A Practical Preventive Maintenance Plan for Facility Managers

If there's one thing I wish more facility managers knew, it's this: a roof that gets checked twice a year and after every major storm will almost always outlast one that only gets attention during an emergency call. I get it, though. You're juggling a dozen systems, and the roof is usually the one nobody thinks about until something goes wrong with it.

So here's the routine I'd actually want you to follow, no roofing background required.

Spring inspection

After winter, walk the roof and look for anything ice and snow load might have shifted or cracked. Check the flashing around rooftop units, vents, and parapet walls. Clear debris out of drains and scuppers. This is also the right time to note any spot where snow seemed to pool differently than you expected, because that usually points to a drainage issue developing.

Fall inspection

Before winter hits, clear gutters, drains, and scuppers of leaves and debris so they're not frozen shut when the first snow comes. Check seams and flashing one more time before months of freeze-thaw cycles put real stress on the roof. A clogged drain in November turns into a much bigger problem in January, once the backed-up water has nowhere to go but ice.

After every major storm

Hail, high wind, or a heavy snow load event all warrant a walk of the roof, or a call to me if climbing up there isn't practical for your team. The goal is catching storm-related damage within days, not months, since both insurance claims and repair costs get more complicated the longer it sits unaddressed.

What to actually look for

Standing water more than two days after rain. Bubbling, blistering, or wrinkling on the membrane. Cracked or separated flashing around any rooftop penetration. Granules collecting in your drains. Debris piles holding moisture against the roof surface. None of this takes special equipment to spot. It just takes someone actually walking the roof instead of assuming it's fine because nobody's complained yet.

Keep a simple log

A basic spreadsheet with the date, what was checked, and what was found turns years of scattered observations into a record that actually helps. When it's time for a replacement down the road, that log tells me exactly how your roof has aged, which means a more accurate proposal and fewer surprises once work starts. 

When to call me instead of handling it yourself

Anything involving flashing repair, membrane patching, or working near rooftop equipment with electrical or mechanical components should go to a licensed roofing contractor. The risk of an in-house patch job done wrong, both to the roof and to whoever's on the ladder, isn't worth what you'd save.

Building the plan that fits your roof

A generic checklist is a starting point, not a finished plan. The right maintenance schedule depends on your roof's age, system type, and how the building gets used day to day. I build maintenance programs for commercial buildings across Iowa and the Midwest, starting with a free assessment. Call me at (641) 629-1451 or visit encorroofing.com and let's build one around your roof specifically.