The Lost Guide To Your Roof

Check out our new "Lost Guide To Your Roof". This guide walks you through the four proven steps towards proactive roof management. Follow this guide and you'll be sure to see the following benefits: 

• Lower Lifetime Maintenance Costs.
• Significantly Extended Roof Service Life.
• Much Lower Liability.
• Higher Return On Your Roofing Investment.
• Dramatic Cost Savings.
• The Ability To Eliminate All Leak Expenses.

Visit it online now at http://www.lostguidetoyourroof.com/ or email us at info@ramconroofing.com to get the official version mailed to you free!

The Roofing-Mold Connection

Most owners and managers have begun to fully comprehend the potential ramifications of mold for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). These ramifications can manifest themselves as damaged building materials, degraded IAQ, sick building symptoms, and potential lawsuits.

Mold commonly occurs in most organic building materials. It is common to see lichens, or mold, growing on the top exterior surface of roofs, within wet organic roof insulation boards, and on wet wood nailers. The one thing that all these surfaces have in common is that they are above the roof deck and, therefore, have minimal impact on IAQ.

When mold growth develops on interior surfaces, IAQ can be affected and building occupants start asking questions. Most organic building materials can support mold growth if temperature and moisture conditions are within supportive limits. Typical materials include ceiling tiles, gypsum board, wallpaper, insulation, adhesives, wood trim and wood framing materials. These materials have been used for years in construction, many never experiencing mold growth.

Identifying the Culprit
What is the catalyst for mold growth: temperature or moisture? Temperature seems to be unlikely, as many similar building types have similar interior environments, and some have mold, while others do not. It appears that moisture might be the single most probable catalyst to affect mold growth. This seems likely as most observed mold growth is associated with leaks and condensation problems in roofs, windows or walls. Studies have proven that leaks in a building can contribute to mold growth within as little as 48 hours.

Leak Response
If we know that roof leaks may be a major contributor to mold development, then keeping water out of organic building materials is paramount to preventing mold growth. We must establish an aggressive leak response program. Technicians must investigate leaks, determine origin points and address deficiencies in a timely manner. Leaks must be stopped within 48 hours and the wet materials dried out, or mold growth is possible. Simple enough when you call RAMCON.

A Proactive Step
Leak response, though important, is reactive, and materials often get wet before a problem can be identified. A better approach would be to develop and preserve an aggressive roof-maintenance program.

It appears that mold growth and roof leaks are directly related. As a result, annual roof maintenance might be the first line of defense against mold development. If leaks do occur, they must be investigated and repaired immediately. To stop mold development, you must take the position that roof leaks are not acceptable and that they must not be tolerated. A RAMCON preventive maintenance program can help provide tangible results in mold prevention.

What's going on up there?

When was the last time you had your roof inspected? It is simple, and will let you know what is going on up there…the first step to pro-active roof management.

Contact RAMCON
Call us, toll-free at (877) 726-2661 or email us at support@ramconroofing.com. Hurry, we get many requests and want to make sure we can get your roof scheduled promptly.

Schedule
Schedule a time and date to have your roof inspected.

Inspection
Our professional technicians will visit your facility and perform our exclusive 20-point inspection to determine the condition of your system.

Analyze
Our project estimating teams will review and analyze your roofing system to create the best, most comprehensive approach to addressing all roofing conditions.

Review
We’ll provide you a detailed roof analysis reports, containing everything you’ll need to proactively manage your roofing system. You’ll also be able to view and share your report with key stakeholders securely online, via MyRAMCON.com

There is a convenient online form to get all of this started. Simply log onto http://www.ramcongreen.com/free-roof-inspection.htm to get started.

2010 Hurricane Season In Review

The so called “hyper-active” Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2010 came to an end last month as the third most active in history. It ties 1887 and 1995 with 19 named storms. There were 10 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes in the Atlantic basin this year. Only 2005 and 1969 had more activity.

Interesting enough, these numbers are almost exactly what was forecast by Colorado State University, they had 18 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes in their long range forecast. NOAA’s outlook issued May 27th had 14-23 named storms, 8-14 hurricanes, and 3-7 major hurricanes. The “average” since 1995 has been 11 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes.

Florida escaped any hurricane problems again last season. The last major hurricane to hit Florida was in 2005, when Hurricane Wilma hit South Florida. The last significant system to cause damage in Florida was slow-moving Tropical Storm Fay in 2008. In 2010, Tropical Storm Bonnie did cross Florida in July. Bonnie was a very weak system and was almost immediately downgraded to a tropical depression. So then beckons the question, why has Florida been lucky?

There are three reasons for the tracks of the storms last season. First, a strong upper high held over the Southeastern U.S., Gulf of Mexico, and Florida for much of the season. This high was one of the primary reasons our summer was one of the hottest on record. The high also caused drought conditions in the Southeastern U.S. Most of the Caribbean systems were kept on a southerly track, impacting Mexico, Belize and Central America. Other systems which could’ve threatened Florida, such as Nicole and Paula, were held to the south or were unable to develop.

