When you’re buying a new property, you have a lot to think about to prepare for your new home. Inspecting a flat roof before following through with the purchase is extremely important.
Even though you may have owned a property with a flat roof in the past, it is still a good idea to inspect the roof and understand how to maintain it.
Leaks can be devastating and expensive if they’re not repaired quickly after they’re found.
These are areas that look like bubbles or where the surface is uneven. There could be moisture trapped underneath the membrane, but more often, it's a result of improper installation.
Ask a roofing contractor if a particular blister on your roof will cause bigger problems.
This could mean there’s a poor structure or bad insulation installation. Even if the membrane was installed correctly, shifting or movement inside could cause a split in the flat roof’s membrane. If this is the case, the flashing in this area will usually fail too.
If the membrane looks like it shifted from its original position, it could be due to the slope of the roof being too steep for the type of membrane installed, poor adhesion, or thermal issues.
This can contribute to ridges, splits, and other roof problems.
When inspecting a flat roof and find that it has been punctured or shows other signs of obvious damage, you should bring it to the attention of your professional roofing contractor.
Some membranes have a tendency to shrink. You will see this as an issue if membrane seams look like they’re pulling against a penetration like a plumbing vent pipe, or if the membrane can be pulled away from the eave’s edges.
You may also see “bridging” at angle changes such as parapet walls, against other walls, etc.
If you don’t see any discolored spots or any other signs leaking inside, it is still a smart choice to have the roof inspected.
There could be cracks beginning to form that will become bigger issues down the road. You’ll want to get these problems fixed before they cause any internal damage to the home.
One thing we would recommend is walking the roof to do a simple visual inspection. To be safe, make sure to be aware of where you are on the roof and never walk backward.
Make note of all the penetrations and don’t put any weight on any skylight covers, they’re not built to withstand the significant weight.
While you’re walking the roof, make a note of how it feels under your feet. If it feels weak, get off the roof safely and as quickly as possible and call a professional roofing contractor.
A leak on the roof could soak the insulation under the membrane. If it feels spongy underneath you, you’ll also want to refer to a roofing contractor. This is also the case if you notice any water coming out of any part of the membrane.
Next, you will want to look at all the penetrations and seals. A large number of leaks start at penetrations and seals, which make up a very small percentage of the total area of the flat roof.
Penetrations, things like pipes and flashings that ‘penetrate’ the roof, are usually enclosed by flashings made from some form of sheet metal. Inspect around these penetrations for deterioration and cracks.
This cracking might not seem to be a big problem, but as moisture gets in, it will expand the crack until it's large enough to cause a big leak.
Seals are where two waterproof materials overlap, coming together in the same spot. Inspect these seals and make sure they’re smooth and still fully adhering.
You’ll want to check each individual room on the property carefully. Check the ceilings for any stains or discoloration. If the roof is leaking, you’ll find a dark-colored ring forming around the water-saturated spot.
If you see this, you should contact an experienced roofing contractor before moving ahead with your purchase.
Damage from a leak in one area doesn’t necessarily mean that the leak is located directly above it. Flat roofing systems have layers that might direct the moisture to other areas in the home, many times far away from the source.
The damage could also be from a plumbing or AC leak or, possibly some other source other than your roof itself.
It's also a possibility that the leak that caused the stain was previously repaired but the discoloration on the ceiling was not.
However, to be on the safe side, the best thing to do is to hire a professional flat roofing contractor to locate the source of any leaks.
If you’ve finished your roof inspection and decide you need to hire an experienced commercial roofing contractor, make sure to get several bids to ensure that you thoroughly understand what really needs to be remedied.
Also, if you get multiple bids, you’re more likely to pay a lower price for your roof repair. Your roofing contractor might also be able to help you extend your roof’s lifespan and give you instructions on what you can do for routine maintenance throughout the year.
A roofing system is a big investment for property owners, and represents a big portion of construction costs.
It’s a roofing contractor’s job to help the owner protect their investment. They should provide professional, careful maintenance on the roof on a regularly. This will make sure its properly protected.
