7 Roofing Inspection Mistakes to Avoid for Springfield Businesses

One roofing inspection mistake can cost you big money. If your roof inspection is not done right, it can force major construction you’ll have to pay for out of pocket. 

And that’s only the beginning. 

Problems with your roof put you and your customers in danger every time you’re in the building.  Roofing inspection mistakes can cost you more than money– someone could get hurt. 

Your business has enough to worry about without adding roof integrity to the mix.

Avoid These Mistakes

Roof inspections can seem daunting. But as long as you don’t do these, you’ll be fine.

# 1 Cutting Corners During Roofing Work

It is tempting to try to save money where you can. But cutting corners during your roofing work can be a big mistake, and it can make the inspections harder. 

One area you don’t want to skip is the materials and construction on your roof. Depending on how long you have your building, you will need to do some roofing work at some point. 

By using the recommended material and labor for it, your inspection will much go easier. It will also be more accurate and give you confidence in your roof.

# 2 Trying to Do It Yourself

In any business, there is a lot of DYI work you can do, but roofing inspection should not be one of them. 

Of course, there could be obvious damage or repair work that needs to be done. For example, you can see for yourself if you have a clogged drain, and any roof with a big hole in it needs some attention.

Even so, the obvious damage could be hiding even more problems underneath. Fixing them could be simple, or it could involve several connected areas of the roof you didn’t know about.

By foregoing professional assistance, you could do more harm than good.

# 3 Unlicensed Contractor

So, if you aren’t doing it yourself, you can simply hire anyone with roofing experience, right? No, that could be a mistake. If the person you hired doesn’t have the correct licensing, you’re risking more than just your roof.

In Illinois, it is against state law to do any roof work without having a license.

On top of that, Illinois has two types of roofing licensing, limited and unlimited. For your business, you are restricted to hiring someone with an unlimited license. While that may seem like it’s tying your hands, it’s actually a good thing. 

Now, when you have your roof inspected, you have a guarantee that the person knows what they’re doing. If your inspection turns up something wrong, they can recommend the next steps.

And if everything is A-OK, you can go back to where your focus should be— your business.

# 4 Uninsured Contractor

Your roofing inspector has a license, fantastic! But do they have insurance? 

Since you’re no longer cutting corners or simply doing it yourself, you might as well go an extra step. Make sure the roofing company or worker has the proper insurance. You want to know you and your business are covered.

Your insurance may cover the bill for the roofing work. But if anything goes wrong, you won’t be stuck paying out of pocket to fix it, especially for something that wasn’t your fault.

# 5 Not Having a Checklist

You are by no means required to be fully educated on all-thing-roofing. But knowing your roof’s ins-and-outs will help keep your inspections accurate. 

Are there problem areas you need to double-check? Does that unit on the roof always make that sound? Do you swear that section was a different shade of color last year?

Not to mention, a good checklist of what needs to be inspected or done will ensure nothing gets missed.

It’s a good idea to be present for the roof inspection anyway. And with a checklist of what you know about the roof, you and the inspector can knock it out of the park.

# 6 Not Inspecting After Storms

It seems obvious to inspect your roof after a major storm, but it is something often overlooked. If your roof is operating as it should, then it was just your major line of defense against the storm. This means it could have taken the biggest hits. 

Depending on what type of roof you have, you are now vulnerable to potentially big problems. There could be physical damage from the storm, or collected water weakening a section of the roof. 

You have the best chance to catch something before the problem gets worse if you inspect after a storm. You can also more quickly replace what was damaged.

Professional inspections, as well, should be able to find damages that might not be clear to you.

# 7 Not Doing Regular Maintenace

Doing a roof inspection after a major event is all well and good, but regular inspections should be done as well. At least once a year, you should be having your roof inspected, even if the weather had been perfect recently. 

Your roof is sheltering you against all outside elements. Over time, things like sun exposure and plant growth can cause just as much damage as any storm.

You can keep your roof in great shape by doing annual maintenance on your roof. It is likely that the inspections prove your roof is in perfect shape. But as the saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

Make a proper roofing inspection common practice for yourself. You can save yourself a lot of time and money in the future.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Scary

Give yourself peace of mind and save your business from unwanted costs. Avoid these roofing inspection mistakes. Business roofing, especially, has a lot more to consider when it comes to standard quality. 

In Springfield, IL, companies like Willaims Roofing & Company are experts. They know how to avoid all roofing inspection mistakes. Give them a call or visit their website, and tell your future self to thank you later.