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Regular roof maintenance is vital for keeping your roof watertight and preventing expensive future problems. One of the most important things on your roof maintenance checklist should be your pipe and equipment supports. Identifying and troubleshooting problems early will help ensure a long-lasting roof system. To lengthen the lifespan of your roofing system, regularly check your rooftop for the following signs of failure. 1) Sagging pipes and ducts Flexing or sagging pipes or ducts are a good indication that your rooftop supports are too far apart to bear the weight of the pipe and its contents. The proper spacing of supports depends on the weight of the pipe or duct. You may need to install additional supports or change the fittings to prevent your pipes and ducts from flexing or sagging. >> Read More: 8 Factors to Consider When Planning Roof Pipe Support Spacing >> 2) Cracks in support bases If the weight of the pipe or duct and its valves, fittings and pipe contents exc...

The summer season has arrived, and with it come additional health hazards in your work environments. Each year, thousands of workers exposed to extreme heat and/or humid conditions die or become ill from heat stress and other heat related illnesses. For this reason, it is important to be mindful of the signs and symptoms of heat stress and protect your (and your colleagues') health this summer. This is especially important while working in extreme environments such as rooftops, where there is little to no shade available for workers. While heat safety strategies are simple to implement, they are frequently overlooked. OSHA's Campaign to Keep Workers Safe in the Heat has broken down their message into three words to help understand the basic principles: WATER, REST, & SHADE Under OSHA law, employers are responsible for protecting workers against extreme heat. Employers must provide workers with water, rest, shade and training on the prevention of heat stress and what to do i...

Construction is a broad industry which encompasses many different types of building processes. Today, one of the growing construction categories is modular construction. Discover what modular development is, and some of the pros and cons, so you can determine if modularly constructed components may become part of your future growth.   What is Modular Construction Modular construction is a type of construction process where pieces (or modules) are created in a factory and are then put together on site. For those working on the worksite, there is less detailed work, and the job is completed faster. It allows for large builds to be finished much quicker without loss of quality. Benefits of Modular Construction Streamlined Construction - The process takes less time, allowing businesses to take control sooner. For many projects, saving time can mean lower costs and happier clients. Higher Efficiency - There is less labor needed to put together modular units than to build from scratch. I...

It is understood by many in the know in the building industry that roofing cover boards can often be the unsung hero of a given roof assembly.  Though seemingly mundane and inexpensive, they are also highly effective and promote the durability and longevity of a roof.  In short, they are worth the investment.  Their added durability protects against damage from hail, fire, wind uplift, and other kinds of unfavorable weather, all at a very reasonable upfront cost.   They are also shown to slow the passage of heat and water vapor, providing an added layer of insulation where it is very much needed.  Rather than applying your roof surface directly upon a substrate, the cover board provides another protection against “thermal bridging” by covering over fasteners and insulation joints below. Another benefit they provide is a smoother application surface for the adherence of the actual roof membrane.  The roof substrate is often full of fasteners and many uneven ...

There are several different types of commercial roof coatings used today, including silicone, acrylic,roof-coating-2846324_1280 aluminum, and polyurethane.  They are sometimes referred to as restoration membranes because roof coatings are often applied over existing rooftop membranes, as opposed to being part of a new roof construction detail.  They can also be used in partial applications to coat and re-coat parapet walls or portions of a roof.  At this time, the major competitors in the commercial roof coatings industry are really only one of two types: silicone and acrylic.  Let’s consider some of the key aspects of these coatings such as longevity, application, cost effectiveness, climate appropriateness, sustainability, and maintenance.  Because reflective roofs can moderate energy use over the course of a new or even an existing building’s lifetime and because energy savings mean cost savings, certain coatings can be a sustainable choice in most climates....

How often do you make sales where the customers know exactly what options are best for their buildings? Probably not too many. Building owners (and additional stakeholders) know how important roofing decisions are—but that doesn’t mean they don’t have many other decisions demanding attention. What if you’re offering products that cost more than the competition? You know they’re higher quality but getting prospects to understand that is pivotal. Let’s go through 4 keys to proving that your roof products are the best options for potential customers. 1. Education First When customers are faced with a barrage of options—EPDM, TPO, PVC, SPF, asphalt, acrylic coating, green roof, etc.—you can’t assume they’re 100% informed. Making use of every bit of literature, collateral, samples, and spec sheets within the organization is critical. However, it’s not enough to just present some high-level information about your many offerings. They’ll still be drawn to the comfort of lowest cost. That’s wh...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

Not all roofs are created the same – or even with the same pitch. When we talk about commercial roof slope, we usually talk about a completely flat roof. With that said, not every commercial roof is flat. Sloped commercial roofs are common in several parts of the country, either for decorative or weather-related reasons. On the one hand, it’s as important to protect a sloped commercial roof as it is to protect a flat commercial roof. On the other hand, the pitch of a sloped commercial roof can make it difficult to design rooftop supports, walkways, and other features designed to improve the safety and longevity of your roof. How do you compensate for roof slope when designing rooftop supports? Commercial Roofs: Flat vs. Sloped  Why would someone choose a flat commercial roof over a sloped roof in the first place? Although flat residential and commercial roofs are the default in regions such as the West Coast, you still tend to see flat-roofed commercial buildings even areas like th...