Here are some tips that will help your roofing contractor ensure they won’t miss any essentials during services. If you’re a homeowner, these tips will guide you on what to expect when you hire a professional roofing company to perform routine shingle roof maintenance.
A roofer should perform 4 basic services twice per year to help a homeowner properly maintain their asphalt shingled roof. Also, you’ll want to do this after major storms. Here’s your roofing maintenance checklist:
A critical part of roof maintenance is routine cleaning and clearing of the roof and its related systems. Pay attention not only to shingles and flashing but other key elements, like eaves, troughs, down spouts, installations (such as skylights, vents, chimneys, solar panels), and ventilation.
Here’s what we recommend:
Property owners should regularly clear debris from the roof, including leaves, branches, and other items that might clutter the surface. Your roofing contractor might use a leaf blower, being sure to blow the air down the roof. This will ensure that debris won’t be blowing up and underneath the shingles. To lower the debris that accumulates, clear away vegetation and branches that hang over the roof. Hire a professional tree service to cut away difficult or hard to reach areas.
Dig out leaves and organic material from all gutters. This will ensure water drains without obstruction through to the downspouts. Homeowners could install eave protectors, metal meshed grates that prevent buildup of debris and make cleanup easier.
Be sure the downspouts are clear and unobstructed so water drains properly from the roof and away from the foundation. A homeowner should take notes of any leaks or drips that occur during or right after a rain storm. Report any issues to the contractor during inspection time.
Once cleared of debris, your roofing contractor should inspect it for any red flags that could indicate potential trouble.
They should complete this inspection twice a year – recommended in the spring and fall. This will allow them to make note of anything suspicious, as well as complete small fixes or minor repairs before they become bigger issues. Also, they’ll see if there’s any evidence the ventilation system is malfunctioning or might need maintenance or cleaning.
An experienced roofer should immediately complete any asphalt shingle roof repairs to maintain the integrity of the roof’s materials and related systems, such as drainage and ventilation. Little fixes performed properly will prevent bigger issues, or more costly repairs, over time. They could:
Replace or repair missing, broken or buckled shingles: A roofing contractor could use roofing cement or nails to repair shingles that have become cracked or loose. They could also replace any shingles that have broken free or blown away.
Replace or install valley flashing: They may also consider replacing the existing valley flashing if its become corroded, cracked or is no longer secure – which would threaten its waterproofing abilities.
Replace other flashing: Your roofer could use roofing cement and nails to replace metal flashing around chimneys, roof vents or other installations if the flashing has become loose or rotten. If they’re installing the flashing against a brick structure, it’s advisable to use copper or galvanized steel, because the lime in brick mortar could corrode aluminum materials.
Repair gutters or downspouts: Your roofing company might use gutter caulking, a gutter patching kit or roofing cement and patches to fix leaky or corroded sections of the eavestroughs or downspouts. If they are sagging, they should use a level to determine the proper pitch, then rehang them so they drain properly.
Whether you’re a homeowner looking to maintain the life of your roofing system, or a roofing professional educating your customer on the benefits of regular inspection, maintenance and repair, sticking to a consistent, regular schedule is well worth the investment.
Roofing systems take abuse and have to be maintained. Pitched roofs are fundamentally built to shed water and keep snow from piling up.
As a result, sloped roofs that utilize asphalt shingles, tiles, or wood shakes are designed to work similar to fish scales – overlapping each other to shed the water and snow.
Flat surfaces require different coverings and this article will discuss three options for flat roofs.
Flat roofing systems aren’t built that way. With extremely low slopes (between 1/4″ to 1/2″ per foot, if installed the right way), flat roofs don’t shed water easily. Flat roofs are good systems if done right. They do have some common issues that can be prevented if they are installed by a good roofing company.
Flat roofing systems are built as a monolithic roof surface and will have times where water is pooling and standing. There are 3 main options for flat roofs including Built-Up Roofing (BUR), Modified Bitumen Roofing, and Membrane or ‘Single-Ply’ Roofing (such as EPDM).
