Regional Challenges in Roof Maintenance: Vancouver and Surrounding Area

April 16, 2013 Laura MacCormac

When it comes to the upkeep and proper care of property, whether commercial or industrial, one of the most often overlooked areas is roof maintenance. Vancouver, and most of British Columbia for that matter, have some of the highest annual rainfall totals in all of North America, which means that for residents of this particular stretch of Pacific coastline, the stakes are simply higher when it comes to potential damage resulting from faulty rooftops.

When considering the main risk factors for damage resulting from improper roof maintenance, Vancouver and its surrounding areas consistently appear near the top of the list. Whether it is the mountainous terrain that surrounds the area, causing moist weather fronts to linger, or the unpredictable climate (which ranges from sub-zero to near tropical), there is simply more precipitation and moisture in Vancouver than most cities are forced to deal with. Of course, other factors such as the nesting of birds and animals also contribute greatly to the downfall of many roofs, and the Pacific Canadian coastline is well known for its abundance of wildlife. Simply put, the West coast is a just plain difficult place to ensure proper roof maintenance.

Vancouver may be a difficult place to maintain a rooftop, but these unique conditions have also led to the development of some of the most reputable roofing experts in the business. Some companies, like Port Coquitlam’s Design Roofing, have been managing the West coast weather for the better part of three decades and have developed a simple, biannual maintenance plan that works for nearly every type of property.

The key is thorough upkeep and expert inspection twice each year, preferably in the early spring and late fall, when accumulated damage from winter and summer respectively, are at their peak. By nipping any small problems in the bud, costly repairs and even total replacements can be easily avoided. Looking for the earliest signs of lifting and bubbling beneath the roof’s membrane takes a well-trained eye, but that combined with thorough removal of debris, such as moss and animal’s nests, can easily save hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages and lost property.

As with most things, the key to managing Vancouver’s susceptible climate is proper attention to detail and the willingness to perform preventative maintenance. And when it comes to keeping the roof over your head, minor proactive spending will decrease reactive spending on emergency repairs and extend the service life of your roof.

Source: Flickr’s Andrew Ressa