7 Tools To Help You Better Manage Your Roofing System In 2013

Preventative Maintenance – Star Program
We live in a world looking for short-term, quick fix solutions. We often compromise the end-goal by taking the road of least resistance. When it comes to our roofs, we frequently have the misconception that if our roofs are not leaking, we don’t need to bother with them. This out-of sight, out-of-mind perspective is one of the root causes for premature roofing failures and increased roofing budgets. The simple fact is that buildings do not get better with age. We’ve all learned that in order to get the maximum service life and utilization out of our hard assets, we need to perform regular and routine maintenance on them. We have learned these lessons in our personal lives with our homes, cars, appliances, lawn mowers, etc. These items last longer and perform better with routine maintenance and care. We have also learned the economic benefits of spending money to make money. Think of the comparison between the $19.95 oil changes in your car versus the $1,995.000 upper engine block replacement because we neglected routine oil changes. The fact is that it is always cheaper to repair and maintain almost anything in a building than it is to replace it. Get started on a cost effective preventative maintenance plan by visiting MyRAMCON.com and see the details.

Tenant Improvement Program
Whenever buildings are leased, owners and managers must deal with a whole range of issues. Tenant improvements can be one of the most difficult. It’s surprising how many roof leaks occur as a result of tenant improvements. This is because roof penetrations that are installed during tenant improvements are often done improperly. Quite often, problems don’t develop until much later. Sometimes the tenant has moved out before the problem is discovered...trust us, RAMCON fully understands this situation. To help avoid headaches, we’ve developed a program that can help. We call this simply our Tenant Improvement Program. There are several advantages in establishing this type of program. The most obvious is that you are assured that the roof will be sealed properly. When RAMCON is involved, “the buck stops here”. You don’t have to worry about going back to the tenant to recover the cost of repairing the problem later; it’s done right the first time. For more information, places to direct your tenants or letter templates to send to your clients informing them of the requirement of using your roofer for any roof work, visit ramconroofing.com/tenant-improvement-program.htm

Set Up Your Client Portal
Take control of your roofing investment and streamline your roof management. With your free portal, you can see every invoice, photograph, work order and much more from any computer, tablet or smartphone. Report leaks directly into the RAMCON system and track them until completion with live time updates. When storms wreak havoc, all the information you need is right at your fingertips and RAMCON can respond immediately. Visit MyRAMCON.com to set up your portal or contact us anytime.

Protect Roof Around Your Mechanical Units
1,293. That’s the number of punctures or damage areas to your roofing systems we repaired in 2012 as a direct result of damage from HVAC work at, and/or near, the access panel of the HVAC unit. Install walkway pads around the service side of the HVAC units and we can help you eliminate 95% of these problems! Also, RAMCON can provide free stickers to apply to your mechanical units that warn your venders that they will be back charged for damage resulting from their actions (a little reminder never hurt anyone!) To learn more about surface protection and to get the free stickers, visit ramconroofing/membrane-protection.htm.

Use Your Manufacturer’s Warranty
You paid good money for your Warranty from the manufacturer…be sure to use it and protect it. When you have a roof leak and your roof is under warranty, there is a good chance that the manufacturer is liable and not you! Therefore, contact the manufacturer after you call RAMCON and tell them you have a roof leak and they’ll send us the required paperwork so they can eat the cost…not you. To assist, we have a dedicated page that shows you the ‘ins and outs’ of contacting practically ever manufacturer in existence. Visit ramconroofing.com/reportleaktomanufacturer.htm.

Accurate Budgeting Projections
‘Educated Guess’ and ‘Shot in the Dark’ are probably familiar terms to describe many owners and managers gut feeling when finally arriving at the bottom line figure for your roofing budget. It’s perfectly understandable, given the fact the roof is constantly evolving and roof budgeting is not an exact science. Good news is, we can help. We have dedicated teams who do nothing but comprehensive evaluations (free for our clients!) that will help you arrive at ‘exact’ numbers using historical documentation and live time condition updates. We’ll get you closer than you’ve ever been and show you ways to minimize the costs. Some pay thousands for a ‘educated guess’. We’ll get you even closer for free.

Take Advantage Of Our Thermal Imaging Capabilities
$1,716.00. $2,100.00. $2,450.00. Those are three prices we received in June 2012 to do a thermal infrared survey to identify moisture points in a roofing systems. Here’s the truth: we really didn’t need the service. We have our own Thermal IR Survey team with the latest infrared technology and we can help you out for absolutely free. From targeting nagging leaks, to identifying saturated insulation points and much more, RAMCON brings the complete package to your roof top. Just another added benefit of being a RAMCON client. Visit ramconroofing.com/thermal-roof-surveys.htm to learn more.

4 Factors of Long Term Roof Performance

Maintaining institutional and commercial facilities is crucial for today’s building owners and managers. One of the most important steps in achieving this goal, yet the most overlooked in many organizations, is the roofing system. Why do so many organizations overlook the roof system, which is by far the most problematic building component? In general, roofs present a host of major challenges, from specification and installation to maintenance and replacement.

