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Commercial roof maintenance programs are a great way to expand your business and build long-term relationships with school facility managers. You may already be offering commercial roof maintenance services, or perhaps you're interested in branching out. Providing roof maintenance to K-12 schools and universities can be a good source of reliable, ongoing work. But you'll need to consider these facilities' nuances.Schools' Current Roof Maintenance ChallengesIn an educational environment, students' safety and comfort come first. Buildings must be secure and functional, and they must provide an atmosphere conducive to learning. Creating this environment starts with the roof, but this can easily be put off or forgotten about as many school facility managers focus on day-to-day maintenance issues. If students and teachers complain about a lack of hot water or classroom temperatures that are too hot or cold, facility managers swiftly address these issues.However, facility managers should prioritize regular roof maintenance in addition to addressing the most immediate facility concerns. Even something like a small leak from deferred roof maintenance can lead to much larger, and more costly repairs, creating headaches for everyone involved, that could have been avoided.The Value of Commercial Roof Maintenance ProgramsThe roof protects everything inside the school—from books and computers to shop equipment and musical instruments. If a roof leaks, many items could suffer damage. At the end of the day, ensuring a quality roof through regular maintenance not only protects everything inside the building, it can also help extend the life of the roof. Moreover, some roofing system manufacturers may require regular roof inspections to maintain warranties or guarantees. A roof maintenance program can meet this requirement, providing inspection records and evidence that any issues were addressed.How to Develop a Maintenance Program for SchoolsA commercial roof maintenance program for schools isn't much different from what you already do for other commercial buildings. And while regular maintenance inspections can be completed anytime, a neglected roof can often end up requiring repairs that need to align with the school's calendar to plan for minimal disruptions to the students. This can cause inconvenient delays, or date changes that could be avoided with regular inspections and maintenance.GAF Senior Product Manager Benjamin Runyan says that it's important to identify the manufacturer of the existing roofing system to ensure you are using compatible products that won't void the warranty or guarantee. "You want to be looking at this from a maintenance standpoint," says Runyan. "What does the roof look like? How was it built? How have they been maintaining it?"To start, Runyan recommends that you inspect the entire roof system and document its condition with photos and notes. Pay particular attention to the more vulnerable areas, such as seams, fasteners, flashings, edge metal, drains, and gutters. Look for cracks, missing roofing materials, evidence of ponding water, or of birds or other animals, and signs of moss or algae. An infrared scan of the roof can determine if any moisture is present and help pinpoint areas that need immediate attention.Your program should include basic tasks such as clearing debris from drains and gutters, removing leaves or branches, and making minor repairs where existing sealants are losing pliability or are showing signs of deterioration. If you identify larger concerns, you can document that with photos and provide an estimate for the repairs. Also, note how long the repairs should take and what products you'll use.Getting Started with SchoolsPreventative maintenance programs aren't just a benefit to the schools, they can also lead to other school roofing work including re-roofing opportunities. If you're ready to add school commercial maintenance programs to your business plan, GAF has the resources you need to get started. Runyan explains, "Your first step should be talking with your GAF Territory Manager as they will likely already have established relationships with school districts, colleges, roof consultants and architects in your service area."From commercial roofing system specifications to WellRoof® Guarantee Extensions, plus roof restoration options, GAF meets all your needs for stepping into the world of educational buildings.

Among the potential issues homeowners need to deal with in colder weather, few are quite as troublesome as ice dams. When winter arrives, the roof is a home's first line of defense against nature. Changing temperatures can force water to inconsistently melt and freeze once more, causing water leaks and icy blockages that may be responsible for causing damage to roof shingles, wood decking, gutters, and insulation down the line.What Are Ice Dams?An ice dam is a large chunk of ice that can form when snow sitting on a roof melts into water, which then flows down to the roof edge and refreezes along the eaves.They are commonly the result of poor insulation and improper attic ventilation: when warm air rises in the attic, it melts the snow on the roof surface above it. As the snowmelt flows towards the eaves, it can freeze along this area, since it's often colder. Clogged gutters also tend to lead to ice buildup. When the water isn't able to flow away, blocked by debris like leaves or dirt buildup in the gutters, the water that remains can freeze into ice.Proper roof maintenance, including cleaning the gutters and removing snow from the roof using a snow rake, can help homeowners stop ice dams from forming, but they are bound to occur as long as the primary cause remains. For bigger attics, consider products designed to help with attic ventilation, such as Master Flow® Power Attic Vent ERV4 or Master Flow® Power Attic Vent ERV6.Why It's Important to Prevent Ice DamsWhen blockages form, they stop any remaining water from flowing away. This pooled water has nowhere else to go and can eventually make its way inside. As the ice buildup prevents snowmelt from leaving the roof, the water may seep between the roof shingles—any loose or damaged shingles will let the water pass, which could deteriorate the materials underneath unless the home has a leak barrier such as GAF StormGuard® or WeatherWatch®.When water leaks through the roof and into the attic, this excessive moisture can cause mold growth, and brownish spots