The most heated debate in the roofing industry is the issue of roof removal vs. roof repair. It is not uncommon that three or four roof evaluators would reach three or four different conclusions relative to the roof's condition, maintenance requirements and service potential. Consideration of available maintenance options and their economic benefits to the building owner would likely yield additional varying conclusions.
Roof maintenance is often conducted in the absence of a standard set of measurements, values or decision-making guidelines. For example, a 2-inch-high "ridge" in the roofing membrane is an entirely different problem on a six-year-old roof than it is on a 21-year-old roof. It is also different when it occurs within an organic felt system rather than a fiberglass felt system, and so on. How many authorities or experts would agree on its ultimate impact on the serviceability of a roof?