Roof Recovery Has Big $$$ Advantages

It is important to understand how roofs fail in service and identify those factors that contribute to their failure. Roofs begin deteriorating shortly after they are applied and continue deteriorating until they are replaced. The rate, severity and extent of deterioration are affected by a wide variety of factors, such as their exposure to the environment, quality of installation, level of maintenance and simple age.

Deterioration and damage are not always the result of environmental exposure. Quite often, roofs have to fulfill several functions they were not intentionally designed for. They are often replete with mechanical equipment that requires periodic servicing, exposing the roof to damage from roof top traffic.

Inevitably roof failure will occur, whatever the cause.  You are then stuck with the difficult task of selecting the appropriate course of action. At one time, the current materials and designs limited available options. If the roof failed, the alternatives were to attempt repairs or tearing-off and replace all, or part of, the roof. Increasingly, another option is becoming a viable alternative to complete tear-off and replacement.

Gaining popularity, an alternative to complete re-roofing is to re-cover to existing system. FM Global, a world-wide commercial and industrial property insurance and risk management organization, defines recovery systems as a roof where, “the existing roof system is left in place and new components are installed over it.”

Recovering has a number of economic and practical advantages, including lower overall costs, the potential for reusing the existing roof insulation, provided it is dry and in sound condition, avoiding financial and environmental costs associated with roof tear-off, minimizing disruptions to building operations. In addition, it offers a higher degree of security and protection from the elements while the work is being carried out.

Unfortunately, not all building can be recovered for numerous reasons, including the number of roofs currently on the facility, etc. If your roof is a trouble maker and you are looking for a low cost solution with the same warranty as a new roof, be sure to talk to RAMCON about a recovery system.