Many people in the Midwest remember when the roof of the Metrodome, football stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, collapsed in 2016. The video from the collapse made national news and the Vikings were forced to play in a college stadium while a new facility was built. The Metrodome had a very unique roof structure, but even conventional roofs on commercial buildings can, and do, collapse. An example from one of our claims involves a strip mall. The gutters became clogged with leaves and debris. During a heavy rainstorm, water ponded on the roof and eventually caused the roof to cave in, resulting in serious damage to the stores below.
A roof collapse may seem like a very unlikely event, but it happens more often than one would think. We get a handful of roof collapse claims every year, and they always cause a devastating amount of damage. However, with a consistent roof maintenance plan, businesses can avoid the destruction from a roof collapse and extend the life of their roofs.
Roof Maintenance
- Regularly inspect the roof of the building; this is best done by a professional.
- Don’t ignore issues that come up on an inspection: minor damage can be easily repaired before turning into a big problem.
- Keep the roof as clean as possible: remove debris, ensure tree limbs are trimmed and not hanging over the roof, check gutters and downspouts to make sure they’re not clogged.
- Clear snow off the roof in winter as much as possible. Many roof collapses happen due to very heavy snow piling up on the roof later in winter.
- Inspect all equipment on the roof on a regular basis (AC units, heating systems, vents).
- Only hire roof professionals to repair any issues. This ensures repairs are done properly and keeps employees safe.