EPDM is the latest flat roof technology (around 55 years) and BUR is the oldest (about 120 years). Modified Bitumen is between the others (+/- 60 years). Here are the pluses and minuses of each flat roofing system.
Built-up roofing (BUR) was the most commonly installed type of flat roof until single-ply roofing and modified Bitumen came along.
BUR uses tar and gravel for a watertight layer on top of the roof. Some of its biggest benefits include longevity, the thick coverage of the roof deck, and high resistance to damage.
It’s a costly choice for a residential property, and some of the odors that come with tar and gravel can be bothersome. Here are some additional pluses and minuses of built-up roofing:
Pluses
Minuses
It didn’t take long for the public to move away from the mess, heat, and odors of installing a BUR roof. But, for a long time, it was the only option. In the early 1960s, a new technology was developed – modified bitumen roofing (MBR).
It leveraged the proven performance of BUR and added roof wear layers or cap sheets that were polymer reinforced for strength and durability.
Pluses
Minuses
There are a few types of rubber/polymer membrane roofing systems – PVC, Neoprene, EPDM and several others. EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) is used the most, especially for residential projects.
EPDM is constructed of recycled rubber materials, making it environmentally friendly. It helps to insulate your roof and attic.
In addition to covering your roof, it will bring down utility costs and make it economically viable as well. It comes in a large variety of textures and colors.
Pluses
Minuses
Remember to maintain your flat roofs, repair them if it needs repairs, and get them inspected every 5 years or so!
Your roof plays a huge role in protecting your property and everything inside that you own. Anytime the roof’s structure is in trouble, you need to take action right away to fix the issue.
If you don’t fix a damaged roof, it can lead to big problems and expensive repairs down the road. This article will discuss the things you should consider before installing a shingle roof.
Some people like to keep the costs down by doing part or all of the job themselves.
Most of the time, it’s safer to hire professional, experienced roofing contractors because they have valuable knowledge and experience as well as training in the appropriate materials to use, proper installation, safety procedures, building code requirements, and waste disposal.
Here are some tips for hiring the right contractor:
Most cities and local governments will require permits for roofing work. Most roofing contractors will do the basic work for obtaining these permits, but you should know what the costs and time frames for permits are beforehand.
This way you can add these expenses to your budget and the additional time to the project’s schedule — the sooner you know these time frames and costs, the better.
Some roofing contractors might propose you leave your old roof in place and consider installing a shingle roof on top of it. It will save money but you should avoid this.
When an old roof is removed, the roofing contractor can inspect the decking and other areas for any possible structural damage that may exist. You could be creating a more costly repair by adding a new roof without removing the old one.
There are a lot of roofing materials to pick from, like wooden shakes, clay, metal, and slate.
Asphalt shingles are a happy medium for many property owners because they come in lots of shapes and colors, they’re the most affordable, the easiest to install, and usually last for 15-20 years.
Schedule your roof repair or replacement during a time when weather in your area is most favorable. Most roofing projects will be completed in a week to a few days if the weather is permitting.
Some roofers give discounts if you schedule the project during their slow season, so make plans ahead of time with your scheduling and you could save yourself a lot of money.
Flat roof don’ts are important to consider, and calling a contractor is likely in your best interest. There have been a lot of flat roofs that have been lifted up or completely blown off buildings here in the Phoenix area due to monsoon storms kicking up severe, heavy wind gusts. Fortunately, most of the time, injuries are avoided, but the peeled away roofs are a reminder that flat roofing on a home is no place for amateurs.
If the homeowner or property manager happened to be up on the roof to do something they thought was simple, like checking the drains and gutters for debris, when the monsoon storm hit, as an example, much worse results would have occurred and made for major, tragic headlines. Unnecessary rooftop visits are just one practice to avoid with residential flat roofing.