The Right System
Choosing the right roofing system for your facility is likely the most important decision you will make. Unfortunately, there is not a ‘best roof’ out there. Each type of system has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. We’ve installed practically every type of roofing system available and can help you to choose the right system for your project.

Top Installation
The installation crews installing your roof is a crucial factor, and in some cases, the greatest influence on roof performance. If the contractor does not install the roof properly, the roof will not perform up to expectations, no matter the quality of the roof design or materials. Your primary consideration when choosing a contractor is ensuring it can provide a highly experienced, skilled, and conscientious roofing crews and supervisors. At RAMCON, this is what we do best and are known for industry wide.

Materials Management
New and improved waterproofing products continually enter the market. Unfortunately, new and improved often means less expensive. The cost of the membrane, not its proven performance, too often is the overriding factor in choosing a roof system. But you must keep in mind 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. RAMCON has case studies to show you the proven track record of most major roofing systems.

Maintenance Matters
It’s vital that you implement a proactive inspection and maintenance program immediately after the roof is installed. Too many times, owners and managers believe that because a warranty covers the new roof, they can ignore maintenance as it’s be covered by the warranty…WRONG. Historically, over 65% of all roof leaks fall outside the coverage of the manufacturer’s warranty. The sad part is, most are completely avoidable. Practically every manufacturer mandates you perform and document routine maintenance as a condition of the warranty. With RAMCON, this is a piece of cake. We’ve got the best service teams available, ready for you 24/7.

Roof Maintenance In Severe Weather

This year alone, roofs have collapsed at a store in Georgia, a manufacturing plant in Ohio, a warehouse in Maryland, a firehouse in Ocala, an arena in Texas and a church in Tampa. And with severe weather an ongoing problem in Florida, it’s smart for you to think about ways to keep your buildings off that list.

Avoiding that fate isn’t difficult, but it does require taking some time to set up an ongoing roof maintenance program and post storm inspections.

Of course, before taking these steps, you want to know that the roof has been properly installed. David Hawn, a registered roof consultant advises, “You want a good installation and a good slope for draining.” For most buildings, that means a fall of at least a quarter inch per foot of roof area, sloping toward the drain. A RAMCON inspection can ensure you meet this criteria.

It also makes sense to become familiar with the ANSI/SPRI ES1 standard, which applies to the design, specification and installation of edge materials used with low-slope roofs. The standard focuses mainly on design for wind resistance, and any roofing or re-roofing project has to meet it. RAMCON maintains one of only a few ES-1 certified metal fabrication machines, which run off the latest Windows® software.

Inspection Checklist
Assuming the roof has been properly installed, it pays to complete a visual inspection at least once a year. Routine inspections can help catch small problems before they become disasters. It’s wise to make repairs before severe weather is ready to hit. If you only look at the roof the day of the storm, you don’t have time to react. Both low- and steep-slope roofs can be vulnerable to water damage if the drains and gutters aren’t kept clear. That’s particularly the case when the roof is surrounded by a parapet (a low wall) along its edge. If the water isn’t able to move freely into the roof drain, it will pond, get behind flashings and enter the facility.

Also part of preparing the roof for a severe storm is taking care of the rest of the structure. If the windows or doors break during the storm, air pressure inside the building can build and contribute to roof failure. So, when you board up windows before severe weather, you’re also helping to reduce the likelihood of roof failure. Studies have shown that the increased pressure inside, combined with uplift from outside, are a major cause of roof failure. Large warehouses are particularly susceptible to this, given the sizes of both the buildings themselves, and the openings, such as larger doors near loading docks.

A well-crafted inspection and maintenance plan is a crucial factor to your roofing system. RAMCON’s Star Program has 3 plan levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) tailored to your specific building to address these needs. It’s simple, cost effective and will save you thousands of dollars and yes…headaches.

Lessons in Roof Maintenance

With today’s busy schedules, it is easy to forget some of the most important aspects of facility management. The roof is one of the building’s most valuable assets. Not only does it protect the building, but it also safeguards all of the vulnerable occupants and sensitive materials within the structure.

Roof maintenance is often abandoned or never planned in the first place. Since the roof is not something people notice every day, it can sometimes be neglected—until a leak occurs. And if a perforation in the roof is the cause of the leak, the repairs may end up being costly for the organization and inconvenient for building occupants.

In order to protect both interior and exterior assets, it is imperative for facility managers to set up a maintenance program that will keep the roof clean and at maximum performance. Maintenance programs can be a crucial factor in extending the life of the roof.

The Roof’s Condition
Many managers are responsible for multiple buildings; they cannot always visit every location. Not knowing what condition the roof is in can lead to problems in the future. But a good maintenance program will provide facility professionals with a clear picture of the condition of their roofs.

With a maintenance program in place, the facility manager can have a detailed report of the roof on at least a yearly basis. In some RAMCON programs, you’ll receive up to four roof reports per year. The type of facility, age and needs of the building dictate how many times per year the roof needs inspection.

