Three Very Common Sources Of HVAC Leaks

HVAC Condensation Pan Leaks:
When air conditioning units operate, they collect condensation. HVAC units typically have internal sheet metal pans that collect and drain off the condensation water. Because this is a continuing process, the sheet metal pans have a tendency to rust out. When this happens, the water inside the HVAC unit can leak into the building. This is a common source of leakage, particularly in older units. It represents a significant percentage of the reported leak calls that we receive. If you experience “roof leaks” when it’s not raining, the chances are that it’s an air conditioning problem.

HVAC Air Duct Leaks:
Sometimes HVAC units have sheet metal air ducts that run across the roof. These ducts have overlapping seams, where they are connected together. These seams are sealed to prevent air from leaking in and out. But, they are also sealed to prevent water from getting inside. Unfortunately these seals can crack and wear out. When the HVAC units operate, a high vacuum occurs in some of the ducts. If the duct seals are cracked or broken, the vacuum can pull rain water inside. Once inside the ducts, the water can be blown through the system. If you experience leakage that is seen directly below air ducts or ceiling air vent openings, the chances are that this is the problem.

Vacuum induced Equipment Leakage:
Most HVAC units create significant interior vacuum. If there is a small hole or opening in the HVAC unit, the vacuum can pull rain water inside the unit. Sometimes roof leakage occurs on brand new roof systems directly underneath HVAC units. When this happens, we conduct intensive water tests, to determine the source of the problem. In many cases we find that the roof is not leaking. The HVAC unit is leaking internally.

Membranes Are Not The Only Cool Roof Available!

When we think of “cool roofs” we often think of the TPO membrane roof because of it’s bright white color. However, the typical membrane roof is not the only game in town. Did you know that there are many colors of metal roofing that also qualify as “cool” roofing?

Florida Power and Light conducted a study on roofs and electric bills a couple of years ago. While the study confirmed long held beliefs that the whiter, and therefore, more reflective the roof, the lower the electric bill. The surprising fact that came out of the study was that, “white, galvanized metal roofing material saves the most energy as a result of its high reflectance and superior ability to cool quickly at night.”

But, there is even more good news, white is no longer the only approved “cool” color when it comes to metal roofing. In fact there are dozens of approved “cool” colors in metal roofing, so you do not have to give up the look you want to get the energy savings you need.

Want to find out more about cool metal roofing, simply call one of our Customer Service Representatives today at 877-726-2661.

Six Factors of Long-Term Roof Performance- Ranked By Our Customers

Maintaining aging institutional and commercial facilities is essential for providing a safe and effective work environment. One of the most important steps in achieving this goal — yet the most overlooked in many organizations — is roof maintenance.

Why do so many organizations overlook their roofing system? In general, roofs present a host of major challenges, from specification and installation to maintenance and replacement. From the maintenance and engineering manager’s point of view, no building component fits in the “out of sight, out of mind” category better than roofs.

When the time comes to gather information and make decisions about replacing the roof, numerous problems such as failing to employ proper roof design, specifying time-tested products and disregarding ongoing roof maintenance, all contribute to this challenging situation.

What can or should you do to streamline the process of roof replacement? The first step is to understand the issues involved in effective roof management. Seven factors affect the long-term performance of a roof system: design, installation, materials, maintenance, construction quality control, warranty, and weather. Of these seven factors, only weather is beyond your control.

At RAMCON, we believe that when there’s a problem, go right to the source. Therefore, we worked with more than 1,000 building owners and managers who ranked the six controllable factors, based on each one’s impact on a roof’s long-term performance. The challenge for you is to fully understand the significance of each factor (listed below in order of potential impact) on a roof’s performance and to avoid automatically choosing the “lowest cost” option. The cost of cheap can be very high.

Managers and owners identified roof design as the most important factor affecting long-term performance. A significant margin exists between the perceived importance of roof design compared to all other factors. You need a detailed specification, which RAMCON can provide to you, so that when you are getting prices, you are getting ‘apples to apples’. If not,, you will simply receive a design from some contractors that is the “lowest cost” option. Essentially, you are not getting the best design...just the cheapest. Every single day, we work with building owners and managers designing sets of specifications that truly meet your needs...let us help you, at no expense to you.

Installation Insights
The labor to install a roof is the most costly factor, and in some cases, the greatest influence on roof performance. If you select a contractor who does not install the roof properly, the roof will not perform up to expectations, no matter the quality of the roof design or materials. One of your  primary considerations when choosing a contractor is ensuring they can provide a highly  experienced, skilled, and conscientious roofing crew. Ask around to other owners, roofing manufacturers or distributors about RAMCON’s quality and see what they have to say. 

