Interesting Advancements In Flat Roofing

While maintaining a home or building it is important to keep up with all of the pieces of the structure to make sure that there is no deterioration of the materials. Once the materials that hold the structure together start to go, the risk of potentially damaging the property permanently, or beyond repair, increases as there is no protection provided from the roofing material.

One of the main elements of a structure that is imperative to maintain to ensure the protection of a building is the roof. If the integrity of a roof is compromised, then there are huge risks involved. The risks include the safety of the individuals inside the structure, permanent water or structural damage to other supporting parts of the building, and loss or damage of personal items inside the building. So how does one make sure that he or she is protecting the future of his or her building in regards to roofing?

The first image that pops in to a person’s head when considering roofing is the traditional hot tar and shingles roofing solution. This method has been around forever, and is actually a relatively dangerous procedure for people to implement on the roof of a home. Not only is the contractor balancing up on a roof; however, there is a lot of small integral parts that have to be picked up, moved around, and carefully adhered with hot tar. There are risks with personal injury due to hot tar if it comes in contact with your body, and any of the clothes that are worn during the application process are more than likely going to be trash because, unlike a stain, the hot tar will not come out of contact with clothes. The adhering power is what makes the hot tar desirable; however, the risks involved are what spurred people to consider other options.

Approximately thirty years ago, contractors began experimenting with a new option for flat roofing. They desired to make the process equally or more reliable with fewer risks to the person sealing the roof of the property. This new process is called Single-Ply Roofing. Single-ply roofing is much different than the former methods of sealing the roof of a property.

There is still a need to heat up and weld the material to the rook; however, you are welding a large sheet to the roof with direct heating and pressure on the material to the roof. This is different from hot tar because the hot tar has to be hot already and you handle to tar with an instrument and potentially risk dripping it in places you would rather not. The materials used for single-ply roofing created a “rubber roof” effect that literally seals up the structure the way that you seal a Tupperware bin to secure the items inside.

The greatest qualm that investors had with this product was the price in comparison to the hot tar method. However, with the price of oil and oil related products increasing over the years, so has the price of hot tar. The prices of both methods are comparable and the single-ply roofing method is easier, safer, and lasts longer. The industry predicts that single-ply roofing is the future of secure roofing practices.

Over the years, roofing has tested various methods of sealing a property; however, it looks like the trend is moving toward single-ply roofing.

Common Places Roofing Contractors Find Leaks

We see a ton or roofs.  As a roofing contractor in Dallas we spend a great deal of time finding and repairing leaks.

When you have spent a significant amount of money on your property, and the actions necessary to protect your property, it can be very frustrating to know that despite your efforts there are still risks involved when it comes to natural weather occurrences. Even some of the best roofing solutions cannot fight against the power of a really strong storm. The wind and rain combination can reek havoc on any roofing solution. This is why it is important to know where to check for structural compromise, and the resulting leaks that can form in the most common places.

If you know where to look after a particularly rough storm, then you will better be able to maintain and protect your property. Penetrations in the roof’s sealing are a typical place to check for leaks. These are places on the roof that were not properly sealed the first time, and have since separated and created an opening for water to seep through and have a passage way in to the structure. This traditionally happens with singly-ply roofing. Even though the single-ply roofing system is considered to be one of the most reliable because of the watertight materials that it is made of, the product is only as reliable as those who installed it. If you have a leak forming due to a penetration in the sealing, then it is vital that you invest in a contractor who is going to seal this penetration up properly to ensure that there is no future leakage from this point on.

The second most common place to look for a leak is the along the perimeter of the structure. The perimeter is a particularly complicated place to seal because of the transition from roof sealing techniques to the inflexible metal flashing. This is difficult because whatever roofing method you choose, you will either need to find a way to bond the two or drain from the area. Either way, there should be a technician who checks the perimeter of the property regularly to make sure that your house is protected.

The final place to check for a leak is not a conventional “leak” at all. This unique occurrence traditionally happens in January when the temperature reaches below freezing level. When the freezing cold air from the environment comes in contact with the warm air on the inside of the structure, condensation is formed. This condensation can be dangerous and cause a breakdown of the integrity of the structure. Condensation on the inside of a property can cause damage to personal items as well. This could be the result of improper sealing of the walls or ceiling. This needs to be rectified as soon as possible to ensure no further damage is created.

There are a number of places that can have leakage on your property; however the three most common places to check are the areas where the roofing might be penetrated, the perimeter, and any areas that have condensation.

Green Roofing Options – Are Roofing Contractors Going Green?

There are various different types of roofing that have evolved over the years. Two of the most common methods of sealing and protecting a structure include hot tar roofing, and single-ply roofing. However, one of the most innovative, unique, and functional designs for protecting the roof of a property is referred to as the green roofing method. The green roofing method is exactly how it sounds: green. This reduces cooling costs, and helps raise environmental consciousness in regards to building and maintaining structures.

There are two different types of green roofing systems and they are extensive and intensive. Both include planting vegetation on the roof of a building in an effort to attain the goals outlined earlier; however, both are very different from each other in a number of ways. The first type of green roofing is the extensive green roofing method. The extensive green roofing method is a shallow garden that is only one inch to a maximum of five inches deep that covers the span of the building’s roof area. The plants that should be located on an extensive green roofing system are ones that do not require attention. These plants should not even need to be watered. The idea is to help residents to lower their yearly expenses, not increase them. The more attention that the plants require over the course of the year the more money you will likely spend on having people water, prune, and maintain the plants. This will result in a wash of your investment because the money you save on heating and cooling your property, you will spend on maintenance.

