Safe Solutions

One Sunday morning, Sam, Magic Roofing's owner, received a call he had always dreaded. He recognized the voice of Harvey Greene, manager of the Ocean Hotel, which Magic Roofing was in the process of reroofing. There had been a major rainstorm with high winds Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning, and Harvey was calling to inform Sam of leaks in the roof that were damaging multiple rooms on the hotel's upper floors. Sam told Harvey he was on his way to the hotel.

Before leaving for the job site, Sam called Magic Roofing's insurance company to report the possible claim. The insurance company advised him to try to mitigate any damage and not to offer reasons for damage, accept any blame or commit to any liability until a thorough investigation had been completed.

After surveying the job site, Sam discovered the leaks were caused by improperly sealed flashings that were on the roof before Magic Roofing started the job—something his project manager had overlooked during the pre-job planning stage. Other damage included roof insulation that was stored on the roof and covered by tarps that weren't secured tightly enough to withstand high winds.

The next day, Sam met with Kevin, the insurance company's risk-control representative. Kevin told him documented water damage prevention procedures are critical to a roofing contractor's risk management success and should be part of a company's culture. Kevin went on to say all Sam's employees should be made aware of the company's water damage prevention procedures and their personal responsibilities regarding those procedures.

Procedures should begin with an estimator performing an initial survey of the roof and building, Kevin explained. It is important to document pre-existing damage that could allow water intrusion with pictures or videotape and advise the building owner of any damage in writing. A written acknowledgement of the damage should then be obtained from the building owner. Including the building owner in the inspection process is a good idea so any special problems can be discussed ahead of time, Kevin explained.

He also recommended Magic Roofing include in the initial inspection an inventory of valuable or highly sensitive building contents beneath the area being repaired or reroofed.

Kevin advised Sam major water damage claims also come from work that isn't properly completed by the end of a workday or before unexpected inclement weather. Subscribing to a national or professional weather forecast service and periodically checking it can help a foreman determine how much tear-off work can reasonably be completed in a workday. Kevin recommended all new roof areas be cut-off to prevent water from entering damaged old roof sections and traveling under newly installed sections, as well as tied-in to old roof sections at the end of each day.

As Sam discovered, improperly protected materials on a job site also can result in loss of material, delaying a project and costing time and money.

To prevent this type of loss, sufficient tarps and other temporary coverings should be made available at all times to cover a roof and any exposed materials or equipment stored at a job site, Kevin explained. Additionally, crew members must clear debris from drains at the end of each day because debris is a common cause of water intrusion.

Kevin suggested foremen make a final inspection and go through their checklists at the end of each workday to make sure tie-ins and cut-offs are watertight, debris has been picked up, drains are unclogged, and material and equipment are adequately protected. Communicating with other trades on the job site is also important if there are any unusual circumstances of which they should be made aware.

Although inclement weather is something roofing contractors have to contend with, Kevin stressed that being aware of a roof's existing conditions, closely monitoring weather conditions, carefully planning tear-offs, setting up emergency procedures in advance, and responding quickly to reports of leaks or damage can go a long way to diminish water damage exposure.

Leslie Kazmierowski, CPCU, is NRCA's insurance programs manager.