Is It Expensive To Maintain A Living Roof in Abq?
Green roofs have been proven very handy in big cities where they have been widely installed to reap tons of benefits. By installing these living roofs in your house, you can get improved insulation, sustainability, stormwater collection, and the reduction of heat effects. But what will be the cost to install and maintain a living roof? This is what we are going to discuss today.
Over the past few years, the demand for living roofs has increased. As a result, the manufacturers are increasing the prices of the materials and their maintenance costs. Every year, the living roofs are getting a 5% to 10% price hike. So it is better to do proper research before you hire any roofing company.
Factors To Consider:
Many factors determine the cost of installing and maintaining the living roof according to https://allseasonsroofer.com/. The total cost is influenced by factors such as the specification of the roof, weight, climate, and other variable factors.
Even though the maintenance cost of the living roof is not high, still, it needs attention and care on a regular basis.
Around the year, the green roof needs intensive care and maintenance because of its diverse planting regime, improved insulation, and longer life span.
The maintenance costs for both types of living roofs, Extensive and Intensive Roofs, are different because of their properties.
1. Extensive Roofs:
As for the extensive roofs, they are easy to maintain and a cheaper option. They are lighter, growing in a shallow medium, making the roof simpler and lighter. As a result, they don’t need much maintenance. Just a regular structural inspection frequently will do the thing pretty well.
But you have to keep a regular check on the drainage system to make it clear from the debris so that there will be no blockage or leakage issue. But, again, this is not something that anyone wants.
2. Intensive Roofs:
Talking the Intensive living roofs are made of a much thicker layer of soil which consists of different types of herbs, shrubs, flowers, and grasses. But you have to bear significantly more costs than its counterpart because it can offer better support for the structure, habitation for wildlife, and water absorption. Moreover, You have to keep an eye on the drainage system so that it cannot be blocked by debris or unwanted plants.
Maintenance Cost Variables:
→ Plant & Material Care:
This factor includes the professional green-fingered tradesmen, feed, irrigation testing, de-weeding, and watering the roof on a regular basis. Of course, it is also dependent on the weather.
→ Capital Cost:
When it comes to those roofs which are not accessible easily, they need machinery to hire for maintenance. Moreover, for the intensive roofs, there should be professional equipment for the maintenance of the roof and dealing with the membrane layer.
→ Professional Evaluation:
For intensive or larger roofs, professional assistance is necessary to ensure that the living roof’s maintenance is done right. It is also necessary to confirm that your roof does not need any major repair.
→ Weather:
During the rainy or wet seasons, the maintenance of the green roofs can become a problem because of the refraining nutrients. And if you want to replant a green roof, it is going to cost you a lot.
→ Annual Maintenance Cost:
As far as the annual maintenance cost is concerned, it is around $0.75 to $1.50 per square foot. Those roofs with low-maintenance plants or succulents don’t need much attention, and just fertilizing and watering them is enough. But for the high-maintenance plants, more care is needed. The best thing to do for maintenance is to call a professional gardener. Even though they charge you around $20 per hour to $150 per hour, they will save you time and effort, and you only have to call them once a year.
Conclusion:
Living roofs are the living parts of nature. That’s why they need maintenance to stay healthy and active in your garden. Even though some plants need less maintenance than others, they are required to be looked after throughout the whole year.
Generally, the maintenance of your living roof can be done by yourself, especially in those cases when the roof is within your reach. Easy ways to maintain your living roof are fertilizing the soil during the seasons, pulling the weeds out, making sure that the roof looks neat and spares are reseeded. These maintenance efforts are easy to carry and low-cost as well. It is just like taking care of your garden.
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