Thermography is the most effective way to evaluate the integrity of low slope roofing installations. Other non-destructive testing methods can easily miss areas but infrared enables100% coverage of the roof surface and provides tangible visual results that clearly show areas of concern.
Roof leaks are caused by a variety of conditions such as poor workmanship, poor design, inadequate maintenance and material failure. Therefore a leak can occur at any time regardless of the age of the roof. Furthermore, failure in a roofing installation is progressive, it does not all happen at once, so annual visual inspections and a thermographic scan every two to three years is recommended.
The savings on maintenance and replacement costs are substantial when you can avoid prematurely replacing good roofing and detect problems early… before they escalate into more extensive damage to the structure and interior of the building. Sub-surface moisture often goes undetected for long periods of time causing corrosion of steel decking, or rot and mold in sheathing. In addition to the extra expense of repairs, there is also a significant cost for excessive energy consumption resulting from wet, ineffective insulation.
It costs ~ $10 – 20 per square foot to replace a low slope roof, compared with pennies per square foot for an infrared inspection. From a financial perspective, it makes more sense and it’s easier on the budget, to spread the costs over a longer timeframe than to spend one large sum on a full roof replacement… especially if the majority of the roof is still in good condition.
Regular inspection and maintenance is the best way to avoid problems and unnecessary costs, and maximize the life of your roof.