may appear near the ceiling or on an interior dry wall. Attic insulation can also get wet as a result, which reduces its efficiency and may require a complete insulation replacement. Since the accumulated ice can become heavy, the added weight also puts stress on the gutters and downspouts, damaging them and potentially requiring replacements or repairs.Apart from the damage they cause to different parts of the roof, these ice chunks are also a safety hazard. The large icicles can fall off at any moment, and if they're below a walking path, the dangers can be pretty high. Physically removing a large piece of ice isn't a straightforward or relatively safe process, which is why professionals are recommended for the job.Explaining Ice Dams to CustomersSpeak in plain English and be sure to explain both the cause of the ice dam as well as the different ways in which damage can occur. Avoid using any roofing lingo or terms that homeowners may not understand—or, if you need to pull out a specialized term, make sure to define it clearly. Carefully explain to customers that removing large pieces of ice on their own can be dangerous and cause harm to a roof if done improperly.Recommend that customers deal with ice dams as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Getting completely rid of them involves more than just physically removing the blockage; homeowners should understand they need to fix the main cause directly. Removing them without first addressing the root problem means that new dams can just as easily reappear.Educating customers on the dangers of ice dams and the importance of prevention can help homeowners ensure their home has solid support from floor to roof. Positioning yourself as an expert, not strictly a salesperson, is key.To learn more about how our products can help you solve your customers' ice dams problems, reach out to your local GAF Territory Manager.

How you manage a roofing lead is a crucial part of every contractor's business. Everyone is busy and sometimes great leads can slip through the cracks. We've compiled 10 tips to help you optimize your sales process and efficiently capture and work a lead from lead through closing the deal to ensure that no roofing lead is left behind. Manage your leads from start to finish all within the same platform. Tired of digging through papers to try and find a prospect's phone number you scribbled down between appointments? Consider using a platform like GAF Project that not only puts leads directly into the platform, but also stores all customer information electronically so you can access it anywhere, anytime. Don't let leads sit idle. Homeowners want to feel you value their time and the importance of their project. Timing is key when it comes to making a great first impression. Reach out as quickly as possible and document all communication. Then make notes within their customer file so that you can track your communication process from start to finish. Texting wins. We all know how much we rely on texting for communicating with loved ones, colleagues, or really any situation. Homeowners are no different. With busy schedules, it's much easier to read and respond to a text than answer an unknown caller or get back to a contractor's voicemail. PLUS, it takes less time out of your day and away from your current job! Sending a quick text also lets the prospect know you are responsive and respectful, which will go a long way. Answer the phone EVERY time it rings. The easiest way to win jobs and set the appointment is to pick up the phone every time it rings. If you can't always answer the phone, hire someone to help. Why? Many homeowners will not leave voicemails and will simply move onto the next contractor on their list which is a missed opportunity for you to book and close a job. Meet your customer where they are. Some homeowners still don't feel comfortable with a contractor in their home and following a traditional in-home sales process. Start offering virtual sales appointments too. In fact, 96% prefer a virtual sales process. It's important that you have a sales platform that can help you run appointments, in-person, virtually or hybrid.Pro Tip: Advertise that you offer both in-home and virtual sales appointments. By doing so, you put yourself ahead of a lot of your competitors before you even begin the sales process. Technology saves time. By utilizing technology, you may be able to decrease the amount of time spent on building estimates, which could allow you to bid more jobs and might also increase overall close rate. Digital measurement, inspection, presentation and estimation tools like GAF Project can get you from start to finish in a fraction of the time. Impactful presentations are key. A good presentation can make or break your sale to a homeowner. Preloaded content & templates, two-way screen share and eSignature capabilities make presenting virtually or in-person easier than ever. Don't leave the appointment without next steps. Don't be afraid to ask for the sale. If you aren't sure where the homeowner's head is at, provide them with a timeline in which you will follow up and potentially even offer an incentive to try and close them right then and there. Ask for the sale and be confident! Rehash is the name of the game. If you don't get the yes right away, that's okay. The important part is making sure you have a rehash program in place to recapture them at a later time. Developing a comprehensive rehash program including text, email and phone call follow up can increase your close rate. Referrals are HUGE. A lot of homeowners will start their contractor search process by looking at reviews or asking in their community (like Facebook) so making sure you have happy customers leaving positive feedback is vital to your business. When wrapping up a job, ask your customer to kindly leave a review on your site of choice or keep your info handy if a neighbor or friend is looking for someone to help them with their next home improvement project! By instilling these 10 tips into your day-to-day business process, you can help your sales process run more efficiently and make sure to not let leads slip through the cracks. Make the most of every roofing lead you get - you never know when it could be your next big project. Interested in learning more about how digital sales tools can help you take your business to the next level? Explore GAF Project and GAF Leads for features and pricing.* *Subscription required. Terms and conditions apply.