Materials Management
New and improved roofing products continually enter the market. Sometimes, ‘new and improved’ can mean less expensive. The cost of the membrane, not its proven performance, is too often the overriding factor in choosing a roofing system. But let’s keep in mind that the difference in cost between a high-quality, time tested roofing membrane and a low-cost commodity brand is usually less than 10 percent of the system’s total cost.

If you are looking for long-term performance, you have to do the research. Or better yet, drop by the RAMCON office and see the products being tested yourself. We maintain a 35,000 square foot training and testing ground that tests everything we install.

Maintenance Matters
It’s imperative to implement a proactive inspection and maintenance program after the roof is installed. All to often managers believe that because a warranty covers the new roof, they can ignore maintenance for the first several years of the roof’s life. This is a costly mistake. Many material or other deficiencies can develop within the first few years of a roof’s service life and the smallest defect can turn into a major problem if workers do not correct it immediately.

Project Inspection
As previously mentioned, you should consider the installation of the roofing system as one of the two most important factors in a roof’s performance. Installation is also difficult, dangerous, and sometimes can be the the largest cost. Because of the high risk and costs associated with the installation, comprehensive construction inspections are vital to ensure the best system is installed. RAMCON has dedicated quality control teams, as well as internal and external risk management teams that inspect every project continuously to ensure it is not only installed perfectly, but with no risks or incidents. We are proud of our .63 EMR rate and work diligently to  protect it.

Warranty Considerations
The factor owners and managers ranked lowest in assessing the long-term performance of roofs is the manufacturer warranty. Some roofing membrane manufacturers sell roof warranties, not roofing membranes. Twenty years ago, a 10-year roof warranty for labor and material was the norm. Now, manufacturers offer 20- and even 30-year warranties.

Before paying $0.15-$0.20 per square foot for a 30- year warranty, it might be worthwhile to read the warranty limitations and exclusions. You need to remember that manufacturers write the warranty to protect themselves.

Among the warranty exclusions and special conditions that will make the warranty null and void: lack of proper maintenance, unauthorized repairs, failure to notify manufacturer within the prescribed time about the discovery of a leak, traffic or material storage, abnormal climatic condition and damage due to winds over 42 mph.

There is no substitute for performing proper roof design, using time-tested products, using high-quality workmanship, performing construction quality control, and performing ongoing roof maintenance. The risks of omitting any of these factors are too high to ignore and often lead to costly, premature roof failure.

How Reflective Roofing Works and Saves You Money

The availability of viable and energy-efficient cool roofing products has expanded greatly in recent years. Building owners, managers, and architects increasingly use these products because of their capacity for energy savings.

Managers in institutional and commercial facilities also can achieve several other benefits, such as: lower interior temperatures, greater occupant comfort, and smaller cooling loads on HVAC systems. A growing number of building codes also mandate the use of cool roofs, and voluntary programs are increasingly including them as a key element of sustainable design.

By understanding some of the science behind cool roofs and the questions to ask in specifying these systems, managers can more effectively match product options to the organizations’ needs.

How is it Cool? Specifying a cool roof for an institutional or commercial facility can be a smart decision, but not everyone is clear on what exactly cool entails. Cool roofs have been around for quite some time and are increasingly popular options in many areas of the United States. Still, managers often do not understand the performance details of cool roofs.

A cool roof is highly reflective and can easily emit the small amounts of heat it absorbs; allowing the surface of the roof to remain cooler and transferring less heat into the building.

Two radiative properties define a cool roof. Solar reflectance describes the fraction of solar energy the roof reflects. Thermal emittance describes the relative ability of the roof’s surface to radiate absorbed heat. Both of these properties are measured from 0 to 1, and the higher the number, the cooler the roof.

Here is where part of the confusion comes in. Many elements of a roof’s structure, such as insulation, can affect a building’s interior temperature and its performance. These elements are obviously important, but “cool roof” refers specifically to the roof’s radiative surface properties.

It stands to reason that light-colored surfaces have high reflectance, and many early rebate programs for cool roofs used this characteristic as the only requirement. Uncoated shiny metal surfaces reflect the sun’s energy efficiently, but they have very low emittance. As a result, they become very hot during the day. A roof that demonstrates both high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance is essential for managers seeking to improve a facility’s energy performance

RAMCON collects Toys For Tots

On Christmas morning, millions of children will wake up across the nation excited to see what Santa has brought them. Many of us can still remember the moment we opened the gift that we hoped Santa would bring us. The saddening truth is that many children will wake up on Christmas morning and their wishes will not be met.

Help us change Christmas morning back into the whimsical haze of happiness and joy we remember. Together, through Toys for Tots, we can help put a smile on a child’s face. We can send a message of hope to less fortunate children who are in the midst of difficult times. RAMCON will again take part in the annual Toys for Tots program by collecting new and unwrapped toys and books.

