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.

RAMCON's Commitment To Safety

When it comes to safety, RAMCON goes above and beyond basic cautionary guidelines. We pride ourselves in meeting the industry standards and OSHA regulations and strive to exceed their policies. Our commitment and guidelines to our own safety as well as that of our clients and the general public, coupled with proper training and safety precautions is why RAMCON continues to set the bar for others in the commercial industry.

RAMCON provides employees with comprehensive safety training in both English and Spanish form. Our training covers, but is not limited to, these critical topics:

• Safety Policies and Procedures
• Fall Protection
• First Aid
• Product Specific Roof Training
• Hazardous Communication
• Lock Out Tag Out
• Ladder Safety

Prior to any project start date, our safety professional performs a job inspection and creates a site specific safety plan to be adhered to for the full length of the project. RAMCON uses the most effective and advanced equipment for all commercial roofing projects. Our safety manager continually and closely monitors all projects in process to ensure that all safety plans are being followed. When it comes to your commercial roofing needs, you can have the confidence that RAMCON has the employee, customer and general public’s safety at the top of there mind.

Written By,
Ricky Davis- Safety Manager

Looking at Solar PV Roofing

Generating part or all of a facility’s electricity with photovoltaic (PV) systems is growing in popularity all over Florida. Whether the systems are used to lower peak demand costs, power an individual facility or enhance the green aspects of a project, even the smallest systems can help lower electric bills and clean up the environment.

Of course, up front cost remains an issue. Many states, such as Florida, offer a range of incentive programs, many of which could take a PV system from the red to the black in just a few years. And as utility rates increase, payback periods shrink.

A Nod To The Newest PV System
For those of you whose idea of a PV system dates back to the ‘70s- glossy blue tinted panels fastened to metal racks bolted to a roof- take note: new products are available that integrate PVs into the building, making them not only less obvious but also less risky.

There are many concerns about what type of PV system is best. Obviously, cost is a major issue, despite generous state and utility rebates. The system also needs to fit the design and maintenance needs of the facility. Many owners are not interested in poking holes in a perfectly good roof. This is the reason many organizations are now looking at thin-film flexible membranes.

Thin-film photovoltaics do not have a rigid frame or solar cells. Instead, the material that generates electricity is layered onto a rubber like substance. It’s as flexible as a roll of roofing material and we install it onto the roof much the same. It attaches directly to the roof surface with adhesives so there are no roof penetrations. In fact, the system really can’t be seen unless you are actually on the roof. Even better, they are more efficient under diffuse light than typical, rigid polycrystalline modules, something worth considering. These flex panels are tough stuff. To test their durability, the team at RAMCON has walked on them, stomped on them and even whacked them with a hammer. They continued to produce electricity as specified.

RAMCON is among the very few contractors in the industry with experience in photovoltaic systems, having installed more than 37 kilowatts. For more information or to determine the costs and estimated pay back periods for a system on your facility, give us a call at (877) 726-2661.

Cool Roofs: Reflectivity Matters

When you start planning energy efficiency projects, usually the first things on your agenda are HVAC systems and lighting, right? The roof doesn’t usually make the top of the priority list. In reality, the roof most assuredly affects the money spent to heat and cool a building. The key to energy efficiency in a roof is heat transfer.

Roofs bake in the sun all day, absorbing heat from the infrared and near infrared components of solar radiation. Some of this heat is given off but some is transferred into the building. Conversely, the roof cools in the night and transfers heat from the interior of the building to the outside air. This heat loss or heat gain directly affects energy use. Logically speaking, the less heat transfer, the less the HVAC system needs to run. Thus the more energy efficient roof is the one that contributes the least to heat transfer.

To understand energy efficiency in roofing, one needs to understand some terminology- reflectivity, emissivity and thermal conductance. Reflectivity is the ability of a surface to cause radiation to bounce off rather than absorb. Emissivity is its ability to release what has already been absorbed. Thermal conductance is the materials’ ability to transfer heat through itself to another material. Each of these three concepts will influence the heat transfer of a roof and impact the energy costs of a building.

Reflectivity
Dark materials absorb more heat than light materials and shiny surfaces reflect more than dull surfaces. This is a function of the reflectivity of the surface. A black or dark colored roofing system will absorb more heat than a light colored one. The ability of a light colored surface to reflect the infrared and near infrared spectrum keeps the heat from being absorbed in the first place, keeping the roof membrane and the materials below it cool hence the term ‘cool roofing.’

Any type of roof system can be cool. Although the TPO and PVC single plies are best known for their reflectivity, most other roofing system manufacturers have developed reflective versions of their traditional roofing systems. EPDM manufacturers have developed pure white EPDM systems. Built-up system manufacturers have developed pure white systems including white adhesives and aggregates to provide reflective surfaces. Modified bitumen roofing manufacturers have developed new cap sheets that are blindingly white next to the traditional light gray granuale surfaces. Almost any roof, new or existing, can be made into a reflective roof by applying coatings to obtain the solar reflectance values needed to comply with California Title 24, Energy Star ratings or LEED certification.

If the roof is low slope, there are other considerations to assure the reflective roof continues to provide the same benefits as when it was installed. Dirt will accumulate on the roof surface and reduce the reflectivity. For a detailed RAMCON case study on the financial difference of keeping a reflective roof clean, please visit http://ramconroofing.com/the-case-for-cleaning-your-low-sloped-roofingsystem.htm.

On a side note: A roof does not have to be white to be reflective. Research into heat-reflective clothing for military use has resulted in colored pigments that reflect infrared and near infrared radiation. This has been adapted by the roofing industry to provide colored alternatives for reflective roofs. Some TPO single ply membranes have also included this technology in their formulations, allowing bright colored materials as well as light ones.