Owning a commercial property means managing a lot of moving parts. One of these parts is building maintenance, which can entail different factors depending on the building type. However, this almost always includes roof repair and upkeep. Routine maintenance should be kept up with, but sometimes emergency repairs become necessary.
What do you need to know about emergency commercial roofing repair?
What Can Lead to Urgent Damage?
There are a variety of causes for emergency damage. Severe weather events, such as strong winds, hailstorms, and tornadoes, are common causes of damage that would happen quickly and require quick resolution. Another common cause is damage from an external structure like a tree. Finally, structural issues can lead to leaks or other failures. This can be caused by improper planning during the building stage, lack of maintenance, or additions that the building can’t handle. An example of the latter would be installing a new HVAC unit on the structure without accounting for its capabilities.
What Should a Commercial Building Owner Do?
If you find a problem with your building’s roof, there are certain steps you should follow. The first step is to assess the damage to the extent that it is safe to do so. It isn’t always safe to approach the damage. However, if there is access to the area that will allow you to take photos or, even better, videos of the concern, this should be done.
Additionally, you should gather any receipts that they have for related repairs, maintenance, and inspections. You should follow this up by attempting to contain or temporarily reduce the damage. If the building has electronics, you should be safely moved as far away from any leaks as possible. If the leak site can be covered, that should be done and something, such as a trash can or bucket, should be used to contain any leaks.
What’s next? It’s time for some phone calls to be made.
Who Should Be Called?
The insurance company will absolutely need to be contacted. However, you should contact a roofing company that is experienced in commercial roofing repair first. This is so that the company can schedule an assessment as soon as possible. If the damage needs immediate attention, the company can get this addressed but you should keep receipts. The commercial roofing replacement company can then assess the damage and provide an estimated cost.
After the company has been contacted and scheduled, insurance should be called. The insurance company will also schedule a professional to come out and assess the damage. Their assessments are often low so owners would be prudent to have another number to compare it to.
At Schmidt Roofing, we will work with your insurance company to get the repairs done and paid for.
How Can Payout Be Assured?
Insurance is supposed to be there for the client. However, these assessments and payouts can be frustrating. In order for owners to ensure they receive the maximum payout, there are some things they can do. The most important thing is for owners to document everything. Prior to any damage, owners should keep track of all maintenance and inspections. After damage, they should document damage, phone calls, and estimates from all sources.
Owners should also be diligent in their maintenance. This means having regular inspections and assessment after storms. It also means that if any flashing replacement or patching occurs, it should be documented and performed by a qualified professional.