Toys for Tots began back in 1947 when Major Bill Hendricks and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributes in excess of 5,000 toys to struggling children. In fact, the idea came from Bill’s wife, Diane. In the fall of 1947, Diane crafted a homemade doll and asked Bill to deliver the doll to a local organization to donate at Christmas. To Bill’s surprise, no such agency existed, so Bill and Diane created one. In 1948 the program expanded it into a nationwide campaign. Now, some 65 years later, the initial objective and mission of the program remains.
Join the team in collecting new and unwrapped toys by dropping them off at our main facility in Tampa – 5902 Breckenridge Pkwy. Tampa, FL 33610 – or give us a call and we’ll pick them up. For each toy donated, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a complimentary one year Gold Star Preventative Maintenance package.

Getting Started with Preventative Maintenance

Okay, you now know what can cause trouble on your roof, and you want to make sure that it does not happen to you. Now what? Follow these simple steps.

1. CALL
Call RAMCON at 877-726-2661. Our friendly representatives will schedule an inspection time that
is convenient and works with your schedule.

2. LOOK
Our uniformed professionals will perform a complete 107-point inspection of your entire roofing system.

3. REPORT
From the 107-point inspection, we will compile a complete Roofing Analysis Report with all of the information needed to pro-actively manage your roofing system.

4. ACTION
 The Roofing Analysis Report will give you multiple options for moving forward with managing your roofing systems. From basic to comprehensive, all that is left to do is to choose the option that best fits your needs and goals. As always, we are happy to further discuss the information in the report and answer any questions you may have.

Two Types of Maintenance

There are two types of Maintenance Programs: breakdown maintenance and scheduled maintenance.

The term break-down maintenance is used in the mechanical equipment business to mean repairs made only when a unit breaks down rather than on a schedule. Break-down maintenance in roofing means merely fixing leaks when they occur rather than having an active preventive maintenance program. Roof leaks usually have secondary effects such as causing wet insulation, corrosion, interior damage and perhaps mold.

Scheduled maintenance and repairs can be planned for the owner’s convenience. The owner’s convenience may mean scheduling for optimum seasonal work, plant shutdowns, weekends or school holidays to avoid disruption. Having a regularly scheduled program for repair and maintenance work can also reduce costs because contractors are able to depend on a certain volume of work and staff accordingly.

The Fountain Of Youth - Extending Roof Service Life

Many have searched for the secret of longevity since explorer Ponce de Leon’s famous Florida pursuit of the elusive fountain of youth. During these difficult economic times, building owners and facilities managers are especially interested in the quest for longevity when it applies to extending their facilities’ roof life.

Maintenance of a roofing systems has also taken center stage because of the recent trend to downsize staff within the facilities management departments and increased outsourcing. Facilities managers want the secret to making roofs last. The answer lies in roof management. A simple, well thought-out, continual plan for roof maintenance can prevent many of the problems that damage roofs and necessitate costly repairs.

The first step in proper roof maintenance is choosing the right roof for the facility. “No. 1 is getting a proper design. To do that, we look at specific items - criteria to make sure we get a good design,” explains Steve Kruse of RAMCON Roofing.

In addition to choosing roofing products that meet code requirements, building owners should consider access, the complexity of the roof, the condition of the existing substrate, drainage issues, and insulation - all before installation. “Many times [building owners] know a product and they say, ‘Let’s make this product fit this particular building,’” says Kruse. “Rarely do you have one product that fits every need.” To have roofs last longer and perform at optimal levels, the three key initial steps are:

   1. Proven products.
   2. Application appropriate design.
   3. High-quality construction methods.

Most building owners and facilities professionals expect roofing systems to perform for 20 years or more. However, this length of life is only possible with preventive maintenance. Once a facility is outfitted with a well-designed roof, maintaining it doesn’t have to be complicated. RAMCON believes the first step of roof maintenance is simply inspecting a roof on a regular basis. Checking for simple things, such as punctures or poor damage, especially after major storms, can save building owners from expensive repairs in the future.

RAMCON urges facilities departments to take a proactive - rather than reactive - stance to roof maintenance. Facilities departments with proactive roof management programs have the best track record of extending the life of their roofing portfolio and enhancing the value of the initial roof investment.

Another common mistake  made by facility departments that can shorten roof life is selecting the wrong solution for a problem. For example, using a mastic to stop leaks that is incompatible with a particular roofing system.

Education on roofing systems is a crucial aspect of extending roof life. One of the things RAMCON stresses is that it is easy for someone to go up on the roof and say you need to  replace it. The more difficult thing is to find out exactly how to make the roof last longer.

Typically, the cost of maintaining a roofing system is a very small percentage of the initial cost of the roof. Making sure a roof has the longest life possible pays back huge dividends.