The first thing the maintenance report should provide is a detailed description of the roof. This report should not only include specifics on the roof and rooftop equipment, but it will also have a computer aided drawing (CAD) of the rooftop and photos that highlight any areas of concern. Additionally, this update should include repairs that need immediate attention to keep the building watertight and recommendations for future work to extend the life of the roof. While it is being inspected, the roof should also be cleared of any debris, and the gutters should be swept to keep them working properly and routine maintenance tasks completed.

Having the roof inspected at least once a year gives the facility professional peace of mind that the assets protected by the roof will remain safeguarded. Upon receipt of the analysis report, you will have a clear picture of the status of your roofing system.

Implementing a roof maintenance plan also has benefits beyond keeping the roof in working order. If the roof is under warranty, there is likely a requirement for maintenance stated within the documentation.

Failure to service the roof could result in this coverage being voided. Implementing a roof maintenance program will ensure the roof remains covered under the manufacturer’s guarantee.

Choosing A MyRAMCON Star Plan
Facility professionals confer with RAMCON to discuss what type of plan is needed for the roofs they maintain. Your RAMCON representative will work with you to develop a customized solution for your specific system that meets both your needs and budget. The process is painless and simple - and, in the end, provides significant savings to the building owner. RAMCON’s Star Plan programs are proven to extend the life of your roofing system, reduce lifetime maintenance costs and save the owners thousands.

Stretching Roof Life

One of the most difficult problems facing facility executives is getting the most out of their facility’s roofs. Why all the trouble with roofs? Part of it is due to the environment in which roofs must function. They are exposed to wind, rain, snow, hail, sunshine and birds and other animals. They must withstand temperature swings from well below freezing to over 180 degrees. They serve as a platform for building mechanical systems that can vibrate, inducing stress failures in roofing components, and they must survive foot traffic from maintenance personnel and building occupants.

With the strain that roofs are routinely exposed to, combined with the expense of roof replacement, it is logical to think that roofs would be a focus of attention for facility executives. In some facilities they are, and those executives have found that by following a comprehensive program for managing roof assets, they can lower life-cycle costs for roofs while reducing the frequency of leaks and emergency repairs.

But not all roofs are managed. Less than half of building owners ever file a claim against their roof’s warranty even though most roofs experience some problems during the warranty period. And many of those who do file a claim have it voided because they have not been doing the tasks necessary to maintain the warranty.

The difference between these two groups is how they view the roof. The group of facility executives that are successful in lowering roof costs view the roof as an asset to be managed. The others view the roof as a maintenance expense, focusing on replacing rather than managing.

Roof asset management is a process that begins with a thorough understanding of the installed roofing system. This is best derived from a comprehensive roof inspection. Evaluation of the inspection report along with data from subsequent inspections is used to develop a schedule and budget for major roof repairs and replacements.

The Benefits
One of the most significant benefits of managing roofs as an asset is that doing so will extend the life of the roof. While it will take money to perform the tasks required, asset management programs will result in roofs that typically last 25% to 50% longer. In some cases, they can even double the service life of a roof. The cost of setting up and operating the roof asset management program is typically recovered if the roof life is extended by only one year. Extended service lives beyond that first year will greatly reduce the life-cycle cost of the facility’s roof inventory.

Roof asset management also reduces roof maintenance costs. One of the reasons why maintenance costs for roofs are so high is that they often are performed on an emergency basis. When a leak or other problem with the roof occurs, it typically happens when the weather is less than ideal. Roof maintenance personnel are called in, sometimes on an emergency basis, and temporary repairs are made. Later, when conditions allow, they return and make the permanent repairs. Not only have there been two service calls, but damage to the roof, and possibly the building’s interior, has taken place.

A roof asset management program will not eliminate all emergency repairs, but it will reduce their frequency. And by identifying problems and taking action to correct them before they develop into leaks, the program will reduce damage to the roof and the building.

Another benefit of the program is better allocation of funds for roof repair and replacement. Many roofs are replaced before it is necessary to do so. Recurring leaks, surface deterioration, storm and wind damage combine to make facility executives think that it is necessary to replace a roof when routine maintenance and repair will extend the life of the roof. By implementing an asset management program, facility executives will have the information to determine if relatively minor repairs will correct the problem or if the roof is approaching the end of its life and requires replacement.

Realistic Budgets
Roof asset management programs allow managers to budget for roof replacement on a basis of need, not crisis. Replacement funds are usually used on the roof that is believed to be in the worst condition at the moment, but by establishing the condition of all roofs in all facilities, executives can set priorities based on real — not perceived — needs.

A major complaint from facility executives is that roof warranties are complicated and sometimes misleading. While it is true that it is difficult to process warranty claims with some installers, many denials of warranty claims are a result of the owner failing to conduct inspections and perform routine maintenance tasks required by the warranty.

Staying on Top
Treating roofs as assets will provide financial and performance returns for those willing to make the investment. But roof asset management is not a collect-and-forget system. It is a process. To be effective, keep up with the collecting, assessing and updating of data. The time and effort are well worth it.