This may be the result of the belief that warranties will provide a remedy for any performance problems that may occur. However, almost all warranties specify that the owner is obliged to maintain the roof properly. Unfortunately, the specific maintenance requirements are often poorly defined or articulated, and it is usually left to the building owner to determine the appropriate level and type of intervention. The problem is exacerbated by the current need of school boards to rationalize and right-size their operations. More emphasis on the core business and managerial control of expenditures has resulted in fewer fiscal and human resources available for building maintenance.
Most boards can no longer afford to have in-house construction and roofing experts.
As a result, roofing consultants are playing a larger role in providing the expertise required making sound construction and maintenance expenditure decisions. The normal life expectancy of roofs in North America is purported to be in the range of 20 years. Assuming the initial roof design was satisfactory for the intended use, the materials met performance and design criteria, it was installed properly and that it has not been abused, any variance from the predicted service life can be attributed to the remaining independent variable maintenance. According to Murphy s Law, all things, including roofs, eventually wear out. The purpose of any roof maintenance program is to decrease the acceleration rate of the normal aging by implementing timely and effective measures that restore the roof to its full level of performance and extend its remaining service life.