When Is the Best Time of Year to Replace a Commercial Roof?
If your commercial roof is constantly leaking, whether due to bad weather, snow build-up or wear and tear, you probably need a roof replacement. Also, if you’re spending too much time and money on maintenance and repairs, it’s probable that your commercial roof is dilapidated and needs replacement. Most commercial roofing materials last between 15 to 30 years. So, if you’re getting closer to this time, it’s time to start planning when to replace your commercial roof. Although most commercial operators understand the seriousness of roof replacement, most don’t know the best time to replace a commercial roof. Below we will try and answer this question and explore the best time to replace your commercial roof. The Best Time to Replace Your Commercial Roof In New England, the simple answer to this question is between March to December. As a general rule of thumb, replacement during January and February is not ideal, unless we have a mild winter. Most roofing products can be installed during this time, with technology like heat boxes and heat blankets. However, it is always easier to install a roof when nature is on your side. The biggest downside of a winter installation is the temperature of the roofing materials during the installation. During the colder months, the membrane rolls themselves are cold, making them very tight. Once the warmer weather […]
Four Signs Your Commercial Roof May Not Make it Through the Winter
Your commercial roof may not make it through the winter. It happens every winter when roofs collapse, spring leaks, or get damaged in a storm. Knowing the signs in advance will help you save the roof and save you money too. At Chaffee Roofing, we hear about roof problems every day. Our years of experience help us help our clients and prevent those problems from getting worse. We put some of the more common signs of these problems into a post, which should benefit all commercial roof owners. To help you know the signs that a commercial roof may not make it through the winter, take a look at the following points. Sagging across the roof Probably one of the more obvious signs is a sagging roof. Get up on the roof and take a quick look around. If rainwater is gathering in pools, then you have a sagging roof problem. The deeper the pond, the bigger the problem. Sagging roofs can quickly develop into huge problems. Rain, snow, and hail can gather in pools and put a lot of extra weight on the roof structure. Your roof may collapse under the pressure, or you may get additional leaks around the building as the roof system stretches and expands beyond its design. The added weight of a heavy winter snowfall can be a disaster for […]
Choosing The Longest Lasting Commercial Roofing For Harsh Winters
Winters are harsh on commercial roofing. All of that rain, sleet, snow, ice, and wind will do damage. Often business owners think their roof is strong until a night of wind and rain brings leaks and damp patches. The weight of heavy snowfall or a week of ice will cause its own problems. A harsh winter will expose weaknesses, often with devastating results. At Chaffee Roofing, we know the benefits of a long-lasting commercial roof. The type of roofing to come through the winter and withstand the toughest conditions is what you need. Let’s take a closer look at the best roofing for your building. TPO is one of the best roofing solutions for harsh winter problems. We supply EPDM, TPO, and PVC membrane roofing materials for commercial installs. All three products have their benefits, depending on the style of the roof. TPO is one of the best for harsh winters. It has many benefits, and for commercial roofs going through harsh winters, TPO covers all eventualities. Not shattering is one of the major benefits of any roof in a harsh winter. Instant, low temperatures can cause a roof to shatter, often overnight. This will not happen with TPO, and you can rest assured when the coldest nights come that your TPO roof will stay secure. Shrinking is another problem with cold and freezing conditions. […]
5 Signs You Should Replace Versus Repair Your Roof
Knowing when to replace a roof is a very valuable skill. You may do repairs through the many years of its life, but there comes a time when replacing the roof is the only option. Getting the timing right is vital.It will save you money.Looking for signs of replacing rather than repairing is the place to start. Five clear and obvious signs leave nothing to doubt.Let’s take a look at the five signs that indicate you need to replace your roof. The roof is marking its 25th anniversary Age catches up with a roof. All those years of being exposed to cold, wet, and windy weather, as well as hot summers, take their toll.Take a look at when the roof went on the building. If it is 25 years or more, annual repairs will most likely not be enough on a standard roof system.Repairing a 25-year old roof is not cost-effective on most roof systems. The roof is sagging in too many places When a roof begins to sag, you know you are in trouble. Typically, it means that the underlying insulation is in very poor shape or, in extreme cases, the structural wood or steel decking is beginning to collapse. If the contractor can repair a weakness, then you may be safe for a few years.When the roof as a whole begins to sag, […]