Rooftop visits that aren’t necessary are just one practice to avoid with flat roofing systems. Some homeowners think of their roof as their personal property, the same as you might look at something you own like a guard dog. But, you know guard dogs can sometimes bite the hand that feeds them. Your roof should be treated with the same kind of caution – it will be there, inviting you to climb up on top of it, but roofs can be very unpredictable. The less time you spend on your roof, the safer you are. Leave inspections and repairs to the experienced professionals like Mikku and Sons Roofing. We have the trained crews, specialized equipment and certified training to walk your residential flat roof safely and securely.
Another poor behavior to avoid is procrastinating your roof repairs. Ignoring the trouble signs of a potential leak – ponding, musty odors in your interior, ceilings that have stains, or moisture damaged roof insulation – will only cause your eventual repair to be more costly. If your home has any of these signs pointing to a leak, get that small repair made as fast as you possibly can, before it turns into a major roof replacement project. You can also avoid damage to your insulation and roof decking with quick attention to repairs. This quick repair strategy will always save you money in the long run.
Some homeowners think they can do minor roof repairs themselves. You, or a property manager, might think of yourselves as some sort of “handyman”. Why would you risk your health, your job and your well being by going up on a roof to try to make an amateur repair? The do-it-yourself approach might work for a while to clear a clogged scupper or something simple, but for most residential flat roof repair, you need the guidance and experience of a professional roofing contractor.
Your business or personal belongings depend on the proper maintenance and repair of your roof. Keep in mind that a little prevention now can prevent catastrophic roof failure in the future. This will save you a lot of inconvenience and expense in the process.
You should bring in a professional roof repair contractor if you have concerns after an inspection. The roofing contractor can also help you determine the remaining estimated lifespan of your roof, the roof’s general existing condition and help you develop a maintenance plan moving forward.
You should bring in a professional commercial roof repair contractor if you think that there could be some concerns after an inspection.
The commercial roofing contractor can also help you determine the remaining estimated lifespan of your roof, the roof’s general existing condition and help you develop a maintenance plan moving forward.
Regular inspections and maintenance is the best way to avoid major roof issues and help your roof sustain extreme weather conditions.
Regular maintenance will also prolong your roof’s lifespan. This may allow you to repair your roof instead of replacing it when issues pop up, saving you a lot of money.
How often you should have your roof inspected depends on several factors like age, recent weather events, foot traffic on your roof, and any type of conditions that may have been uncovered in past inspections.
Your roof should be inspected twice per year, in the spring and fall, to ensure that it’s not being forgotten.
In the Desert Southwest, spray foam roofing is a great solution for flat or low sloped roofs, but there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about this roofing choice. As a result, many customers tend to have concerns about taking advantage of this option. To show consumers the value and versatility of spray foam, we hope to shed light on several of these myths.
Spray foam roofing is very affordable compared to other options. The cost is about the same as a single layer of asphalt shingles. In fact, with the rising cost of oil, the expense of oil based asphalt shingles is going up. On the other hand, spray foam pricing has remained fairly constant.
Research has shown that properly applied roofing foam can last as long as 50 years when applied correctly and maintained by re-coating it on a regular basis. There are foam roofs that were applied over 40 years ago that are still holding up well.
Spray polyurethane foam is just a type of plastic that has been altered slightly and has been used to make the millions of bottles that are used in the food manufacturing industry — bottles that are used for bottled water, soft drinks, ketchup, mustard, mayo and hundreds, maybe thousands of other products that are consumed in households throughout our country every day.
Foam roofing is a great option for insulating your property or business from heat, especially on flat or slightly sloped roofs. The closed cell structure gives SPF one of the highest R-Values (thermal resistance) of all roofing materials that can be used on your property, and it makes it very moisture resistant as well as being highly fire resistant, which is great for insurance rates.
Texas A&M University studied the energy use of its campus buildings before and after they applied Spray foam on its building’s roofing systems. They studied more than eight million square feet of SPF roofing on their campus, and found that their energy savings completely paid for the expense of Texas A&M’s SPF roof systems in three to four years.
