Your business should consider carrying out regular roof inspections and surveys to avoid common issues.
As a business owner, a property developer, a construction company, a commercial landlord, a maintenance manager, a property lawyer, there are many reasons why you might want to consider carrying out roof inspections and surveys. Here are the top 8.
Warranty and insurance protection
Many warranty agreements require property owners to perform a roof inspection on a set basis for the warranty to remain in effect. An invalid warranty could results in a big loss of money if repairs were required later on and there is no evidence of regular inspections. The same is true of many insurance policies.
Pre-emptive checks
Just because you don’t have reason to believe your property has taken on new damage doesn’t mean it isn’t a good idea to check. Even beyond those required by your warranty, regular inspections can help you spot weathering patterns and make appropriate fixes before a problem even emerges. You might spot tiles that have moved out of place, or cracked skylights, all of which can be easily fixed if known.
Leak assessment
A Leak in the surface material of your roof can cause severe damage both to the structural integrity of the roof and also to insulation and other materials below the roof, which might include electrical components. Identify the source of the leak quickly and get it repaired as soon as possible. Read more about how a drone with thermal imaging can help to identify leaks here.
Drainage issues
Few roof-related problems can be as devastating as clogged gutters and drains. If left unchecked for extended periods, these can cause build-ups of water that eventually begin to leak through the ceiling or result in water running down the exterior walls, causing damage property-wide. A roof inspection can spot piles of leaves and debris in your gutters and help prevent an issue from happening.
Check for weathering
Weather damage is a constant occurrence. On a day-to-day basis, you may not notice many changes. However, the quality of your roof will slowly deteriorate if it isn’t properly maintained. An inspection can help you to spot problem areas early and carry out corrective repairs before you need to foot a larger bill.
Accidental damage
While you would always assume that the contractors you hire for other jobs, such as replacing tiles or clearing drains, wouldn’t create new problems, this expectation doesn’t always match reality. If the damage goes unreported, whether intentionally or simply because the contractor was unaware of an issue, it can cause bigger problems in the future.
Solar panel installation
Adding solar panels to your property can provide you with an in-house energy source that not only helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions but can also provide major savings in the long term. There are, however, several requirements your building will have to meet to be eligible for solar panel installation. Your roof is a big part of the equation, as it will need to be sturdy, clear of debris, have adequate space and large enough to carry enough solar panels to make the investment worth your while. A roof inspection can help clarify each of these points so you can make an informed decision.
Debris
Debris such as branches, discarded equipment, or construction materials left on roofs, can cause significant problems if there were to be blown off. They have the potential to cause injury to people and damage to property. In addition to this, any metal object can begin to corrode if left on the roof in wet conditions and this could cause damage to the fabric of the roof itself.
How to carry out roof inspections and surveys safely and efficiently?
There are several methods for carrying out roof inspections and surveys. The most obvious is to get up onto the roof. However, this is not always as simple as it seems. Is the roof structurally sound? Is there a safe means of climbing up onto the roof or do you need to use a ladder? Do you need scaffolding or a crane? Is there edge protection in place to prevent people from falling?
All of these things need to be considered and a risk assessment should be undertaken to ensure you are not putting people’s safety at risk. As a business owner, you are responsible for people’s safety at work.
An alternative method is to instruct a trained, qualified and insured drone operator to inspect on your behalf. A reputable drone operator will carry out their risk assessments and will seek permissions from relevant agencies such as air traffic control or the police, for example. They will take safety extremely seriously and will collect quality data most efficiently.
When instructing a drone operator you should ask for evidence of their Operational Authorisation which is issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the UK. You should also request to see evidence of their Public Liability Insurance and ensure it meets EU Regulation EC785/2004.
Why choose Skyball Visuals to carry out your roof inspections and surveys?
We are licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to carry out commercial flight operations and we adhere to very strict safety standards to ensure that all our flights are low risk and do not pose a danger to your employees, your property and uninvolved persons.
We are fully insured with industry-specific public liability insurance of at least £5m, although I am pleased to say we have never needed it.
The quality of the data we collect and provide to you is a priority for us. Read more about our vision for drone services.
Call us on 0800 774 7140 or use the form below and we’ll get back to you.