The long search for the secret to longevity is over. It’s not about discussing proactive maintenance…it’s about performing it.

Replace or Recovery: Often It Is Not A Choice

This question often comes up with an existing roofing system; does it need to be removed to the deck (a complete tear off) or is a roof overlay (recovery) possible. A complete ‘re-roof’ is where the entire roof(s), plus all insulation and underlayment are removed all the way down to the decking and then an entire roof assembly is installed. A roof ‘recovery’ involves installing a new roofing system over the existing roof and assembly remains. A recovery roof is often very popular, as it allows you to realize considerable cost savings as the existing insulation and components can be reused and the labor associated with the ‘tear off’ can be drastically minimized.

It’s certainly an appealing option to get a new roofing system and the same warranty coverage at a lower cost with a roof recovery, however, it’s not always possible. We’ll show you 3 situations where a ‘recovery system’ is not possible and a complete tear off and replacement is required…as noted in Chapter 15 of the Florida Building Code, section 1510.3.

When Two Roofs Already Are Installed: Florida Building Code allows for a second, ‘recovery’ roofing system, but two is the maximum. That means, if you already have two roofs installed (original roof plus a roof recovery system), Florida building code specifically states that “new roof coverings shall not be installed without first removing all existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck”. Therefore, if you are budgeting for a new roofing system in the future, make sure you know whether you have one or two roofs installed, which can vary the price of the roof replacement by as much as 40%. RAMCON can assist you in determining this by calling (877) 726-2661.

Roof Saturation: If the existing roofing system is wet/saturated, building code will require it to be completely removed and an entire new assembly installed. In some instances, we can remove only isolated wet sections, however after a certain percentage is deemed unsatisfactory, a complete removal becomes more cost effective and possibly even required. Fix leaks as quickly as they develop and get involved with RAMCON’s preventative maintenance programs…it’ll save significant sums when your roof comes to the end of its service life.

Wind Uplift Ratings: Certain types of roof decks simply may not be able to have a new roofing system installed over the original, such as gypsum or structural concrete decking  systems. This actually has little to do with the decking itself, it’s the roof on it that matters! You typically ‘adhere’ the systems to the deck with either an adhesive (TPO/PVC) or asphalt (BUR/Modified). Therefore, to install a new roofing system, you have to adhere to the existing roofing system and rely on its existing wind uplift. Since Florida Building Codes are increasingly more stringent, the existing roof may not meet today’s wind uplift costs. To test the wind uplift of the original roof to determine if it is suitable to act as a substrate for a recovery roof, we are required to perform a ‘bell chamber’ test to simulate a wind uplift scenario to determine conditions. It’s extremely rare to see a system over a gypsum deck meet these requirements.

Beyond the Roof Warranty

The goal of a warranty is to assure a quality roof. But the truth is, a warranty never kept a building dry. The best way to keep a roof functional is to be sure it is designed and installed correctly in the first place and then maintained. What does this mean?

First, don’t rely on just the manufacturer’s recommendations to assure that the roof is designed well. Manufacturer specifications and details are generic and may not be applicable to a particular situation. RAMCON can design and get approved specialty details to tackle specific problems and unique conditions.

Second, original installation is the leading factor when it comes to lifetime roof performance and roof service life. It’s vital that the installing contractor be experienced and has a proven track record. You wouldn’t buy milk at half price from a stand at the side of the road would you? Of course not, it’s too risky! The success of your roofing project is equally at risky. Sure, price is important when it comes to your roofing project, but so is expertise, experience  and a proven track record of results. We’ve installed more than 37 million square feet of roof in the past decade alone, have the highest quality ratings and we do it a competitive rate.

Third, keep the roof maintained. Get involved with RAMCON’s proactive maintenance programs. Literally thousands of facilities have seen the cost savings that are waiting for them and have acted. Being reactive and responding to issues after they develop is inefficient and damages have already occurred. Give us a call and we’ll show you the math.

Remember, a warranty is a contract, not an insurance policy. It can add value to a roof installation but is not a substitute for proper roof design, competent installation and long term maintenance in assuring a leak-free roof. In the attempt to assure the quality of the roof, a warranty is just another tool that can help or hinder building owners — one on which depends if whether the owner has done their homework.

It’s Time For Your Semi-Annual Roof Inspections!

The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends inspecting all roofs twice each year, once after the hottest weather and again after the coldest weather. These weather cycles induce the most thermal stresses on roofs and manifest the greatest damage. Roofs should also be inspected after any major weather event, such as high winds or hail. The inspection report should classify distresses as follows:

Damage caused by storms
Warranty repairs
Housekeeping and cleaning

Routine maintenance should be performed regularly, thereby correcting deficiencies disclosed by the inspections. All maintenance and repair work orders and payments should be entered into the client’s database.

