What is the Urban Heat Island Effect?

An urban heat island (UHI) is a metropolitan area which is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas. The phenomenon was first investigated and described by Luke Howard in the 1810s. The temperature difference usually is larger at night than during the day, and is most apparent when winds are weak.

Seasonally, UHI is seen during both summer and winter. The main cause of the urban heat island is modification of the land surface by urban development which uses materials which effectively retain heat. Waste heat generated by energy usage is a secondary contributor. As population centers grow they tend to modify a greater and greater area of land and have a corresponding increase in average temperature.

Monthly rainfall is greater downwind of cities, partially due to the UHI. Increases in heat within urban centers increases the length of growing seasons, and decreases the occurrence of weak tornadoes. The UHI decreases air quality by increasing the production of pollutants such as ozone, and decreases water quality as warmer waters flow into area streams, which stresses their ecosystems.

Mitigation of the urban heat island effect can be accomplished through the use of green roofs and the use of lighter-colored surfaces in urban areas, which reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat.

 

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.

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.

It's Budget Time....Again!

Yes, it is that time of year again. It is time to begin the budget process. But, how do you arrive at the bottom line figure for your roofing budget? Do you make an "educated guess" or is it just a complete "shot in the dark"? Maybe you are a little more practical, and you know that a roof is undergoing constant wear and attack from the elements, so you add a standard 10% to 15% to last year’s budget?

However, none of these approaches takes the composition, condition, age or life expectancy of each roof into consideration. It is still imperative to have answers to the following questions:

1. Exactly what type and how many roofs are on each property.
2. Will the pace of needed repairs accelerate and how fast?
3. Are certain areas of the roof experiencing greater problems than others?
4. Is there trouble brewing up there, and can it be prevented?
5. How many years will the roof last?
6. How much should be budgeted for emergency repairs?
7. How much should be budgeted for preventative maintenance?
8. How much should be budgeted for roof replacement, if necessary?

As Florida’s leading full-service roofing contractor, RAMCON is happy to assist in this process. We will send an inspection crew to thoroughly inspect each roof in your portfolio, and put together a comprehensive analysis report, which will include the following information, and so much more:

1. Detailed captioned photographs visually showing the entire roofing system.

2. Report of conditions of the field and flashing areas of the roof.
3. Professional estimates in years of the roofs remaining serviceable life.
4. Exact figures for anticipated yearly maintenance, roof replacement options (if necessary), and preventative roof maintenance items.

Here at RAMCON, we can help you feel more secure in the preparation of your budget. Give us a call at (877) 726-2661 and we’ll work directly with you, providing inspections, recommendations and accurate budget numbers at no expense to you. It’s all in an effort to help our clients make the best roofing decisions possible and add to their bottom line.

 

Discussing Single-Ply Roofing Systems

The rise of single-ply roofing systems has given building owners and managers in institutional and commercial facilities an expanded range of options for replacing an existing roof. Even so, specification decisions remain challenging because managers must consider such issues as sustainability, durability, the new system's impact on the existing building, and, of course, cost.

But you might be wise to embrace the process of roof specification because they are likely to face such situations numerous times during their lifespan. In each case, their decisions will have long-term effects on the organization and its bottom line.

If you consider that your building is going to last 50 years, and an TPO roof has a service life of about 14-20 years, you're going to replace your roof any number of times over the life of the building. If you have a plan to inspect and repair and stay ahead of things, you can increase the service life of your roof to the extent that you're fiscally responsible and able to plan for the inevitable replacement.

On The Upside
Single-ply roofing systems come in a number of different types, including EPDM, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), and they offer a range of potential benefits.

For most, the benefits include that they're economical, relatively cost effective to install to provide you with the reflective savings sought in our hot Florida environment. They can also withstand a large amount of stretching and elongation before failure.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
They also offer installation benefits. They're generally more cost effective to install than multi-ply roofing systems. Typically, the installation consists of a single-ply membrane and adhesive or fasteners, not multiple membranes and layers or hot adhesives, such as hot asphalt. This creates a situation where the general advantage is lower cost. The installation cost is generally cheaper, due to reduced labor costs for installing a single layer of membrane, shorter construction schedule, schedules, and related installation costs.

Single-Ply Roofing Systems Do Have Unique Challenges
 Single-ply roofing systems also can present you with some serious challenges. For one thing, they are very susceptible to damage from rooftop activity.

If you're up there servicing HVAC equipment and you drop an access panel, they can be easily punctured.

It's a single-ply membrane, so you don't have the redundancy of multiple plies of membranes. If you get a breach in the membrane, your cover board and insulation are immediately getting wet because there are no additional layers of protection. Moisture in your roofing system can result in curling or degradation of the insulation or cover board, and it will immediately impact the membrane. You can get adhesion loss or some other type of failure. They're less forgiving systems, in comparison to modified bitumen or asphalt roofing systems, which have inherent redundancies.

Design Specification Matters
The task of determining whether a single-ply system is the most appropriate choice depends on several factors. The first involves the design and landscape of the roof. Single-ply rolls are larger and wider than those for other types of roofing systems, so they also have fewer seams, but they also are more difficult to manage around penetrations.

