1. Article Body
Large roof maintenance is a documentation discipline. Without a plan and a grid, a warehouse inspection produces impressions rather than findings.
Inspect on a grid
Divide the roof into numbered zones on a plan and walk them in sequence. Record findings by zone.
This is the difference between an inspection you can act on and a list of observations with no locations. On a roof this size, a finding without a location cannot be repaired.
Twice a year plus events
Spring and fall, plus after any significant wind or hail, plus after every tenant fit out.
The fit out trigger matters more here than on most buildings, because warehouses change tenants and every change brings trades onto the roof.
Perimeter every time
Walk the full perimeter at every inspection. Check edge metal attachment, coping, terminations and any lifted section.
This is where a catastrophic failure starts, and it is quick to check.
Skylights, with a safety protocol
Treat every translucent panel and skylight as unable to bear weight.
Inspect from beside, never from above. Check curb flashing, panel condition, yellowing, crazing and perimeter sealant.
Where panels are aged, fit screens, guardrails or covers. This is a fall protection requirement and it is also the point at which a panel replacement program should be budgeted rather than deferred.
Drainage on a schedule
Clear every drain, scupper and gutter at each inspection and after any storm.
On a large roof with few drains, one blockage floods a large area. Check internal drain sumps specifically, since they discharge inside the building when they fail.
Map any ponding and note whether the low points follow structural lines, which indicates deflection.
Control the trades
Maintain a rooftop work permit process. Require notification before access, a description of the work, and photographs before and after.
Require any new penetration to be flashed by the roofing contractor rather than the trade that created it, and notify the manufacturer of anything that could affect the warranty.
Fit walkway pads from every hatch to every piece of equipment.
Keep a penetration register
Record every penetration, what it serves and who installed it.
On a building that is refitted repeatedly this register is worth real money at reroof, because it identifies which penetrations serve nothing and can be closed permanently.
Infrared survey on a cycle
Visual inspection will not find wet insulation on a roof this size. Commission an infrared moisture survey every three to five years and before any capital decision.
Present the result as a marked plan with quantified wet area, which is the form a capital plan can use.
