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Hazard Communication for Roofers

For many roofers and roofing companies, the hazards surrounding a commercial or industrial roof appear to be mostly physical. With trips and falls representing the clearest and most present danger for roofing contractors, many roofing companies have developed detailed and comprehensive plans both to prevent falls and to mitigate damage and liability if a fall occurs. By focusing so much of their effort on preventing falls, however, are roofing companies neglecting other dangers? In a word? Yes. In 2018, OSHA cited at least 4,552 hazard communication violations (final figures for the year are still forthcoming.) This is second only to fall protection violations and has been for the last four years. Companies need to examine their compliance in this often-overlooked category in order to avoid OSHA fines, protect their workers, and maintain their image of professionalism. Chemical Hazards in the Rooftop Environment It can be easy to forget that rooftops are an area where chemicals may com...
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Why Hiring Roof Consultants is Essential to Eliminating Information Gaps

When you need to install a new roof on your building or commit to major repairs, your first job—step one—is to hire a roofing consultant. Read that again. Not a roofing contractor—a roofing consultant. Many building owners hire a roofing consultant only when there is a problem with their roof, only to find that the problems exist due to things that should have been addressed before the build. Working without a roofing consultant means you will be prone to information gaps. A roofing consultant that is present from the very beginning, however, can ensure that standards are being met as the roof is being built, potentially eliminating problems down the road. From design to materials to repairs, roofing consultants can help you create a roof that lasts and resists the elements at the price you need. Here are a few ways to deploy a roofing consultant for maximum effect. Authoritative Knowledge on Building Codes Building a roof in Florida is not the same as building a roof in Massachusetts....
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Rainy Day in the Office: Why is My Commercial Roof Leaking?

A commercial building with a leaky roof is not great for business, no matter what your company does. Office workers don’t like working in leaky buildings, and retail shoppers don’t want to shop in water-logged stores and supermarkets. Leaks can lead to costly slip-and-fall injuries, ruin stored merchandise, and damage flooring – to say nothing of the cost of repairing the roof itself. What can you do about leaks and, more importantly, prevent them from happening in the first place? Identifying Leaks Before They Start to Drip Dripping water from the ceiling is a good sign that you’re experiencing a leak – but it isn’t the only sign. If water infiltration occurs on the roof, it might not penetrate the ceiling of your building. If it occurs at the edge of your roof, it might drip into the wall. Neither circumstance will lead to an easily-identifiable floor-puddle. Here’s what else to look for: Mold: Spreading mold, or the smell of mold, on your walls or ceiling – especially if removed fro...
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The 7 Most Common Commercial Roofing Challenges

Very few roofs end up lasting for their projected lifespan. Any issue that arises during the installation of a roof will inevitably become magnified over time as sunlight, rain, snow, hail, and debris do their work. Ironically, even the process of inspecting a roof can in some ways bring about its early demise. Here are just a few of the biggest challenges that a commercial roof may face over its lifespan. Poor Installation A sub-par roofing installation is one that uses lower-grade materials and/or incorrect installation methods. Your goal as the owner of a commercial roof is to prevent this from the outset – getting it right the first time is significantly less expensive than fixing a contractor error. Installation errors can be the result of contractors misinterpreting a poorly-annotated design. They can also result from contractors who like to take shortcuts. Your best decision in either case is to hire a roofing consultant who can ride herd on both your contractors and your archit...
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It’s All About Performance: Efficiency in Commercial Roofing

If treated correctly, your roof could last anywhere from twenty to fifty years. Simply lasting is not a measure of roofing success, however—instead, you’ll want to look at lifetime costs. Picking the right commercial roofing materials up front, treating them properly, and investing in the correct infrastructure and maintenance programs will make your roof more efficient and more likely to last its full lifetime without incurring significant costs. Defining and Creating an Efficient Roof As far as the efficiency of your commercial roof is concerned, there are three main considerations you should take into account. First, you want it to have a low up-front cost Second, you want it to have a low energy cost Third, you want it to have a low maintenance cost In other words, a good roof will be relatively inexpensive up front and relatively easy to maintain. In addition, it will provide a good seal for your building envelope, prevented cooled or heated air from escaping. What does this roof ...
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How to Prepare for Thermal Expansion

Winter is approaching across the Northern Hemisphere, which means it’s time to prepare for thermal expansion—and its more dangerous cousin, thermal shock.  Thermal expansion is an inherent property of matter. When materials get cold, the molecules that comprise them slow down their vibration and contraction. At the scale observable to the human eye, this presents itself as shrinkage. When materials warm up, they gain energy and expand. When materials are exposed to repeated cycles of expansion and contraction, they tend to lose their flexibility and accrue damage over time—and this damage could occur to the materials in your roof. There are several factors that make thermal expansion more of a risk around this time of year: We’re moving from a period of general warmth to a period of general cold. The materials that comprise your roof will shrink, which makes it possible for gaps to open up between membranes, flashings, and penetrations—promoting leaks. If your roof has existing wat...
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Retail Rooftop Supports: Prep for the Busy Season

This year, as in years past, retail sales are expected to be literally through the roof. Not only do retail sales tend to spike between October 31st and December 25th, this year’s spike is expected to be up to 5 percent larger than in 2018. All told, consumers are projected to spend up to $1.1 trillion during this year’s holiday season. Why do you – a facility manager – care about retail roofing during this year’s holiday season? Here are some good reasons:       Let’s say that your single department store takes up an entire building, or at least an entire wing of a building. A roof leak or – much worse – a roofing collapse may put a large portion of the building, or even the entire building, out of commission. The store will have decreased floor space to sell items, and shoppers may be put off by the appearance of a disheveled building.       Let’s say instead that your facility is a mall where your tenants rent storefronts. Leaks and other roof damage wil...
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