Preventive maintenance of a commercial roof in Laval

What wears a roof out early

On a commercial roofing system, maintenance is a decision that comes back every year and rests with the manager. It targets known enemies.

• The foot traffic. Refrigeration technicians, antenna installers, window washers: each visit can leave a screw or a cut that no one notices.
• Equipment installed without a roofer. A flashing improvised by another trade often ends up leaking.
• Standing water. A clogged drain turns a corner of the roof into a pond, which weighs on the structure and exploits the slightest weakness.
• Sealants. Around pipes and vents, they often crack long before the membrane reaches the end of its life.
• Debris. Leaves, branches and waste keep the surface damp and end up in the strainers.

The cost of a forgotten defect

A membrane is bought for a certain number of years. Each year that neglect takes away from it is a share of the replacement paid for nothing.

Once in through a tiny hole, water soaks insulation that dries poorly and insulates less. It rusts the steel deck, stains ceilings and spoils tenants' stock. What a piece of membrane would have fixed then requires redoing a section, and sometimes ends in a claim.

The routine, item by item

A program is written down, carries the name of a person in charge and covers six things.

1. Two visits on the calendar, in spring and fall, plus one after any severe weather event.
2. Drain cleaning. Strainers cleared of leaves, debris and what other trades left behind.
3. Immediate touch-ups. A lifted seam, cracked sealant or a flashing coming loose is fixed without delay.
4. A single file for dates, findings, photos, work and invoices.
5. An access log, to know who went up, on what day and why.
6. A winter procedure that names who monitors the snow, who has the drains cleared and who decides to call a professional.

Who goes up, who watches

Working at height exposes people to falls and requires a trained, equipped person. Roof visits, inspections and repairs belong to a roofer, who knows the system and protects the warranty.

Building staff still have a role, without going up: watching the top-floor ceilings after a storm, logging every roof access, reporting any equipment added or moved.

Maintenance and permits in Laval

Laval's Code de l'urbanisme (the City's urban planning code) exempts normal maintenance of a construction from permits and certificates, provided neither the foundations nor the load-bearing components of the structure are altered. Tarring the roof is among its examples.

Maintenance work subject to a PIIA (site planning and architectural integration program) does, however, require a permit or a certificate. The exemption does not release anyone from other bylaws. When in doubt, the question goes to the City's Service de l'urbanisme (urban planning department). The Code does not name the partial repair of a roof: ask before the work.

Warranty and insurer

A warranty, from the manufacturer or for workmanship, can require proof of maintenance or reserve any modification to an authorized roofer. Reread yours and, if needed, ask the issuer in writing what it expects.

The insurer may take an interest in the roof's age and condition, or ask for maintenance records after a loss. Ask what your policy provides.

Frequently asked questions