Maximizing Your Roofing Investment

Today, even seemingly simple choices can be complicated. So when you’re faced with a decision that requires a major expense or  even capital investment, how  can you be sure you have the  information you need to make the right decision? This is especially true with roofing, because a bad decision can result in:
•    premature roof replacement
•    unbudgeted repair expense
•    aggravated or injured occupants
•    and even lawsuits!

Not surprisingly, roofing represents less than 4% of a typical building’s cost, but the majority of construction litigation! With these kinds of risks, making the right roofing choices is critical. But how do you  go about it? GAF’s four-step process can help you make the right decisions about your roofing project, and can  dramatically increase the chances  of its long-term financial success.

Step #1: Understand
Roofing system selection cannot be made without a thorough understanding of the property and its use. Key factors to consider include:
• Investment Objectives
• Property Use
• Property Location
• Building Construction

Regrettably, too many roofing decisions are made without a thorough understanding of these and other relevant factors, or their impact, resulting in sub-optimal performance of the roofing system. Remember, as you progress in your decision process, RAMCON can assist you with design to help assure that key issues like local code compliance and performance considerations are properly addressed.

Step #2: Select
Every property is unique and has its own set of roofing needs.  Customizing a roofing system that best matches those needs is one of the keys to a financially successful roofing project.

At RAMCON we install every type of roofing system for just about every manufacturer in the industry. This allows us to select the right solution for your specific application, with no limitations.

RAMCON’s project teams are recognized by leading owners, contractors and consultants for their expertise, efficiency, and professionalism.

Step #3: Install and Inspect
The complexity of a roofing system has increased and new roofing technologies have made proper installation and inspection even more critical for reliable, long-term performance.

RAMCON is selected by more owners, managers and contractors in Florida for one simple reason…the RAMCON team is very good at what they do. The statistics don’t lie; RAMCON has the highest quality scores, the best safety record (.63 EMR), record installation speeds and offers the longest and most comprehensive warranties available.

In addition, RAMCON has manufacturer inspectors on every project we do. We’ll bring the manufacturer’s field services representative, to monitor every project, providing outside and unbiased feedback on our performance. Our policy is to not leave a project until it scores a 100% on the quality survey.

Step #4: Maintain
The single best way to extend the life of your roof is to perform regular inspections and maintenance.

Every reputable roofing manufacturer requires regular inspection and maintenance to maintain guarantee coverage. Regular inspections can also prevent costly problems from causes that are not covered by manufacturers’ guarantees, like damage from vandalism, damage done by other contractors on the roof, or structural deterioration.

The best one to maintain your roof is a MyRAMCON Roof Star plan. This program utilizes specialized crews, who have the knowledge, experience, and training to  spot and correct potential problems before they  happen. Savvy property owners realize that a comprehensive maintenance program will save them many times over during the life of their roofing system.

In fact, some manufacturers are so committed to proper maintenance that we’ll extend the length of your warranty duration by a full 25% for at no cost if you perform regular inspection and maintenance through RAMCON. It’s a win-win scenario for all parties involved.

Commercial Roof Maintenance: Take A Proactive Approach

If you are a building owner or facility manager, roofing costs have always been among your major concerns. In its January report, Reed Construction Data indicated that a faster-than-projected economic recovery will accelerate commercial construction activity and push material prices even higher than general inflation. Combined with today’s soaring energy costs, it’s clear that managing commercial roofing costs is critical, especially for owners and facility managers with multiple buildings. Education and strategic budget planning are the best defense to managing a building.

Where to Begin?
Proactive versus reactive maintenance is a good place to start. Owners and facility managers who react to problems as they occur, pay an average of 25¢ per square foot annually for maintenance. Owners and facility managers who inspect and repair routinely (proactively) – before problems happen – spend an average of only 14¢ per square foot annually. Plus, proactively maintained roofs last an average of 21 years compared to an average lifespan of 13 years for reactive maintenance. The longer you can extend your roof’s life before replacement, the more your overall savings increase and your life cycle costs decrease.

Repair or Replacement
A roof undergoes serious wear and tear throughout its lifetime, with factors such as weathering and degeneration taking their toll. Through scientific testing and analysis, RAMCON can outline the current condition of your roof and to help you decide if roof repair or restoration is an option or whether roof replacement is necessary. At RAMCON, we install every type of roofing system for just about every manufacturer. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. We believe your building and specific circumstances should dictate the roofing system, ensuring compliance with building codes, energy solutions and specific roof conditions (there are 9 major roofing systems and more than 60 subsets—so we help you make the best decision for your specific system and building type). Choosing a roofing provider that offers repair and restoration options, not just replacements, improves the likelihood of an accurate analysis and a successful plan for your roof and your budget.

Technology is an Important Tool
The construction industry has been notoriously slow to adopt information technology, even though research has shown that contractors who use technology have:

• Lower costs
• Higher productivity
• Better organized schedules

RAMCON has made a considerable investment in technology that helps you take the guesswork out of your roof repair and maintenance decisions. Our MyRAMCON software can help you manage roof assets easier, and through a variety of tracking and reporting options, including inventory management, in-depth reporting, invoice tracking and data tracking, you can more accurately determine your roof’s lifespan and avoid unexpected costs associated with emergency repairs.

We also use technology internally which ensures to provide cost-efficient procedures and operations. GPS tracking enables our management team to supervise technicians from anywhere, which has been shown to increase technician productivity by 23%. In turn, this reduces costs to you. Lastly, electronic invoice auditing combined with the GPS tracking and proper accounting software can ensure that you are billed accurately and fairly.

