The Importance of a Documented Maintenance Report
The type of maintenance depends on the season:
After Winter (April 1st – June 30th)
Mainly preventive maintenance, inspection, and cleaning:
■ A general inspection and, if necessary, repair of the waterproofing (wrinkling, sagging, aging, detachment, etc.)
■ Inspection of drains, drainpipes, gutters, scuppers, cable and pipe penetrations, protection layers, parapets, wall connections, profiles, seams, etc.
■ If needed, apply additional protection in zones with heavy foot traffic
• For ballasted roofs (warm roofs or inverted roofs): adjust or reposition ballast if necessary
After Leaf Fall (November 15th – December 15th)
Mainly cleaning:
- Verwijderen van gevallen bladeren
- Verwijderen van mos, begroeiing, vreemde voorwerpen, enz.
- Bij geballaste daken: corrigeren van het ballast indien nodig
Important!
A flat roof construction must be easily accessible for regular maintenance. Fall protection must be provided when necessary (lifelines, caged ladders, anchor points for ladders, roof hatches, etc.), as well as walkways with rubber granulate mats to protect both people and the building.
•Roofs with gravel ballast or roof tiles require regular upkeep:
- Gravel is prone to vegetation growth
- Dirt can accumulate between the tiles and the waterproofing membrane
- The space between the roof surface and the tiles must be cleaned regularly
■ Green roofs require periodic garden maintenance. During green roof maintenance, the waterproofing system and any safety measures must always be inspected.
■ Pollution on white reflective roofs can reduce their reflective performance. Treatment with IKO pro Groene Aanslag is recommended.
Reporting the Performed Work
A key part of roof maintenance is preparing a report of the work carried out.
This report should ideally include the following:
■The date the maintenance was performed
■ A summary of observed defects and shortcomings related to:
- Misuse of the waterproofing system
- Damage caused by work from other contractors (chimney sweeping, elevator maintenance, waste chutes, mechanical ventilation, etc.)
- Visible structural issues that could affect the waterproofing
- Defects requiring renovation
- Corrosion damage
- Weak points or faults in the waterproofing
- Presence of objects that the technician was unable to remove
■ Recommendations for additional work beyond regular maintenance or the ten-year contractor liability
Important!
■ It is highly recommended to include photos taken before, during, and after maintenance. These photos should show:
- The entire roof surface (before/after)
- Areas that need repair or renovation, clearly marked and described
- Any objects or obstacles present on the roof
■ A work order signed by the client is essential. This allows the maintenance contractor to prove they correctly informed the client of any recommendations.