Never fear! Our professional technicians will visit your facility and perform our exclusive 20-point inspection to determine the condition of your system.

RAMCON can take care of all of your roofing inspections, repairs and maintenance. Simply call one of our Customer Service Representatives today at 1-877-726-2661 or email info@RAMCONRoofing.com.

Keep An Eye On Your Roof

From careless HVAC technicians to tricky warranties, roof problems can spring from a myriad of sources and there’s no single solution that guarantees the roof will survive these trouble spots. However, keeping a careful eye on the roof and not letting small problems fester into big ones are important steps toward long roof life.

Scheduled roof inspections and maintenance are the best ways to avoid the most common roofing problems that facilities executives face, say roofing experts. Roofs should be inspected at least twice a year, in the spring and fall. They should be looked over again after contractors work on the roof or after a hurricane, hail storm, lightning strike, or ice storm.

“Routine maintenance is a good investment,” says Luther Mock, president of the Roof Consultants Institute (RCI), an association of professional roof consultants, architects, and engineers who specialize in roof systems. “It can prolong the life of the roof.”

Scheduling an inspection or maintenance for your roof is as easy as picking up the phone. Simply call RAMCON at (877) 726-2661, speak with one of our customer service representatives. They will gladly schedule your inspection and answer any questions that you may have.

Case Study:They Thought They Knew What They Were Doing

Our “Case Study” reports are designed to illustrate various ways we have helped clients so that you can see the many ways to maximize your resources at RAMCON. All names have been changed to protect confidentiality.

The Case of “Too Good”
A few months back we did an evaluation of a shopping center roof. The roof was approximately 18 years old, while the mall was nearly 40. The large, original, multi-zone HVAC units were rusting through and leaking from general old age. In fact, they were so old that replacement parts were no longer available. The units were being replaced with smaller paired units. The on-site operations manager was specifying a very extensive (and expensive) flashing detail to be used at the new units and to patch the hole where the old unit was removed. The detail being used was terrific and had worked very well….or had it?

The detail being used was a great choice for a roof that was less than five years old. But the roof being tied into was 18 years old, aging and beginning to fail. The “repair” might well last 20 years, but the roof it was attached to sure wouldn’t! The owner was wasting money. After dozens of leaks that the other contractors could not solve due to the flashing tie-in, the manager called RAMCON to take a look. We re-flashed the units with a less expensive flashing detail that cut their cost per changeover in half, while stopping all leaks.  The owner spent just $3,400 trying to fix these leaks and more than $7,000 in the original flashing of the units for a total of $11,400. We corrected the problem for just $3,100 with no more leaks; which is less than 1/3 of the cost he actually spent on something that did not work. There have been no leaks throughout the entire summer.

An Important Point
The point we would like to make is that this “mistake” was not being made by “amateurs”. The owner of this strip center has extensive experience with roofs and roofing. The company who installed the units is quite experienced. They thought they knew what they were doing. Unfortunately, they didn’t.  They knew how to install a “good detail”. They didn’t know how to install one with “good value” that works in this particular scenario.

Conclusion
It is unusual that an owner would “over specify” a repair.  Generally the opposite occurs. But it doesn’t make any difference to us what is going on; if money is being wasted like it was here, we’ll help you find it.

Inheriting A Neglected Roof

If you are a building owner or manager who takes the reins of a facility that’s been neglected, there are 3 important steps to undertake. In trying to transition from a reactive to a proactive system of roof maintenance—where there has been no budget for maintenance and there are too many problems to resolve using corrective action—it is even more important to set priorities and follow a plan to move forward.

Active leaks should be the first priority, since those will likely cause additional damage to a roof system and related areas. Because these priority repairs impact roof conditions and performance, these actions will help protect the current roof from further deterioration and eliminate the majority of active leaks.

Next up is removal of problematic or failing roof areas. You should spend capital dollars where the funds will have the greatest impact, not solely based on the age of a component or other single factor. Removal of failing areas will prevent further spending on repairs that offer a low, or even negative, return on investment.

The final step is to replace aged roof assets, thus reducing or eliminating the reactive and costly spending that often takes place late in the roof life cycle. Timely and systematic replacement of older and weathered assets helps to preserve future capital budgets.

Regardless of what stage of roof maintenance planning you are in, it will always be true that proactive management is a smarter and more cost-effective measure to take than reactive spending. The sooner you can transition from reactive to proactive spending for the roofing system, the better off your facility will be.

Single-Ply Roofing (TPO & PVC) Maintenance: It's Common Sense

The use of highly reflective single-ply roofing membranes (TPO & PVC in particular) has been growing in popularity for commercial and institutional applications in Florida. This growth arises from an increased focus in facilities on energy efficiency, sustainability, ease of installation, and cost.

