How often do you actually get your business roof checked?

- Twice a year is pretty much the industry standard, but honestly, I think it depends a lot on your building’s location and the type of roof you’ve got.
- For flat roofs, especially with older membrane systems, I’ve found quarterly checks catch issues before they get expensive. Debris piles up fast, and ponding water is a pain.
- After any major storm, I do a walk-around - just like you. I use a checklist: look for missing shingles, clogged drains, loose flashing, and any sign of pooling.
- Wildlife is a whole other headache. I’ve had raccoons tear open vent covers and birds wedge nests right into the scuppers. Once, we found a tennis ball jammed in a drain - no idea how it got there.
- Insurance claims are a nightmare if you can’t show regular maintenance. I keep dated photos and a log of every inspection or repair, even the minor ones. It’s saved me more than once when adjusters started asking questions.
- Not everyone needs to get up there after every storm, but if you’re in an area with lots of trees or wind, it’s worth it.
- One thing I’d add: don’t forget to check inside for leaks or water stains after storms. Sometimes the first sign of trouble isn’t outside.
- If you’re hiring out inspections, make sure they’re actually checking drains and not just glancing at the surface. I’ve had contractors miss obvious blockages because they were in a hurry.

It’s not glamorous work, but it beats dealing with water pouring into the break room or shelling out for emergency repairs.

Twice a year is fine if you’re in a mild climate and your roof is new-ish, but I’ve learned the hard way that “industry standard” doesn’t mean much when you’re the one mopping up water at 6am. I manage a couple of older buildings with flat roofs, and I swear, those things are magnets for every leaf, branch, and random object in a five-block radius. We’ve pulled everything from kids’ toys to a full pizza box out of the drains. No idea how half that stuff gets up there.

Quarterly checks have saved us more than once, especially after those surprise spring windstorms. Even if it feels like overkill, catching a clogged drain or a loose flashing early is so much cheaper than dealing with ceiling repairs or, worse, mold remediation. And yeah, the insurance folks love documentation - photos, logs, receipts, the whole nine yards. I used to think it was overkill until an adjuster tried to claim we “neglected maintenance.” Pulled out my phone, showed him timestamps and everything. That conversation ended real quick.

Wildlife… don’t even get me started. Last year, squirrels chewed through a vent cover and set up shop in the insulation. The smell alone was enough to make me rethink my career choices.

I do agree that not everyone needs to scramble up there after every drizzle, but if you’ve got big trees nearby or your roof’s seen better days, it pays to be a little paranoid. And checking inside for stains is underrated - sometimes you don’t spot a problem until you see that telltale brown ring on the ceiling tiles.

One thing I’d add: don’t trust that every contractor will actually check the drains unless you’re specific. We had one crew “inspect” the roof in under ten minutes. Turns out they never even looked behind the HVAC units, where all the junk collects.

It’s not glamorous, but I’d rather be the person who’s “too careful” than the one explaining why there’s a waterfall in the lobby.

Flat roofs are a whole different beast, for sure. I’ve seen drains totally hidden under piles of leaves and random junk - one time it was a soccer ball wedged in there, no joke. Quarterly checks make sense if you’ve got trees or older materials. I’d just add, don’t skip the corners or spots behind big equipment. That’s where stuff always piles up and gets missed. And yeah, documentation is gold when insurance tries to push back... learned that one the hard way too.

Funny you mention the corners - last winter I found a whole bird’s nest tucked behind our rooftop HVAC. Didn’t even spot it until the snow started melting and water pooled up right there. I try to do a walkaround after every big storm, not just on a set schedule, since debris seems to show up out of nowhere. Totally agree about keeping photos and notes, too... insurance adjusters love “proof.”

- I get wanting to check after storms, but honestly, I just stick to a twice-a-year schedule unless there’s obvious damage.
- For me, it’s about not spending too much time or money on inspections unless something’s up.
- I’ve found that regular photos are helpful, but sometimes I forget... Insurance still paid out when I had a leak last year, even without perfect “proof.”
- Maybe it depends on your roof type? Mine’s low-slope and doesn’t collect as much debris.
- Just my two cents - sometimes less frequent checks work fine if you’re on a tight budget.