll avoid are well worth the
effort. B
Janelle Penny janelle.penny@
buildings.com is a senior writer
for BUILDINGS.
Roof Resources
Need to refresh your memory on roofing maintenance or get up to speed fast? Try these educational resources.
National Roofing Contractors Association ( www.nrca.net): This professional organization is for contractors, but it has
much to offer facilities managers. Check out Elements of Roofing: A Guide for Building Owners, SPRI/NRCA Manual of
Roof Inspection, Maintenance and Emergency Repair for Existing Single-Ply Roofing Systems or Manual for the Inspection
and Maintenance of Built-Up and Polymer-Modified Bitumen Roof Systems.
RCI, Inc. ( rci-online.org): RCI is a professional association of building envelope and enclosure consultants with plenty of
information for facilities professionals. Check out their education catalog to find a roofing course or skim the technical
articles.
Industry groups: Reach out to the original manufacturer of your roof or industry groups that represent manufacturers
of that roof type, such as the Metal Building Manufacturers Association ( mbma.com) or the EPDM Roofing Association
( epdmroofs.org).
BUILDINGS ( www.buildings.com): Check out our roofing coverage or explore the roofing section of BUILDINGS
Education, where you’ll find roofing webinars to help you grow as a professional. Most offer continuing education
credits as well.
Download “Build
Your Roofing File
Checklist” online at:
bit.ly/2RzSrE1