Property Manager

Drone Infrared Imaging

ROOF CONSULTANT

When should I hire a Roof Consultant? Never, if you want to make the mistake that so many others in your shoes have made.  Understanding your roof system and have a professional make some decisions regarding that roof can go a long way in saving you money in the end.  Also a lot of building owners, property managers, condominiums, apartments need the security of hiring a roof consultant. What would a Roof Consultant do for me? He should make a clear and concise assessment of your roof.  He should know every component of the roof system from the deck to the top layer of roofing.  There should be an explanation of  how he got to the decision of picking the roof system he chose.  Pictures are a must for explaining each item involved in the roof system.  We at Drone Infrared Imaging, use a drone with a HD Camera to allow us to capture pictures and video to put in our presentation. Specifications are  probably the most important piece to the puzzle because it keeps everyone on the same page.  How many times have we been in a position of making a decision based on three or four different types of roofing systems.  This leaves us guessing which roof system will be best for our situation and it leaves the door wide open for massive price differences.  If all contractors are bidding from the same specification then the price differences should be small.  Roofing contractors tend to give better pricing if they know they are bidding the same system and are bidding against other who are doing the same. The last piece is to decide on a roofing contractor to confirm their pricing and set up the project.  The consultant can also be involve with the entire roof project to make sure things are getting done correctly.  Aerial photography can be taken periodically to inform all involved where we are at in the progress of the roof project.  Video Overview of a Roof Project What about Roof Consultant pricing? There are many price points which can be used.  The consultant can just assess the roof system currently install to see if repair can be done which would be a low-cost item.  Or they can be involved in the whole roof replacement process from start to finish relieving the burden of others having to take large amounts of time and energy out of our busy schedules.  All price points will be available after an assessment of the project is done depending on how small or large the project is.
Drone Infrared Imaging

Commercial Real Estate Roof Inspection

Commercial real estate roof inspection with infrared will take the unknown out of the equation in purchasing a building.  With the new codes for roof insulation on a flat commercial industrial roof, commercial roofs have become a very expensive proposition.  As an owner, if you are purchasing a building, an infrared scan of the roof can reveal what current owners probably don't want you to know.  Moisture underneath a roof system will serve as a catalyst to deteriorate the roof system from the underside of the system.   What does this mean?  Replacing your roof could cost between $10-$20 per sq ft.  This needs to be negotiated before the sale of the building! The above infrared roof scan can reveal whether there is moisture trapped under the system.  Is the above infrared something that will make us fearful or something that will make us feel secure?  The answer is secure.  The above system has very little changes in temperature all the way across the roof system thus giving it an "A" rating.  There are no signs of moisture or leaks for that matter. Drone Infrared Imaging can give security knowing for sure the roof on your future facility is in good condition.  We can take the guess-work out of a roofing contractor taking core sample to see if moisture is found.  ONE other important point: Roof insulation can absorb a lot of water before it actually leaks into the building.  So just asking if there are any leaks is not a good determination that the roof is safe and sound.
Drone Inspection

DRONE INSPECTION

Drones are going to be used in many industries in the years to come, way more than what you think. Will drones be delivering packages?  I don't know.  Currently a drone in between .5 lb and 55 lbs cannot be flown if it is out of our line of sight.  You would be hard pressed to flight a drone two towns over and maintain line of sight.  Oh and by the way no help of anything to enhance vision can be used according to the FAA.  A drone inspection can reveal so much more information we could not see in the past.  Drone inspections can be performed on roofs, construction sites, water towers, electrical towers, stacks, walls, siding, water treatment, agriculture, condominiums, townhouses, factories, commercial buildings and all of these can have infrared imaging.
Drone inspection
Drone water tower inspection
Drone inspection
Drone construction site inspection
Drone Inspection
Drone agriculture inspection
A drone inspection is done to discover and plan for the future.  At Drone Infrared Imaging, we can inspect whatever property, building, obstacle or object that you may need inspected.  Drone inspections are especially useful for bigger complexes but certainly not limited to them.
Infrared Drone

Infrared Drone

PIC AND AN INFRARED DRONE PIC used to stand for Picture.  No longer, the FAA has taken it for there very own.  It stands for Pilot in Command.  The FAA wants every person that is going to fly commercially to be trained.  Flying without an Airman Certificate is Illegal.  That's why everyone at Drone Infrared Imaging must pass the Aeronautical Knowledge Test before they fly.  If nothing else its gets you to think about more than just picking up a controller and taking off.  There is a lot to think about, like the weather, obstacles, wind current around buildings, aircraft, line of sight, visual observer, magnetic fields, down drafts, updrafts and the like.  Our ultimate goal is to be safe.  An infrared drone is a very expensive proposition and believe me we don't want anything to happen to it. Infrared Drone               Infrared Drone Airspace Yes we have to share airspace.  The above images were taken in Class D airspace.  Because the airport has a Control Tower, they had to be contacted so we could get permission to fly.  It is a little bit of a hassle to actually speak to the tower, however the overall process was quite painless.  They gave permission and we were able to fly. https://www.droneinfraredimaging.com/infrared-scans/
Roof Safety