For your roof to drain properly, you need 3 things; proper placement of drains, proper slope on your roof, and proper sized drains, which on a sloped roof would mean gutters. Also, consider the amount and intensity of rainfall you would normally encounter during storms.
What gutters and drains do is detour the water falling from your roof away from the exterior walls and foundation. If you have gutters, its critical that the materials they’re made of, how they’re installed and the maintenance you perform on them are needed to prevent damage to your roof. Blocked gutters or drains can cause water to back up below the membrane or pool on the surface in areas that could take a long time to dry out. You never want standing water on any roof surface.
For gutters, aluminum and steel are the most common material choices. They are durable and resist cracking, bending and corrosion. These are 3 of the most common cases of damage to a roof. Corrosion, cracking and bending of gutters are one of the most common causes of damage to roofs.
Proper maintenance and regular inspections of your downspouts and and gutters is crucial to keep water flowing away from your property. The downspouts that carry that water away tend to clog and back up and must be kept clear. Proper maintenance and regular checks of the downspouts and gutters is essential to keep water flowing smoothly away from your building.
One of the most common causes of roof damage is a clogged gutter. Most gutters are open-top, which tend to accumulate debris (leaves, sticks) along with nesting birds and rodents. When your gutter gets blocked, water stops flowing and spills over the edge in the wrong places. The pooling and spilling water can soak your roofing material and make it rot. Locations where the gutters or downspouts are blocked also make a great place for mold, mildew and algae to thrive and grow.
Proper installation of the roof drain and gutters is also extremely important. If they aren’t installed right, they will almost certainly fail. they have to be installed with the roof’s pitch and angles taken into account. You’ll have damage to your roof line, or the gutters will crack or pull away from your property if they aren’t installed properly.
If you have a commercial building, where and how many roof drains or gutters you place is critical. Drains should be located no more than 100 feet apart and no more than 50 feet from the roof’s perimeter.
Your city or state surely has building codes that need to be checked before you make any changes or additions to your building.
If you think your drainage apparatus isn’t working the way it should, you should call a professional roofing contractor to inspect it as soon as possible. they will be able to pinpoint any problems for you and should be knowledgeable about the type of drainage thats appropriate for your property and the areas applicable building codes.
No matter what type of property you own, the roof on it will usually have some sort of warranty. Actually, there are two types of warranties – the actual one and one that’s inferred or implied. Let’s learn more about roof warranties.
The materials manufacturer will issue a warranty guaranteeing that their product will perform to certain standards over a specific period of time. It could be 10, 15, 20 or even more years, depending on the type of material they’re made of. They are taking for granted that the installation was performed correctly and that routine maintenance is being done. Let’s say your roof is looking like it needs to be replaced and the materials were warrantied for 10 years. Also, lets say your roofing contractor did a good job following the installation instructions and installed your roof perfectly. If the materials fail during your 10 year warranty period, the manufacturer is guaranteeing that they will be replaced with no cost to you.
A roofing installation contractor should provide a warranty that their workmanship will be guaranteed over a specific period of time. The most common is 2 years. So, if your contractor makes a mistake in installing your roof, and it fails from their bad workmanship, the professional roofing contractor will honor their warranty and supply the materials and labor to fix the problem. Make sure you scrutinize this one very carefully, making sure both labor and materials are covered, not just one or the other.
This means that a product will do what its designed to do. An example would be a roof membrane keeping water out of your home. Another term for this warranty is merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. They usually come with some instructions (and warnings) from the manufacturer. An example would be if you or someone else that walked on the roofing membrane and caused it to leak or fail. If you don’t follow these instructions or warnings, you’ll have a problem getting the manufacturer to honor their warranty.
You’ll need to make sure you do whats necessary to maintain your roof once you’ve signed your warranty. With commercial roofing, property managers and building owners will hire facility managers and on-staff maintenance teams to make sure they comply with their maintenance requirements. Experienced professionals are aware of what they need to do (and avoid doing) to make sure they maintain their roof and hence, their warranty. Overall, improper maintenance will cause damage to your roof, so when you hire someone to do repairs, or any work on your roof, make sure they are competent and familiar with your roof system, along with the manufacturers specs and maintenance instructions.