The second type of green roofing system is the intensive method. The intensive green roofing method is really named appropriately. This method is very green, and very intense. This roofing method has soil that runs a minimum of twelve inches deep at least. This roof garden can traditionally run about eighty to one hundred and twenty pounds per square foot of the roofing area. The intensive green roofing method is intended to meet all of the heating and cooling cost goals outlined earlier, and also provides an aesthetic presentation at the same time. People are generally expected to be able to walk through these structures and observe the functionality and beauty of the roofing system.

While both the extensive and intensive green roofing methods involve gardening and installing plants along the surface of a roofing area, and both aim to reduce costs and risks of water runoff, they both have very different functions. One is strictly for looking at from afar, and the other is intended to be observed directly. Even with all of their similarities and differences to each other, they are both widely different than the traditional methods of roofing. The green roofing methods are not for every home, but they sure are beautiful on the structures in which they work.

Seven Tips for Finding the Best Dallas Roofing Company

When you are investing a significant amount of your time, effort, and resources in to building a roofing structure, you want to make sure that you find the best people to work with while staying within your budget. It is especially important to find a roofing company that is the right fit for your personal building needs. There are a number of elements to look out for and consider when making this choice. Here are seven of the most telling tips for finding the best roofing company for your project.

The first tip for finding the best roofing company is to find a roofing company that has actually been used and approved by someone that you know and trust. There are a lot of scam artists out there who will claim to be able to give you the latest and greatest roofing solution; however, with something as important as protecting your property and safety you should trust only those who are vouched for by people you know. The next thing to look out for is to find out their professional standing within the industry. There are two great places that will tell you this flat out: the Better Business Bureau, or Angie’s List. Contractors and businesses cannot pay to have good reviews through these sources so you are ensured a real review of the company’s integrity, performance, and business ethics.

Next, ask to see their work if you have not done so already. The roofer should be able to show you a real life portfolio of his or her work. Ask them to show you their work, and if he or she refuses then you know something is wrong.

Along side viewing the actual work, you should check for their business in a print copy of the phone book. This is valuable because in order for the business to be recognized by the phone book, the company is required to have a business account, this ensures that you are working with a real company and not a mock company.

There are a number of ways to validate companies and check references that you should investigate, and once you have moved on to getting a quote there is something else to consider. The price of the service is more than just looking for the cheapest roofer. All roofs are not created equal, if you do not consider the quality of the services along side the price, you could end up spending more than the initial project in following repairs or careless damages.

Before you actually get ready to hire someone, you should have followed a traditional rule of thumb: call five roofing contractors, meet with three, and hire one to do the job. This way you have proposals and experience to compare and contrast to make the most educated and prepared decision for your roofing project needs.

Finally, the most telling sign of the success of a roofing business is the method that the company uses to get rid of the waste from the project. If the company asks where they can put the dumpster for the materials waste from the roofing project then cancel your order and move on the next company. Successful and professional roofing companies have the ability to own and operate their own dumpster truck that is mobile and will not take up the space of your driveway, and they can leave you will a completed project at the end of the day. Instead of leaving you with the roof graveyard in your driveway.

These seven tips for selecting a roofing company are intended to give you some prospective on what industry standards are and what level of professionalism and attention you should expect from a legitimate and successful roofing company.

Temporary Emergency Roof Repairs

Emergencies are never fun, no matter which way you slice them. However, any knowledge that you can prepare yourself with ahead of time can help to lower the stress level during an actual emergency situation.

When it comes to roofing, your response time and  level of preparation that you are equipped with will make the difference between saving the day, and risking permanent damage to your property and personal items. Before finding yourself in a panicked situation, make sure you’re educated on a few (temporary) emergency roof repairs that can be used to protect you and your property in a time of need.

Emergency conditions that can cause damage to your roof include heavy rain, storms, hail, lightning, etc.  These conditions will not likely cause damage and then cease.  Therefore, if it is safe to do so, you should be prepared to act quickly once the damage has occurred and then safely return to the inside of your property.  Or better yet, wait out the environmental conditions and then temporarily repair your roof to keep it from being damaged further.  If there are pools of water on your roof then they need to be eliminated.  Pooling water can quickly lead to leaks and even permanent damage on the surface and structure of your property.  If there are any leaks penetrating to the interior of your home, it is important to find where the leak is coming from and patch up the problem immediately.  Many of the major home improvement stores carry roof patch.  This thick tar like material can be applied using a caulking gun and sticks even in wet conditions.

There are a number of ways the tackle the emergency roofing repair dilemma; however, one of the most important concepts to understand is that this is only temporary. A professional must be contacted at your earliest convenience to come and fix the problem the right way.  These measures are strictly to prevent furthering the damage of your property.  Some of the materials that you should be equipped with include duct tape, rubber sheets, patches, sealants, and definitely tarps.  You can patch up some of the holes with duct tape, patches, and sealants.  However, the degree of work you will be able to accomplish in an emergency situation is dependent upon the degree of the storm and also how comfortable you are in doing this. If you are not at all comfortable being on the roof for an extended period of time while a storm is happening, then you can default the fastening a rubber sheet, or tarp to the roof to redirect the water flow and leave the real repairs to the professionals.  In a more desperate situation where you are not prepared and you have leaks coming through, you can use any large materials to cover the area that is creating the leak to redirect water.  Items you should consider include plastic sheeting, pieces of ply wood, and even sheet metal will work in a time of emergency.

These temporary emergency roof repairing tips are for situations when there are serious environmental conditions outside and there is a leak from the roof to the interior and you are temporarily keeping the situation from getting worse.  These repairs are not permanent and should be fixed by a professional within a timely manner.