The vast majority of these roofing systems are performing well, but based on an in depth evaluation of more than 520 million square feet of buildings in the last 10 years, many building owners have spent millions of dollars replacing single-ply roofs that, unfortunately, have failed prematurely.

The first question that normally comes up after inspecting a roof that has failed prematurely is, “What caused this roof to fail?” In general, five common factors result in a roof failing prematurely: improper design, improper construction, defective materials, abuse, and lack of maintenance

In most cases, combinations of these factors contribute to roof failure. But the overwhelming driver behind premature roof failure is simply the lack of maintenance. Therefore, as a service to our customers, we want to help you understand the drivers behind the lack of roof maintenance, and what activities you can implement that will maximize the performance of your single-ply roofing system.

The Road Block
Let’s face it, by now you know a maintenance program for a single-ply roof can be a cost-effective, efficient strategy to extend roof life. So why on earth are there owners and managers who fail to implement such a program? Generally, there are three reasons:

Out of sight, out of mind. This old adage often applies to roof maintenance. You and your team are busy and have many responsibilities. If the roof is not leaking or is not harming the facility or its occupants, it is one less item to worry about.

Warranties. The growing practice of using a roof warranty’s length to differentiate single-ply roof membranes has driven the standard 10 year warranty period of a decade ago to a 15 to 20 year warranty period today. Perhaps you believe the warranty will take care of any problems related to a new roof during the length of the warranty period This is a costly mistake.

You see, while the warranty might cover material and labor, depending on the warranty type, it specifically requires you to conduct and document roof maintenance. Failure to complete the maintenance, and the manufacturer can void the warranty.

Funding. Repairing and maintaining a roof is inexpensive compared to the cost of premature roof failure. Not convinced? Give us a call and we will show you the math on your specific roofing system. Premature failure can lead to additional financial and health risks associated with facility downtime, damaged materials and components, structural damage, and claims related to mold and mildew. When budgeting, its important to consider using a life-cycle cost model to evaluate the benefits of roof maintenance. The model should weigh projected maintenance costs against the anticipated increase in roof service life and the financial risks associated with premature failure. You’ll find it pays off.

Maximizing Performance
The truth is, the best time to develop a maintenance program for a single-ply roof is during the design phase of a project or during initial talks of a roof replacement/recovery. The type of roof system that is designed and installed will affect the amount and type of future maintenance. You need to know this.

What If You Already Have A Roof Installed?
The simple fact is, no matter when a roof maintenance program is implemented, the sooner it can begin, the greater the savings will be. At RAMCON, we recommend a 3 step approach to get started.

Call us to conduct a comprehensive roof evaluation. This survey provides a solid foundation for the roof-maintenance program. The information we provide will allow you to plan, prioritize, and make informed decisions regarding maintenance, repair and possible replacement of roof assets.

The next step is a detailed plan to get the roof into a condition where it can be proactively maintained. Are there leaks that currently exist? Let's get them fixed. Are there pending problems that you have no idea are even developing? We'll find out. The goal here is to get the system to a point where we significantly reduce or eliminate the 'x factors' in the roof performance.

Finally, execute the plan developed and implement a proactive maintenance program. Roofs do not remain in a static condition. If we do not repair deficiencies as they develop in a timely manner, a minor expense can easily and quickly result in increased repair costs and even a premature roof failure.

A RAMCON well conceived and executed roof maintenance plans is one of the most cost effective and sustainable strategies. managers can implement to maximize the service life of fa single-ply roof while demonstrating efficient use of limited company funds.

Conclusion 
Now you are left with two choices. You can continue down the path where you respond to roof issues as they develop into leaks, or you can take proactive steps and break the cycle that never ends (leak, fix, leak, fix). It's proven to be much more cost effective both in maintenance dollars and lifetime performance. Break the cycle and give us a call. We'll help you in every step of the way.

Four Common BUR Asphalt Roof Leak Sources

The way an asphalt roof wears — the bumps and wrinkles it bears — can show a lot about why it is failing. Each type of failure — blisters, splits, and punctures — typically results from a specific cause. Poor design, for example, can lead to splits and debris can cause punctures. Understanding the causes of the most common types of roofing problems can help facility executives prevent the errors that too often shorten the life of the roof.

1. Blisters. Bubble-like or long, thin raised areas on the roof are called blisters.They occur when a gas, usually water vapor, is trapped within the roofing system either between the plies or between the plies and the insulation. The heat of the sun during the day causes the gas to expand. The expansion of the gas creates a pressure within the system that pushes the plies apart, resulting in the blister.

Blisters would not occur if there were not some reason for moisture in the membrane. Two common causes are applying the roof to a damp substrate, as during a re-cover, and applying wet materials, such as felts, that have absorbed dew or rain on the edges. The moisture that causes blisters can often be traced back to another problem: improper storage of insulation which allows water to soak through holes in shrink wrap or at the bottom of the stack where shrink wrap doesn’t cover. Moisture can also get into a roof installed in the presence of rain or dew.

