With winter right around the corner you might be asking how to keep the heat in your building, and the cold out. It comes as no surprise that many businesses spend a large chunk of their annual budgets on energy cost. According to a 2018 report generated by Small Business TRENDS, small businesses across the United States spend $60 billion a year on energy costs. Most of that money was spent on heating and cooling.

As with every budget there are steps you can take to save money, that long term make a huge difference. With my own budget I found that little switches sometimes make the biggest difference. Things like reusable sandwich bags, or learning how to sew can help save money long term. The same goes with a business. There are ways to save a little money here or there.

You might be asking me how this is possible. Usually when people think about their roof it brings up thoughts about money. So you might be scoffing at my statement that your roof can save you money, but hear me out. I grew up knowing that taking short showers, or shutting off lights when they weren’t in use, saved on energy costs. In the winter my parents made sure to put plastic on the windows, and yell at us kids if we left the front door open for too long. I even remember spending one long day helping my dad re-insulate our attic before winter hit.

Let me present you with a hypothetical situation. You own a small shed that you like to heat in the winter. Utilities to cover the cost of heating this shed run at about $40 a month. You’ve done all that you can to keep air from escaping including putting plastic on the windows, making sure that the shed has good insulation, limiting how often the door is opened, etc. All of a sudden you notice that your heating bill has increased from $40 to $50 a month. You are perplexed seeing as you have taken all the precautions you can think of to make sure that the heat is staying in the shed. What you forgot was there was a big storm this summer that had lots of wind and in some places, it hailed. Chances are that the roof of your shed has a crack or hole that is allowing the heat to escape and therefore increasing your heating bill. $10 might not seem like a lot every month, but throughout the winter, you can end up spending an extra $50 or more. Beyond that, if you don’t get your roof checked out that hole or crack has the opportunity to worsen, meaning that next winter your heating costs will increase again. Not to mention that the crack or hole in your roof could eventually lead to a roof leak or worse, if it is left alone.

One of our Roof Technicians has said time and time again, “Even a pin hole will eventually drain a bathtub”. It’s a saying that has stuck with me when I’ve accompanied the guys on a roof. Even if you have a 14,000 square foot commercial building, the smallest of deficiencies can cause a lot of headache. I’ve been on a couple of roofs within the last few months where the problem leads back to a small hole, or bigger holes that could have been caught early on – stopping the problem before it had even started.  

The title of this blog is “Can Your Roof Save You Money?” and the answer is yes. First, by making sure your roof is healthy, you can save money on energy costs – as my previous hypothetical situation shows. What you may not realize is that the money your roof can save you goes beyond energy costs. There is bad weather every year. Rain, hail, wind storms, tornadoes, tropical storms, hurricanes, blizzards, you name it, weather is inevitable. With each passing day, you roof is subjected to wear and tear that eventually leads to its failure.

You, your car, your clothing, lightbulbs, electronics, you name it – it has a lifespan. The good news is that you have the option to pick what car you get, or what lightbulbs you use. Many people do research to pick lightbulbs that last a long time, and use less energy, and you know that when buying a car you looked into how much gas it used and if the manufacture is known for creating long lasting cars. Every year you go to your annual doctor’s appointment where you are asked about your exercise level and eating habits. Your doctor recommends changes that will give you the best chance at living a long and happy life. All of these options come back to the same two principles. How much will it cost, and how will the changes help increase the current lifespan?

Roof Medics offers a free roof inspection. This would mean that to get your roof checked out it will cost you $0. Then you will be presented with options as to what you can do to increase the lifespan of your roof. In some cases, if you are pro-active, the problem can be fixed with a simple repair. If you aren’t pro-active you sometimes have the option of repair, restoration, and in worst case scenarios a new roof is needed. There are plenty of roofs that qualify for restoration, which is way cheaper than getting a new roof. Even when getting a new roof, you have the option of picking a roof material that is known to have a long lifespan. To make the best choice for your roof and budget you have to do your own research and find a company that you trust to give you straight answers.  

Long story short, your roof is an investment. As with any investment, you have to put some money in to reap the rewards. Put some money into roof repairs so that you can save money on energy cost. Put a little money into yearly maintenance so that you can avoid costly emergency repairs. Put money into getting your roof restored so you can avoid needing a new roof. If you need a new roof, put some time into research, and maybe some money into getting second, third, or even fourth options as to what material you should use.  

So yes, start thinking about your roof as an investment in your building. It just takes a little time and effort.