Are you experiencing any leaks during this rainy spring season?
This winter season, 2018-2019, there was an average snowfall of 10 inches in the Metro-DC area.
One common problem your roofs face every winter is the forming of ice dams. Ice dams happen when a warm attic causes newly-fallen snow to melt.
Water creeps between shingles and through gutters, eventually finding it’s way into many tiny cracks. As the temperature drops and the water freezes, ice can cause these microscopic cracks to turn into possible problem areas.
Over the course of the winter, older roofs can develop leaks that only show themselves months later, after spring comes and the rain starts to pour.
These are some of the things a facility manager will notice when performing manual roof maintenance checks.
The Necessity of a Proper Roof Maintenance Plan
A Roof Maintenance Plan can save property owners extraordinary amounts of financial and mental stress. To prolong the life of your roof, these checks must be performed after any major storm.
It is vital to have a professional inspection whenever a leak is found. Preferably, with a habitual maintenance check, a leak is caught before much damage can be done.
The Roofing Contractor Magazine support the need for a good roof maintenance program, noting that:
- More than 80 percent of all roofs are replaced prematurely.
- The average building owner will spend more than $127,500 on roofing over the life of the building.
- The average cost of a new commercial roof is more than $42,500 (10,000 square foot average)
- Repairs, maintenance and/or roof restoration costs thousands of dollars less than roof replacement.
- Roof maintenance programs are tax deductible.
- A roof maintenance program can save up to 50 percent over the life of a 30-year roof compared to replacing it every 15-20 years.
The Possibility of a Tax Credit
While replacing a roof does not always qualify you for a tax credit, there’s definitely a possibility of writing off the entire cost of roof maintenance or a qualifying roof reconstruction. Maintenance expenses such as maintenance plans or reconstructions can be deducted in the year the work was done. Your roof inspector would certainly have more information about what is applicable, and it never hurts to ask.
Don’t wait for a leak to worsen and consume your entire budget. Contact us at APC Roofing Experts for a free 17-point inspection.