Roofing Feature


Pro-active roof asset management


Ensuring that a property’s roof condition is maintained and monitored is vital, especially for social housing where budgets need to be carefully managed and disruption to tenants minimised. Dean Wincott of Langley Waterproofing Systems explains the benefits of implementing a full roof asset management plan


W


hen budgets for repair, maintenance and improvement of social housing properties are limited, focus is often given on the most visible areas. For this reason, a full assessment of the overall


condition of a flat roof is often only considered when an issue arises. However, roofs will very rarely fail without warning. Often the problem has


been evolving over a long period of time and with intervention, could have been addressed before it reached a critical stage. For example, a typical modern flat roofing system is made up of a layer of insulation with additional membranes below and above. If the waterproofing layer fails, water can become trapped in the internal layers and begin leaking into the building. When degradation of the roof system becomes obvious and it begins to leak,


repairs are often made reactively with an immediate, low cost fix. While these emergency repairs will resolve the immediate symptoms, they are unlikely to have addressed the underlying cause, risking the reoccurrence of further problems. These repeated fixes are not only potentially disruptive for tenants but can prove costly in the long run, especially if the failure causes unexpected additional damage to the interior that needs to be repaired. As with all areas of the building it is more cost effective to carry out checks


and planned preventative maintenance (PPM) rather than frequent reactive repairs. This approach is increasingly being embraced by local authorities and housing associations, with several creating new PPM teams funded by the savings made from avoiding unnecessary repairs.


To manage roofs strategically they must be considered assets and approached


in the same way as any other asset the organisation owns. At its most basic, asset management is the process of introducing, operating, maintaining and upgrading an asset. However, to manage flat roofs in this way in the long term, housing providers


need a clear understanding of the condition of each roof. While a basic check and visual inspection by a maintenance team can help to identify the obvious signs of degradation such as visible blistering, cracking and vegetation growth, it will not show what is under the surface. A more thorough examination is required to uncover evidence of deeper system degradation and any existing water ingress. A professional site condition survey, carried out by a technical specialist,


will assess each roof area using core samples, moisture readings and photography to create a comprehensive overview of the condition. Although this type of in-depth appraisal will prove valuable for any building with a flat roof, the benefits are even greater for housing providers that need to manage a large number of sites across a wide area all of differing ages and condition. The survey will provide details of the systems that have been used, their


current condition, all previous repairs and any urgent concerns. By analysing these reports, a roofing system specialist will be able to predict the expected life of each roof area by looking at the type of system, its age and exposure to the elements. For example, greater exposure to UV rays will contribute to the


Maintenance & Refurbishment


www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM February/March 2019 | 43


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