2. Splitting. The most common splits occur when a metal accessory is flashed with a membrane material. As the temperature changes, metals and membranes expand and contract at very different rates. Because the membrane generally cannot move as much as the metal, it will eventually fatigue and crack when it is adhered to metal. This problem is not as common with single-ply membranes being there is better expansion and contraction capabilities, but it is common in asphalt systems. Splits are not limited to flashings, however. As most roofs age, they become more brittle and less resilient. This means that they become less resistant to movement from common sources such as temperature changes, foot traffic, and substrate movement. Because the roof cannot flex or stretch as well as it did when new, it cracks.

3. Punctures. The most preventable failure symptom, punctures, usually occur because of carelessness on the part of people visiting the roof: HVAC technicians, window washers, painters, maintenance staff, smokers, and tenants. Punctures can also occur because of debris left, blown, or tossed on the roof. They may appear as tears or holes and allow direct water intrusion. Since Tropical Storm Debby, RAMCON has repaired more than 637 punctures to roofs, 99% of which were preventable.

Chances are, if you have a Built-Up, Asphalt or Modified Bitumen roofing system, you have experienced some (if not all) of these issues. Give us a call and we’ll perform a detailed, thorough review of your roofing system at no expense and make sure your roof is ready to battle Mother Nature.

My RAMCON Client Portal

Since releasing the new RAMCON Client Portal just a few weeks ago, we’ve received an incredible amount of feedback, reviews, and general thankfulness. Now you can simply log in and see the entire history of your roofing portfolio in live time, from any computer, tablet, or smartphone 24/7.

So how can you make your client portal come alive? Simple, give us a call at (813) 663-9667. We’ll make it happen immediately. To log in, visit our website at www.ramconroofing.com or scan the QR code above. Once on the website click on the “Click Login” icon in the top right of the screen. Simply type in your ‘username’ and ‘password’ and you’ll have immediate  access where ever you are. If you would like additional users to be able to view the information, we can handle that too.

Your client portal can be a powerful tool in your arsenal. You can use it as much, or as little, as you would like. It puts you in control and provides that ‘real time’ information that’s becoming more important in today’s non-stop commercial real estate market. The future starts here...

Tenant Improvement Letter Sample For Your Use

RE: Tenant Improvements

Dear Tenant,

Maintaining our roofing system and ensuring the protection of our warranty is very important to our company. To assist in this matter, we require that all roof penetrations, flashing and work on the roofing system to be completed by RAMCON Roofing.

Utilizing RAMCON Roofing will protect both our roofing system, as well as benefit your improvements in several ways:.

• RAMCON will provide you with a 5% discount on all work performed.
• RAMCON will warranty all work performed on the roofing system.
• RAMCON guarantees to turn around pricing and design within 48 hours.
• RAMCON will provide complimentary onsite inspections and consultation at your request.
• RAMCON will inform in writing to the manufacturer all penetrations and modifications to fulfill our warranty obligations.
• RAMCON will coordinate manufacturer inspections and approvals, if required.

Please contact RAMCON Roofing directly and mention Tenant Improvement Program to price or schedule any work on our roofing system. RAMCON’s direct contact information is as follows:

RAMCON Roofing

5902 Breckenridge Parkway

Tampa, FL 33610

(813) 663-9667 ph

(813) 663-9665 fx

info@ramconroofing.com

Thank you in advance for your assistance and cooperation in this matter.

RAMCON Helps Prepare Tampa Bay For The 2012 GOP Convention

Dozens of times over the past twelve months, the RAMCON team has been called upon to help prepare the Tampa Bay area’s most identifiable centers and resorts in preparation to accommodate and host the more
than 50,000 people expected to be in attendance at the 2012 GOP National Convention. From inspections and basic maintenance that ensure the facility is leak free to entire re roofs on multi-story facilities, all the way to specialty tasks; such as, installing decks onto roof surfaces to allow press to get the perfect view. RAMCON has been trusted by Florida’s top building owners and managers to produce results. Here is just a snap shot of a few of the projects RAMCON has been working hard to get just right.

Tropicana Field
Not only home to the Tampa Bay Rays, this 40,000+ seat facility also hosted the RNC welcome party with thousands in attendance. Over the past year, RAMCON has installed new roofing systems over the entire upper levels; which was challenging not only due to its significant height and security restrictions, but also because all of the roofs are at a steep slope. Working with low slope roofing materials in this type of environment requires perfect installation (the project received a perfect 10 inspection report!)