How old is your roof right now? Given that a commercial roof may have anywhere from a 20-year lifespan to a 50-year lifespan, it’s likely that you didn’t inherit your commercial roof when it was new. What’s more, no matter how badly your roof was treated before you started working, the success of your job depends on making your newly inherited roof last as long as possible. Fortunately, resourceful facility managers can make a huge difference in the longevity and performance of a commercial roof. If you’re punctual about roof maintenance, inspection, and record-keeping, you can restore an older roof to its former glory and even keep it in perfect condition long after its projected lifespan has run out. Learn how to develop a strategic roof asset management plan that will help make scheduling and budgeting for maintenance easier and lead to better decisions. Understanding Your Roof Upon receiving control of your roof, you immediately need to know a number of things about it. It starts w...

Creating sustainable roofing has always been a great way to prove your merits as an eco-conscious organization, but there’s far more to it than that. With traditional asphalt roofs lasting a mere 20 years or so, eco-friendly roofs are about more than just doing your part for the environment—they’ll save you money in the long run as well. From green roofs to solar panels, here’s how sustainability makes a great investment for your next commercial roof. The Grass is Greener on your Green Roof A green roof—which is to say a roof on which vegetation is deliberately encouraged to grow—is a complicated yet beautiful addition to any commercial roof. Whereas a traditional roof may have two or three layers, green roofs have up to seven: membrane, roof repellant, insulation, drainage, filtering, soil, and the plants themselves. While the aesthetic result is often worth it—especially in urban office buildings in which the roof is actually visible to the surroundings—there are more benefits to a g...

The climate is indisputably changing. We notice it in things like hotter summers, more intense storms, and longer hurricane seasons. What we notice, your roof notices too. Depending on the location of your building, you’ll find that extreme weather will impact the design of your roof – and what’s more, extreme weather is likely to keep on getting more extreme. This means that in order to maximize the lifespan of your roof, you don’t just need to build: you need to overbuild, anticipating the ways in which climate will change in order to meet a moving target. How do you create resilient roofing in the wake of a changing climate? Climate Concerns Make Resilient Roofing into a Challenge Although winters may be getting milder overall, a warming planet leads to more moisture in the atmosphere – so when snow happens, you’ll see more intense blizzards. This has obvious implications for roofing – but some of the implications are less clear. For example, you might see occasional heavy blizzards...

Your rooftop is crowded. As far as your rooftop is concerned, your workforce may need to navigate next to steep drop-offs, over ledges, around cable runs, and past skylights. Putting a foot in the wrong place can have negative consequences, if you’re not careful. As a commercial building owner or manager, it is your responsibility to provide a safe rooftop access system, safety equipment, and safety training for your maintenance workers, contractors, and building personnel. Here’s what you need to know. Provide Safe Rooftop Access Systems or Suffer the Consequences They say that “every safety rule is written in blood,” and the safety statistics for rooftop accidents bear this statement out. In the entire industry of building construction and maintenance, rooftops are one of the largest sources of accident, injury, and lawsuits.   Between 1992 and 2009, falls from rooftops made up 33 percent of falling-related fatalities within the construction industry   OSHA requires building...

Commercial buildings are getting larger. Of the 55 percent of buildings built between 1960 and 1999, the average size is 16,300 square feet. Meanwhile, the buildings built since 1999 have an average size of 19,000 square feet – an increase of almost 3,000 square feet. What does this have to do with sustainable roofing? Bigger buildings mean bigger roofs. A one-story warehouse with an average size of 19,000 square feet will need more than 19,000 square feet of roofing material to cover it up. That’s a vast amount of surface area – surface area that’s usually flat or at a very slight pitch. In other words, it’s a surface that makes a perfect foundation – flat and barely occupied – for sustainability. If you found an extra 19,000 square feet of space in your building, you’d use it for something, right? And since you can’t really use a roof as a loading dock or a packing and sorting facility, your best bet is to use your roof to pay for the rest of your building. Using the right materials,...

The climate is indisputably changing. We notice it in things like hotter summers, more intense storms, and longer hurricane seasons. What we notice, your roof notices too. Depending on the location of your building, you’ll find that extreme weather will impact the design of your roof – and what’s more, extreme weather is likely to keep on getting more extreme. This means that in order to maximize the lifespan of your roof, you don’t just need to build: you need to overbuild, anticipating the ways in which climate will change in order to meet a moving target. How do you create resilient roofing in the wake of a changing climate? Climate Concerns Make Resilient Roofing into a Challenge Although winters may be getting milder overall, a warming planet leads to more moisture in the atmosphere – so when snow happens, you’ll see more intense blizzards. This has obvious implications for roofing – but some of the implications are less clear. For example, you might see occasional heavy blizzards...