When your roof has a problem and you think your warranty has been violated, property owners generally have 30 days to notify the manufacturer or roofing contractor. If you don’t, you’ll void the warranty. If you wait too long, the manufacturers and roofers won’t be legally required to fulfill their obligations (which includes repairing or replacing your roof). So, if you suspect something is amiss with your roof, get it inspected by a competent professional roofing contractor as soon as possible, so you can make your notifications in a timely manner.
You hear advice all the time when you’re looking for a roofing contractor in Arizona that you should never hire unlicensed roofing contractors to do your work.
What's the reason for this? Does it truly even matter? Some property owners think that if the roofing contractor does good work based on a referral from an acquaintance or family member and they had a good experience, then why should it matter if they don’t have a license.
And, as a bonus, they can probably save some money in the process.
If you have a dispute with a licensed contractor, you can call the company’s licensing agency for help in mediation. They also may be able to help recover any monetary losses you might have incurred.
But, if you have an issue with an unlicensed contractor that they refuse to resolve, you’ll have to make a decision about filing a civil lawsuit. That isn’t something that you’re likely to have much success with.
Legal expenses are high and, even if you should win, you might never be able to collect any funds because unlicensed contractors are notorious for going in and out of business.
Who knows how long they’ll be there to pay you, or they could just disappear completely leaving you holding the bag.
The reality is, an unlicensed contractor doesn’t have the same incentive to do quality work because it’s easier for them to get away with providing minimal service and poor work quality, due to the fact that your choices are limited with legal action.
So, let's say some unlicensed contractor doesn’t finish your roofing project and runs off with your money? Good luck trying to find them and trying to get any compensation or having the work finished!
Or does not honor their warranty after a rainstorm reveals a leak on their handy work.
Worker’s comp and liability insurance are expensive for a contractor. Because of this, unlicensed contractors many times will not carry these vitally important policies. Just as important for you as it is for them.
If a roofing contractor’s crew member gets injured while working on your roof, without worker’s comp insurance would mean you’ll likely be responsible for paying for their medical bills. Have you checked the cost of a week-long hospital stay lately?
Without liability insurance, if a contractor damages your home and refuses to fix it, you’re out of luck and you’ll have to pay for the damages yourself.
A “Bond” is a type of insurance that compensates you if the contractor doesn’t complete the job as you’ve requested or contracted them to do.
Unlicensed contractors usually won’t even offer a written and signed contract, much less be bonded with an adequate amount.
Therefore, if the finished roof project isn’t what you thought you were getting, that’s your tough luck! There’s no bond available for you to make a claim on.
To obtain a license, a contractor is tested on their knowledge and application of local building codes.
Here’s why this could be a big problem:
If you decide to sell your property and during the inspection process the home inspector points out that your roof isn’t built to code, you’ll be responsible for fixing that before the Buyer or the Lender will move forward to close on the purchase.
Fixing something like this in a short time frame could cost thousands of dollars that you had no idea you were going to be liable for.
Also, disclosing to an inspector that you hired an unlicensed roofing contractor to fix any past issues with your roof could greatly decrease the property’s value, if the inspector or the Buyer isn’t comfortable with assuming the liability for an unlicensed contractor’s work.
Obtaining a license means that a roofer meets minimum industry training standards and work experience. This is in place to protect consumers like you.
If a contractor is unlicensed, you don’t have any idea about their level of competency or experience. Low-quality roofing work and materials can backfire on you later in a big way.
We have severe monsoon storms every summer in Arizona. Imagine seeing your roof literally blown off in the middle of one of these storms because the unlicensed contractor that did the work either cut corners, didn’t really know what they were doing, or used subpar materials to get the work done and pad their profits!
Don’t settle for a simple handshake. Get your roof work completed by licensed, professional, experienced contractors. If they cut corners by not paying for licensing, insurance or bonding, they’re likely cutting corners on the work too.