In addition to the new roof on the upper levels, RAMCON has also dedicated service technicians to this facility on practically a daily basis. The facility was in need of help when we arrived, with over 150+ leaks being recorded. These leaks on the lower aging roofing systems have been completely brought under control.

Media Staging Area
RAMCON also fabricated and installed a custom deck assembly over top of an existing Thermoplastic Polyolefin singleply roofing system. Why? To get the best camera shot of course! With more than 13,000 members of the media in attendance, the RNC is one of the single largest Media events in the world; in being so, media producers are working hard to get the perfect view. This was certainly challenging, as the assembly had to be temporary and leave no lasting impact on the roof assembly while meeting the manufacturer’s requirements for warranty coverage. Project Result: Success!

 Delegate Resorts
With more than 15,000 hotel rooms booked for each night of the convention, RAMCON has been busy working with the area’s top resorts to ensure Mother Nature does not interrupt their stay. We have installed roofs and performed intensive maintenance on more than two dozen resorts to bring them back to excellent
condition. From complete reroofs on resorts on the water, which are exposed and subject to extreme winds from tropical systems, to complicated reroofs of bungalow suites at the Grand Hyatt Tampa; all the way to intensive maintenance and staging, RAMCON technicians have been busy working 24/7 around the clock to respond to conditions if they arise. We have dedicated thousands of hours to ensuring these resorts are ready to perform.

Wrapping Up
RAMCON is proud to have played a part in preparing Tampa to be showcased to the nation. As Don Rangler, Director of Operations at one of the resorts in Downtown Tampa recently wrote to us, “your team not only exceeded my expectations on this roof, but you’ve earned my respect and projects moving forward”.

Preparation is Key

As of June 1st, hurricane season is officially here. Is your roof prepared?

Are all of your flashings properly sealed?
Are your drains and gutters free of debris? Do they quickly remove water from the roofing system?
Are there any voids, open seams or penetrations that will allow water under the membrane?
Is every piece of rooftop equipment properly secured to the roof?
Are the perimeters of your roof properly fastened for wind uplift?

They may seem like unimportant questions, but hurricane (or even tropical storm) force winds, can cause major damage if your roofing system is not properly prepared.

The Most Improperly Maintained Exterior Building Component

The number one, improperly maintained, exterior building component on a building is the gutter system. In particular, the most common problem with gutter systems is leaking splices. As can be clearly seen in photo #1, the gutter leak (which is at a splice between two adjacent sections of gutter) has stained the wall. You will notice toward the bottom that the paint is completely gone from the wall. Paint is not designed to be constantly wet and when that happens it fails more quickly. Failure to do a repair costing a few hundred dollars to the splices will create the need to repaint the walls prematurely for thousands of dollars (as well as still having to repair the gutter splices.) Gutter splices leak for two reasons. First, they are improperly sealed. Second reason is because the gutter moves excessively. Here, we’ll talk about the sealant issue.

Photo #2 shows a typical gutter splice where sealant was applied between the adjacent pieces as the gutter was installed. This just doesn’t hold up. It’s important to seal a splice over top of the entire splice, utilizing a sealant specifically designed to be used in a gutter where there is often prolonged periods of standing water and movement. So, as the gutter moves, the splice can flex with it.This is the right way to seal a gutter and is much cheaper to do in the long run.

The Roof Leak....It's Actually Coming From The Walls

Tropical Storm Debby brought to attention an issue that many property managers and owners appear to have forgotten…walls can leak! Let’s face it, many of us lack of sufficient understanding about how improper paint maintenance can cost a lot of money and even create leaks in your building. So the team at RAMCON decided to do some research and demonstrate through real work examples that sometimes a leak, although appear to be coming from the roof, may actually be coming through the wall!

The front of this shopping center (below) had continual leaks at the front wall. It was assumed that the roofs on either side of the wall were causing the leaks. (There is a second roof, out of view, at the top of the wall on the backside.) A visual inspection of the wall showed only a few minor cracks here and there, but not enough to account for the leaks. Therefore, RAMCON technicians started to water test the walls and the flashing points where the roofs terminated on the walls. We quickly discovered the problem. The paint had been improperly applied and had not bonded to the concrete. Water was passing through the paint and then sliding down into the building. Once the wall was cleaned, sealed, primed properly and then painted the leaks stopped entirely.

So, improper painting can create a waterproofing problem. There are other ways that improper painting can create un-needed expenses. The staining on the side wall of this shopping center will necessitate the repainting of the wall.

Field painted, galvanized copings will rust and if the tops are not properly treated the rust will roll over and stain the side of the building. We have even seen painters repaint stained walls and still not paint the tops of the rusted copings. It is not standard practice for painters to paint the horizontal surfaces on copings (or the outside lips of gutters). You must specifically require it or it will not normally be done. Failure to do so is almost always a mistake.