Roof Safety

BASIC PRACTICAL RULES FOR ROOF SAFETY If it looks unsafe it probably is unsafe.  I don't know how many times we have been on job sites to see obvious glaring violations.  The worst is when the owner comes on the roof and they can tell the violations without knowing the violations.  Point being make sure your roof projects look safe!  One final note here, if your job site looks crappy even though you are safe, it gives the appearance of being unsafe.  Let's keep job sites cleaned up. Roof safety should be taught and caught.  Don't get caught in the trap of, well we didn't have many accidents last year so let's skimp on safety this year.  It always works out bad.  Having Drone Infrared Imaging capture pictures and video from your projects to use in the roof safety class room is priceless.  Not only to point out the things that need correcting but hopefully to point out perfectly staged job sites. When safety equipment looks old, it looks unsafe.  Yes I know some of us are conservative and we like to use things until it dies but let's try to stay clear of doing that regarding safety. AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION.. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  A little precaution before a crisis occurs is preferable to a lot of fixing up afterward.  Roof safety can prevent a lot of personal injuries.  It can also prevent the ultimate tragedy which is loss of life.  Workman's compensation claims can cost a tremendous amount of money and can drag on for years.  If there is time given in the class room with pictures from Drone Infrared Imaging, that's a great start.  After that having tool box talks with your guys on a weekly basis.  One more thing, your foreman should be very safety conscious and as a result should hold all the guys under his care to a high standard of safety. BE SAFE!
Drone Infrared Imaging

FLAT ROOFS LEAK. TRUE?

What's the real reason flat roofs leak? If you talk to almost any facility manager they would tell you all flat roofs leak.  In this article we are going to look at the reasons why a commercial roof would leak.  Before we get started, please note that this is not about one particular roof or owner.  This is about flat roofs in general.  Doing an infrared scan of any roof is a good starting point towards taking care of any roofing system.  With the latest technology, an infrared scan can be performed through drone technology.  Most roofs can be scanned with several infrared photographs. Roofing mistake #1 Owners, property managers, leasing companies, and retailers often make one mistake which is waiting until their roofs leak to take care of the problem.  Commercial roofs are a major investment and they need to be taken care of similar to your car.  Would anyone wait for their car to stop before they maintain the vehicle?  Never changing the oil in the car will cause the car to fail way before its time.  It is the same with any roofing system.  If you don't maintain the roof it will fail way before it's time.  Manufacturers of roofing material all want their roofs to be maintained.  Why because they want to know how their roofing material is performing.  There is also some things that are not covered in the warranty that need continued attention.  All sealants such as pourable sealant and caulking are not covered under the warranty agreement.  So if the pitch pocket (where wires and lines come through) dries out and or shrinks and the roof leaks, this makes one think that the roof system is failing.  Not true.  Please maintain your roof at least once a year if not twice a year, it will save you money in the long run. Roofing mistake #2 Realizing that the above is the most important for any type of roofing system whether it is new or old, the next thing that needs to be done is know who is going onto your roof.  I can't tell you the number of times I have been on a roof that has a leak that was caused by other contractors.  This is usually the scenario.  A contractor goes onto the roof, works on a piece of equipment, finds out he needs to replace something and drops the part or tool on the roof causing a puncture.  Sometimes these can be very small and take a good while to show up as a roof leak and sometimes they can leak immediately.  Oil from condenser unit can cause havoc on a lot of roof system especially EPDM (rubber roof).  They will begin deteriorating shortly after the oil is spilled.  The bottom line is make sure you trust the people who are going onto your roof.
Contractor pokes hole in the roof
HVAC Contractor pokes a hole in the roof
Roofing mistake #3 Putting additional pieces of equipment through your roof needs to have a professional roofing contractor install the flashing.  What you don't want is for a subcontractor to install the equipment and install roofing cement to the bottom flange.  This is about a one year fix and sometimes it is less depending on the movement of the equipment as it is operating.  A professional install of the flashing takes time and will cost some money, but it is well worth it in the end.  The most vulnerable area of your roof is the penetrations through the roof, if they are done right, there is a better chance to extend the life of your roof.
Drone Infrared Imaging

PROPERTY MANAGERS NEED TO KNOW HOW THEIR ROOFS ARE PERFORMING

ROOFS LEAK! When do people usually take care of their roofs... when they leak!  There is another alternative.  Taking care of roof begins with a good inspection to access to see if there is any damage.  Buildings that are over two stories tend to get neglected the most.  Every storm has the potential to blow off one shingle, chimney cap, ridge cap or exhaust vent.  Would you want to know if these are missing and schedule to fix them before it leaked into the plywood, then onto the insulation and finally through the drywall.  I believe the answer would be... YES. PROPERTY MANAGER INSIGHT Commercial flat roofs can experience the same kinds of damage.  Actually flat roofs are more susceptible to larger roof blow offs that are shingle roofs.  Inspections are a good way to know for sure that your roof is safe and secure.  At Drone Infrared Imaging, we can put a drone in air and quickly assess damages.  Property managers especially need to be in the know.  Dealing with complains all day is exhausting for property managers.  Wouldn't it be great to know your roof is safe and secure thus eliminating that headache. DRONE INSPECTION We recommend have properties inspected at least 2-4 times a year with possible drone inspection right after a severe storm.  The drone can take pictures of every aspect of the building, not just the roof.  Drones have the ability to capture pictures like a 3-D.  So the perspective is different from a straight up google earth picture (although they are starting to use some 3-D).  To be able to see if there is soffit or fascia torn off or gutters missing or plugged can save money in the long run.  How can it save you money?  By being able to fix the issues before it causes inside damage. Inside damage is costly to fix, so anytime this can be avoided, it will be beneficial for all involved.