Experience Matters
Surprisingly, weather is not the most common threat to a roof’s durability. Approximately 40% of all roof problems occur because of human error due to workers going on your roof for window washing, HVAC repair, etc., faulty maintenance or poor installation in the first place. Therefore, proper training, experience and consistent performance are all essential when choosing a roofing provider.

Experience refers to both the roof technicians and the company because there are literally thousands of substandard, unqualified contractors out there who might not be in business long. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in just the last three-year period, 45% of all roofing contractors were newly formed while 41% of existing contractors had gone out of business. To truly measure stability and longevity, it is best to work with a provider that has been in business for at least 10 years.

You need to really know who is on your roof. Ask potential roofing providers about their self-performance policy. Contractors who self-perform vs. sub-contract can offer more peace of mind because you know the roofing technicians have been properly trained in safety and trained in uniform standards. Even though contractors claim they perform background checks and e-Verification, if they are sub-contracting the work, those technicians may not have gone through the same type of screening.

Assessing and Repairing Roof Leaks and Damage

In a time of economic uncertainty, replacing a roof is not always a viable option, regardless of the number of leaks, because often the money is just not there. Still, water intrusion must be stopped and the interior of the building must be protected. Repairing the roof becomes an attractive alternative to re-covering or replacing the existing system. But there are some things to think about before trying to repair the roof.

One approach that is often taken is to call RAMCON to come and fix the leaks. This is certainly effective. However, sometimes the problem is that repairs are just not enough or may be the wrong approach entirely.

The first step should be to find out what you’ve got. If you have a warranty, the warranty will tell you who the manufacturer is and what kind of roof system is installed. If you don’t have a warranty or you can’t find it and you do not already know what kind of roof you have, RAMCON will show you. We’ll determine the roof assembly, approximate age and condition of the roof.

If the roof can be repaired, we’ll provide exact costs to fix the existing problem and get you taken care of. Like always, we warranty all the work we perform for one year. However, there are times that additional repairs are not justified, and often may cause more harm than good. If this is the case, we work with you to provide the accurate costs for recovery or replacement.

It is essential to ensure that leaks are really coming from the roof. Not all leaks come from the roof membrane. They can be a result of problems with parapet walls, windows, rooftop mechanical units, plumbing or other sources that disguise themselves as roof leaks. On
ce these have all been eliminated as the source of leaks, the rest of the roof is subject to leak investigation. In general, most leaks occur at penetration and base flashing's rather than the field of the roof. Look for cracks, scrapes, blisters, punctures or cuts in the membrane. Check seams to be sure they are adhered and watertight. Check for erosion of the membrane, especially around drains and downspouts. Once the probable leak locations are identified, a certified RAMCON technician can make a permanent repair to protect the system.

Walking the Repair and Replace Line

Because of the recession, there may be many roofs out there straddling the repair/replace line. So what are some sure-fire signs that will help facility managers tell if a replacement is necessary? Let’s take a look.

Although all roof membranes have different physical properties and failure modes there are certain deficiencies that are common to all roof membranes. Here are some common failure modes for all membranes to look out for:

1. Brittleness: All roof membranes become brittle at the end of their service life. This phenomenon is more rapid in some membranes. Once the material becomes brittle it losses the elasticity required to provide weatherproofing service. The material can be tested (tensile/elongation tests) to determine remaining service life or failure can be illustrated through grazing/cracks and splits in the membrane surface. Visual observation of material scrim or reinforcement is also an indication o

2. Wet Insulation: All roof insulations lose structural and thermal integrity once they are wet. All wet insulation should be removed from the system to avoid costly structural deck damage (particularly on metal decks). Typically, if more than 25% of a roof system has wet insulation, a full roof replacement is recommended. Wet insulation can be determined by any method of moisture testing. If non-destructive moisture testing is conducted, core samples should be conducted to verify that the material is wet. Some adhered membranes will illustrate wet insulation through excessive blistering and membrane ridging.

3. Flashings/Penetrations: Flashings and penetrations are the most vulnerable point of a roof system and nearly two-thirds of all roof leaks occur at these points. Openings, splits and sagging of flashings materials are common causes of roof leaks. Excessive openings or displacement of these materials can lead to free flow of moisture infiltration into the system and the building.

If you are experiencing any of these problems, they certainly will not get better on its own. Reach out with RAMCON and we’ll perform a free, comprehensive evaluation to determine how your roof is performing. We’ll provide you a complete report and documentation to assist you in making the best decisions possible.

f material failure.

2013 Storm Names

The following names will be used for named storms that form in the North Atlantic in 2013. Retired names, if any, will be announced by the World Meteorological Organization in the spring of 2014. The names not retired from this list will be used again in the 2019 season. This is the same list used in the 2007 season.

Andrea
Barry
Chantal
Dorian
Erin
Fernand
Gabrielle
Humberto
Ingrid
Jerry
Karen
Lorenzo
Melissa
Nestor
Olga
Pablo
Rebekah
Sebastien
Tanya
Van
Wendy

The name Sandy has been retired from the Tropical Storm List due to the 72 deaths and the $50 billion plus in damages created in 2012. Sandy was retired in the spring of 2013 and will be replaced with the name Sara. Normally, the name stays in rotation and can be reused every six years. Sandy is the 77th name to be retired from the list.