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Roofing Maintenance Programs are Key to Long-Term Roof Performance

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5:42 am 5:42 am

There are several key factors to consider when searching for the best commercial roofing company and system available. Two such factors include the relationship built between the building owner and the roofing specialists, and the programs offered to customers regarding regular inspections and proper maintenance of one’s new roof systems. The following are some guidelines to use in your search for the right roofing company for your specific roofing needs.

The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) believes that the most effective way to keep a roof performing for an extended period of time is to go with a roof company that not only uses and applies a superior roofing system, but one that creates a formal and long-term relationship between the building owner and the roof contractor. So, how do you know when you have found professional roof contractors? NRCA gives a few tips on picking out the professional high quality roofing consultants from the ordinary everyday roofing companies.

A professional roofing contractor is someone who understands and follows the local building practices. They understand the local business environment and know how to complete the work necessary. On top of that, they not only know and understand their own roof coating, they also understand other roofing systems and will recommend different roofing types that will best suite a particular building.

A proficient commercial roofing company also has a trained and experienced workforce that they can verify with documentation. They should also respond quickly to any roof leaks or roof repairing needs or concerns. Finally, you should look for a roofing contractor that is well established in the community. They work in, and give back to, his/her local community.

For metal roofs to perform at their best requires a proper design, quality materials, and quality application of the roof coatings. For a roof to perform successfully over an extended period of time, it is critical to establish a program of regular inspections and proper roof maintenance. Finding a roofing company that provides its customers with a formal long-term maintenance agreement is your best way to ensure satisfactory post-installation roof performance, not going with a company that only provides its customers with a warranty. Warranties do not necessarily provide assurance of satisfactory roof performance. More times than not, you will find that the warranty contains provisions which significantly limit the warrantor’s liability and the consumers remedies in the event that a problem or roof leak arises. Unlike a warranty, a roofing maintenance program offers building owners many advantages. Opposite of a warranty, a maintenance program is proactive rather than reactive. It can help to identify problems at their early stages rather than waiting until it has grown to be a large-scale problem. With regular maintenance to your roof, sources and causes of leaks can be seen and addressed before a problem occurs. You will also find that with a maintenance program, response times to address roof repairs are greatly improved. With warranties on the other hand, it can take time for a repair call to be processed and during that processing time your roofing repairs go unsolved. Finally, a maintenance program allows for a planned, organized approach to management of a roof asset—and allows for responsible, timely preparations of long-term capital expenditures.

We at Thermal-Tec Commercial Roofing can provide a maintenance program for you with our low cost, yearly inspection program. Call or email us today for details.

 

Cold-Weather Temperatures and Metal Roofs- Questions and Answers

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4:40 am 4:40 am

The cold weather is quickly approaching and with the long months of winter ahead, come many questions and concerns regarding one’s metal roofs.

 

For those of us who reside in a northern state where we receive a substantial amount of snowfall during the winter months, a common question is, can you clear your roof of the snow or ice dams? The commercial roofing company, Thermal-Tec Roofing agrees with NRCA when they say that roof owners should not try and remove ice and snow from their roofs metal. We do not recommend building owners to try and remove ice and snow from their roofs for several reasons. The most important concern is for safety purposes. Only experienced roofing consultants should perform work on roofs. Secondly, it is very easy to damage one’s roof metal with a shovel when removing snow. Most roof contractors will not cover roof repairs if the roof coatings and gutters are damaged due to owners trying to remove the ice and snow themselves. Trying to remove ice and snow from your roof yourself can end up costing you more money than having a roofing company come out. Thirdly, many building owners have “roof rakes” – customized rakes with extra long handles— to remove snow from roofs while standing on the ground. A roof rake can only reach so far; reaching only the snow from a roof system’s lowermost sections. The remaining snow that is not reachable with a roof rake can potentially cause a secondary ice dam on your roof. Most roofing companies do not install ice-dam protection membranes more than 24 to 36 inches beyond the roof/wall intersection. Areas where there are secondary ice dams building up will likely notice a leaking roof.

If you are a building owner who has experienced problems with ice damming, there are several solutions available. Ice damming is best addressed when your roof systems are still in its designing or construction stage. If that is not a viable option, here are some ways to prevent ice damming. Avoiding ice damming can be as easy as properly ventilating your attic space and installing additional insulation to your attic floor. Properly ventilating your attic space will help keep attic temperatures lower and reduce ice damming. Secondly, if you reside in an area where the average January temperature is 30 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, NRCA recommends you have a commercial roofing specialist install an ice-dam protection roofing membrane. Even with an ice-dam protection membrane, building owners should still make sure their attic is properly ventilated and insulated to avoid having your commercial roof company come out and perform any roof repairing needs due to roof leaks. Gutters are the most common place for ice dams to form. Eliminating gutters if at all possible can diminish the possibility of ice damming. If eliminating gutters is not an option, gutters and downspouts should be cleared of all debris before winter. As a final point, NRCA advises against installing electric heat cables because of the potential drawbacks. Electric heat cables not only cause a safety concern, but they can also damage the roof coating. Some electric heat cables even require exposed fasteners that penetrate roof coverings allowing for the possibility of a future roof leak.

Another common question is, can asphalt shingles can be installed in the cold-weather temperatures? NRCA says there is no definitive cut-off temperature, but they do offer some suggestions. As the temperatures drop, fiberglass and organic asphalt shingles become more and more brittle. Shingles are prone to cracking during installation if it is cold outside. Because cold shingles become brittle in the winter, it is also important to be cautious when nailing shingles. Nails tend to break through the shingles in lower temperatures. Finally, Most asphalt shingles have self-sealing adhesive strips used to increase shingles’ wind resistances. The adhesive is thermally activated by the exposure to the sun or high temperatures and lower temperatures can hinder proper adhesion of self-sealing strips. An alternative to self-sealing strips is manual sealing shingles that can be used with asphalt flashing roof cement.