For that reason, single-ply systems are probably extremely advantageous on large roofs with minimal penetrations. We advise our clients to consider other common elements of rooftops that can result in more foot traffic.

Ask yourself, are there mechanical systems that constantly need to be maintained? Is there going to be a lot of foot traffic? Are there many roof penetrations? Are there complex penetrations to flash? Do you need a more durable membrane? Those factors are really the most important aspects to consider when choosing whether a TPO membrane is truly most effective and cost efficient over the lifespan of the roof.

But in some cases, the type of facility can affect roof specification. Every building occupant will tell you that their facility is sensitive to water penetration, but some are more so than others. Say it's a critical-care facility or a hospital, where the ability to tolerate water penetration is absolutely zero. Then there may be a consideration regarding the lack of redundancy that single-plies bring to the table.

So yes, single-ply roofing systems offer several competitive advantages, however they are not always the right solution, nor are they always more cost effective over the lifespan of the roofing system. When you’re planning your next roofing project, give RAMCON a call and we’ll help you run the numbers and select the roof that’s both best for your needs and budget.

The Enemies of Your Roofing System

Your roofing system’s performance is affected by numerous factors. Given the fact that your ultimate goal is to have a roofing system that lasts a long time with low lifetime maintenance costs, we need to know what we’re up against.

Sun: Heat and ultraviolet rays cause roofing materials to deteriorate over time. Think about it, direct sunlight causes the material to heat and cool rapidly, causing deterioration. Usually this occurs faster on the sides facing south.

 

 Rain: When water gets underneath the membrane, flashing or other materials, it can work its way along the roof deck to a penetration point in the deck, resulting in a roof leak. Often, water can sit on the deck for a considerable amount of time which encourages deck and insulation deterioration and may significantly increase the cost of re-roofing the system.

 Wind: High winds can cause all sorts of damage on the roofing system. If condensation lines are not securely attached to the roof, they will swing back and forth, causing slices and punctures to the membrane. Flying debris and equipment will also cause serious damage to the surface, allowing points of water penetration. Extremely high winds can cause extensive damage.

 Moss, Algae and Vegetation: Moss and algae can grow directly on the membrane, especially around AC fluid lines. Once growing, it holds even more moisture to a roof system’s surface, causing deterioration. In addition, vegetation roots also can work their way into the system and structure. Make sure all vegetation is trimmed away from the building.

 Trees and Leaves: Tree branches touching a roof will scratch and gouge roofing materials when the branches are blown by the wind. Falling branches from overhanging trees will almost certainly puncture most membranes. Leaves on a roof system’s surface retain moisture and cause rot, and leaves in the drainage system will cause the roof the ‘pond’ water.

 Missing or Damaged Materials: When a piece of your roofing system is missing or damaged, the roof structure and the building interior are vulnerable to water damage. The problem is likely to compound, as the missing or damaged piece will cause surrounding areas to be damaged as well.

 Punctures: The most preventable enemy, punctures, usually occurs 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.

 Flashing Deterioration: Fact: most leaks on a roof occur at the flashing areas (perimeter walls, roof penetrations, etc.). Without good, tight flashings around vents, AC units, roof hatches, skylights and wall/roof junctions, water can enter the building and cause damage to the building interior.

 Neglect: The biggest enemy of the roof is often the owner. Roofs, like any equipment, require periodic routine maintenance to fix little problems early, before they become big and expensive. Discover simple, comprehensive and cost efficient programs for you (plus how much it could save you) at www.MyRAMCON.com. 

What You Need To Know About Flat Roof Coatings

There is a lot of hype in the industry about flat roof coatings. Unfortunately, building owners and managers throughout Florida are realizing their limitations and are experiencing many failures. The reason is, coatings are not the ‘solution’ for every problem. Sure, flat roof coatings can be a good investment for many facilities. A flat roof coating can extend the life of a roof because it lowers the roof temperature. It can also lead to additional energy savings as the temperature is reduced. But when a roof has very low slope or the substrate is unsuitable, a coating can be a recipe of disaster.

The truth is, there are so many different types of roofs in use today that specifying a flat roof coating isn’t easy. Different substrates require different coatings. A coating’s adhesion might depend as much on the substrate’s characteristics as on the coating type. In general, it is more difficult for coatings to adhere to hard, smooth, chemically inert surfaces and easier on rough, irregular, chemically active surfaces.

A coating’s adhesion to a substrate often improves when the installers put down a primer or base coat. Most coatings manufacturers recommend certain primers or base coats for managers trying to match a specific topcoat with a specific substrate. Managers should use only the base coat or primer specified by the coating’s manufacturer and only in the right application.

With the introduction of a variety of roof membranes, coating manufacturers have developed a variety of roof coatings to address multiple substrates with different adhesion and weathering characteristics. Due to variations in coating formulations, it’s more important than ever to consult with RAMCON on your needs, budgets and performance requirements to ensure the right coating for the roof substrate and conditions.

 

Coatings do have their place, but falling for a manufacturer or contractor’s ‘sales pitch’ isn’t an effective management technique. We are the one contractor who has specialized crews that can install every type of system or coating for just about every manufacturer. We’ll recommend what is right for your facility, not ‘what we offer’. Our entire goal is to select the right system for your needs and budget.