Secondly, a series of upper level troughs developed again this summer in the Northeastern United States. These troughs made it easy for long-track “Cape Verde” type hurricanes to re-curve in the Atlantic. One of these, Hurricane Igor, was one of the worst hurricane disasters on record for Newfoundland.

In the end, the 2010 hurricane season is a vivid reminder of what we always say at the beginning of each season. It doesn’t matter what the forecast numbers say. If the season is active and no storm hits you, you probably don’t think it was been that busy. If the forecast is for a slow year, and one storm hits you, you think it has been a bad season. Therefore, each year we’ll continue to help our clients prepare their roofing systems for each season the same, no matter what the long-term forecast. After all, each season is different and it only takes one storm to make it a bad year.

Extensive or Intensive? Green Roofs Explained

There are two general types of green roofs: extensive and intensive systems. Intensive green roofs, commonly thought of as “garden roofs,” are the more complex of the two, exhibiting much greater plant diversity, and a greater need for design expertise. Planting media for intensive green roofs are a foot deep at minimum, and have saturated weights ranging from 80 to 120 pounds per square foot, depending on type and depth of planting medium and the type of plants. Almost always used for new construction, intensive green roofs can be anything from a public garden to an entire park — as is the case with the world’s largest green roof, Millennium Park in Chicago, which is 24.5 acres of landscaping on top of two subterranean parking garages.

Extensive green roofs, with a saturated weight of 12 to 50 pounds per square foot, are the most common. With planting media of 1 to 5 inches thick, most extensive green roofs aren’t designed for public access or to be walked on any more than a typical membrane roof would. Several modular extensive green roof products have emerged in the last few years that allow plants to be grown at the factory prior to being installed on a roof. We’ve found that these products allow the opportunity to pre-grow the roof so that it can be laid out like a giant jigsaw puzzle when the roof is ready for installation, so you get an “instant green roof.”

Dealing with Complexity
Whether the roof is intensive or extensive, you should consider the details of green roof design and construction carefully. There are a few more layers of complexity with a green roof than with traditional construction. That complexity, as well as cost, and the misperception that green roofs are more leak-prone, are the main reasons many don’t seriously consider green roofs for commercial projects.

However, there is no evidence to suggest that green roofs are more leak-prone. In fact, green roofs should be better at preventing leaks because the membrane is more protected from the elements. Still, we caution that a green roof is only as watertight as its design, which is why it’s even more critical on a green roof to have a good contractor like RAMCON and make sure the roof is designed properly from the outset.

With a strong understanding of the considerations that go into a green roof project and RAMCON at your side, you’ll be in the best position to ensure success. For more information about vegetative roofing systems, contact RAMCON at (877) 726-2661 or visit www.vegetativeroofing.com

A Look Behind and the Drive Forward

As we say goodbye to 2010 and race into 2011, our thoughts first turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. You are the reason for our continued success and the drive that keeps us moving forward. As we look forward, we must reflect back at 2010 and the many accomplishments that have been achieved.

Last year, we installed approximately 2.9 million square feet of practically every type of roofing system imaginable. Our never ending commitment to quality remains strong. In 2010, we remained Florida’s only Firestone President’s Club winner council member and one of only 30 Johns Manville Pinnacle Council members in the world. These awards signify our commitment to installing the best systems in the industry. Three of our projects (All Children’s Hospital, Glazer’s Children Museum and Strawberry Crest High School) have won or are nominated for the 2010 Building of America awards.

In addition to roof installations, we’ve made considerable progress in our Roof Maintenance Department and serviced millions of square feet of roofing systems. Our service department has grown significantly in 2010, which has brought you the tangible benefits of a faster response time, lower service costs through efficiencies and considerably higher quality.

We’ve also ventured into new and existing territories including the installation of tens of thousands of watts of roof integrated photovoltaic solar systems. We’ve rolled out new programs such as our preventative maintenance Star Program and instituted our online roof management application MyRAMCON.com. You may have also noticed the new look of the RAMCON fleet on the road and our newly revised website. We encourage you to check out the site as it is constantly updated and full of new resources, webinars and information.

This is just a snap shot of the achievements at RAMCON. We are always interested in hearing your suggestions and input on how we can further meet the range of your roofing needs, as our entire focus in on you.

As we begin a new year and new era, we want to thank you for everything you’ve done to make our progress and success at RAMCON possible. With our strong and motivated team working together we can make our goals happen. We have not come to our place in this industry by happenstance or accident. It’s a direct result of hard work and the trust each of you have provided. For all that has been accomplished — Thanks. And for all that will be — Yes.