One final recommendation from NRCA, do not use de-icing salts. De-icing salts are corrosive and can eat away at the roofing system, gutters, downspouts and whatever may be on the ground below.  Contact a commercial roofing specialist for any other questions

 

Oh No.. I bleached my roof!

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10:22 am 10:22 am

Did you clean your roof with chlorine?

If so, your shingle life was shortened because it will dry out and crack the shingles and fungus will grow sooner. It is interesting to note that some manufacturers recommend that roofs actually be cleaned with bleach or chlorine—of course, they are in the business of selling shingles, therefore, the quicker your roof succumbs, the quicker they will be able to sell you a new roof.


There are also all of the uncontrollable variables that help hasten algae/fungus staining. First, fungus will

always appear initially on the north side of the house and roof. This is because moisture stays there longer

and, algae/fungus needs three things to grow: moisture, heat and a nutrient. Other variables besides the direction your house faces are the type, grade and manufacturer of your shingles, whether you have a pond or pool nearby creating abundant moisture and how hot and humid the weather is.


Continuous warm weather promotes fungus growth. Also, if you have trees near your house and they shade the roof, that promotes quicker fungus growth. If you haven’t cleaned the leaves and pine needles off, that keeps your roof ripe for fungus growth too.


Our products are SAFE…for you and your roof.


Clean roofs also protect property values.


The answer is clean it immediately! Here’s why: As the algae and fungus grow on your roof, they eat away

the base of the shingle and expand and contract with the outside temperature. This growth and movement

loosens the granules, creating premature granule loss, dramatically shortening the life of your roof. A 25-

year roof may not even last 15 years if nothing is done. A fungus-covered roof not only is an eyesore but it is unhealthy as well; do you want fungus spores all over, around and in your home? And what about those people with allergies?

Roof Stains Cause Insurance Policy Problems

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11:19 am 11:19 am

Everyone knows that roof stains are ugly, and detract from the value of your home. We know the stains allow heat to build up in the house, causing the airconditioner to run longer, making energy bills higher.

But, now, the insurance industry is concerned about the appearance of your roof!!

Your insurance company can inspect your home anytime, and frequently it is a driveby inspection. Condition of home is noted, how well painted, chipping paint AND ROOF CONDITION!

YES, Roof Condition.

Insurance Inspectors note the condition of the roof, and report it back to the insurance company who will may require that your clean the roof, or threaten cancellation of your policy! Of course, if they cancel you, the next insurance company may not insure your home for the same reason.

BUT WHY?

Insurance companies actions confirm for us that they believe roof stains will lead to further problems with the roof integrity, roof mold, and the eventual movement of that mold inside the home. All of these items are ‘risks’ for the insurance company, because they may result in a claim against the policy.

What to do? Clean your roof before an inspector sees it!

Home inspections can occur at any time, however the most frequent triggers include:


* New Policy
* Annual Policy Renewal
* Change in coverage amounts
* Addition of riders

A Clean Roof makes contributes to neighborhood values, and good health.

Protect your family, roof, and insurance policy by including a Cleaner TODAY roof cleaner as part of annual maintenance.

You and your insurance company will appreciate it!


Who Spilled Coffee on my roof?

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9:10 am 9:10 am

Walking into your home you look and wonder why your roof has coffee spills? Are you suffering from the stained roof syndrome? It’s that dark staining that looks like someone spilled coffee up on your roof. This problem used to be associated with mildew in years past. Mildew is a by-product of fungi and mold. However, it has been determined that another microorganism has invaded roofs in the USA, particularly asphalt shingle roofs. This organism is an algae, Gloeocapsa magma. “Roof Alage” has experienced an explosive growth curve during the past 15 to 20 years quite by accident.


Why now? Why my Roof!!


A large number of homeowners who are experiencing these roof stain problems are doing so for the first time. Even though they live in areas where the climate has not changed, the problem appears out of the blue.


In years past, the roof algae simply didn’t have a food source. Until shingle manufacturers lowered production costs, and provided roof algae with its favorite food, limestone. Today’s fiberglass shingles contain massive amounts of food that the roof algae love to eat.


How in the world does limestone get into fiberglass shingles you might ask? It’s simple. The limestone is added to the asphalt mixture as a filler or thickener. Years ago, this was not necessary, as an organic felt mat was used as the base for the shingles. This mat was saturated with asphalt and then coated with granules. Because of the absorptive qualities of the mat, it was able to soak up enough asphalt to give the finished shingle sufficient weight. The materials used for the mat were derived from the cotton rag scrap market.


Well, about 20 years ago this rag market dried up because of the widespread introduction of synthetic textiles such as nylon and polyester. The shingle manufacturers scrambled and decided to use fiberglass as a mat.


However, a problem quickly arose. The thin fiberglass mat didn’t absorb asphalt like the old organic mat. Something had to be added to the asphalt to increase the weight of the shingle. BINGO! They decided to use limestone because it’s plentiful and cheap. The rest of the story is being played out above on your roof.


The Party is over…


Until recently, homeowners needed Professional Roof Cleaners to eliminate the roof algae and remove roof stains. Recently, roof cleaners have been made available to Do-It-Yourself homeowners who want to save the expense of the roof cleaner. A variety of roof cleaners exist. Choose wisely, you want a cleaner that is quick, simple and effective.