Tag - Condominium

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!
Thermoplastic Roof

THERMOPLASTIC ROOFS, BENEFIT IN THE MIDWEST?

White thermoplastic roofs are cool The most common thermoplastic roofs are PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin).  Both of these materials will prove to be cooler roof systems than most materials out there.  On a 90 degree day, an EPDM roof can get upwards of 170 degrees.  On a 90 degree day, thermoplastic roofs will be at a temperature of 110 degrees (approx.).  This is a significant difference in temperature.  Most consultants would argue that the temperature doesn't matter in the Midwest because they want the warmth in the winter.  I will tell you the biggest benefit in the last paragraph. Thermoplastic roofs in the summer Whether you are in the Midwest or not having a cool roof allows buildings to stay cooler thus reducing the cost of cooling buildings.  The other thing it does is allow HVAC units to operate more efficiently through reduced heat around the unit.  Both of these factors contribute to energy saving costs in the summertime months.  In future posts, I will have infrared shot via a drone to prove my points. Thermoplastic roofs in the winter The effects of the sun is significantly less in the wintertime because the sun is no longer high in the sky or directly overhead.  The absorption of the suns rays is not as strong as the dead of summer causing the black roof materials to reach temperatures that are less than if the sun would be directly overhead.  Don't get me wrong, is it beneficial to have a roof that is warm in the winter on a sunny day, YES.  The effects however are not as significant as the summertime cooling.  Is the energy savings more significant in the south, YES. Thermoplastic roofs biggest benefit Ultraviolet rays are probably one of the most damaging factors to any roof system.  Roof materials deteriorate because they dry out and crack or shrink.  Anything that can be done to avoid this process would be beneficial the roof system.  Thermoplastic roof can have a .070 - .085 reflection of the sun.  Thermoplastic white products are reflecting 70-85% of the suns rays back into the atmosphere as opposed to absorbing them and drying out the product.  So whether you are in the Midwest or the deep South, this benefit will always remain.
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.