How Weather Affects The Lifespan Of Asphalt Roofing
Wind, rain, UV rays, and cold weather will all cause problems to an asphalt roof. However, you can take steps to protect an asphalt roof against the effects of weathering. Understanding how your local climate can do damage is key to getting a long lifespan from the asphalt. Asphalt is an excellent roofing material but it does need care. Maintenance, of course, is vital for the long life of every roof, regardless of weather conditions. Let’s take a closer look at how the weather can affect your asphalt roof. Exposure to UV radiation UV radiation damages the structure of the asphalt. The rays penetrate deep into the shingles and alter the chemical make-up of the tiles. As the bonds within the structure break, the granules fall off the shingles. The asphalt roofing loses its protective coating and will begin to deteriorate. You should reconsider the use of asphalt on a southern-facing roof. If you decide to use asphalt, make sure you use a known brand like CertainTeed or GAF. If the sun exposure is excessive, consider one of the upgraded products such as the CertainTeed Landmark Pro or the GAF Timberline HDZ shingles. They are thicker than standard shingles and use better granules, which will hold up much better. Roof A: Southern Facing Asphalt Shingle Roof System – 2014The roof appears to be in acceptable […]
How Drainage Affects The Lifespan Of PVC Roofing Membranes
PVC is excellent for flat roofs. It has strong seams, is very chemical resistant and the light colors help keep your building cool. One critical element for a PVC roof is drainage. Drainage increases the lifespan of PVC roofing membranes. Rainwater is the enemy. It lodges on uneven surfaces, puts pressure on the structure below and wears down the membrane prematurely. Freezing water will also do a lot of damage during a cold winter. At Chaffee Roofing, we get plenty of inquiries about PVC roofing. Clients want to increase the lifespan of their PVC roof and how to go about it. ‘How’s your drainage?’ is one of our first questions. Let’s take a closer look at drainage and how it affects the lifespan of PVC roofing membranes. The problem of bad drainage When water lodges on a PVC roof, problems begin. You need to get rain in addition to melting snow and ice off a PVC roof. The alternative is only bad news. Inadequate drainage puts pressure on seams and the structure below. Surface water freezes during the colder months and PVC cracks and shatters in such conditions, drastically reducing the lifespan of the roof. At Chaffee Roofing our qualified and very experienced team plan your PVC project from start to finish, with drainage being a top priority. We will work with you, getting the installation […]
Choosing The Longest Lasting Roofing Solution For Harsh Winters
Our winters are pretty bad here in New England. Harsh winters are hard on commercial roofs. At Chaffee Roofing, receive a lot of client questions regarding the best roofs for harsh winters. What are the longest lasting commercial roofing materials? What roofing will survive through cold, wet and heavy snow weather? My roof is cracking; what should I do? At Chaffee Roofing we get a lot of these queries after the winter when the damage is visible, and clients need a change. For those of you choosing a commercial roof for the harsh New England winters, we have a few suggestions. Our thermoplastic roof membranes, TPO, offer value and quality through the long life of the roof. EPDM provides the same benefits, along with the years of already proven service. There are pros and cons to any roofing project. If you are aware of them, before choosing your commercial roof, then you are on the way to making an excellent choice. Let’s take a closer look at the options and see which roofing material suits your commercial premises. TPO ticks all the boxes It may be the new kid on the block, but TPO is proving itself as a very worthy roofing membrane. At Chaffee, we complete a lot of TPO roofing installs, with very happy clients. A few benefits of TPO as a […]
Leaky Roof? Should You Repair Or Replace?
At Chaffee Roofing we love solving roof problems. Only last week we got an email with the subject line ‘Leaky Roof.’ It’s the sort of inquiry we get regularly, and our answers aren’t always the same. Every leaky roof is different, but the solution will boil down to ‘repair or replace?’ We’ll ask the client a few questions, to get a better idea of the problem. Clients with leaky roofs get questions like: Let’s take a closer look at each question. What type of roof do you have? This is a key question that most people don’t know the answer to! Since roofs are long term products, people don’t usually know much about their roof systems until there is a problem. We always work with our customers to explain what type of roof they have, and what their problems are. Once our customer understands what the problem is, we discuss solutions. About 95% of our business is commercial, but we will do shingle roofs as well. In almost all situations, we need to visit the roof system to get an idea of what the problem is. All flat commercial roof systems have different pros and cons that can be contributing to leaks. The cause and severity of the problem always effects the solution. How old is your roof system? Older roofs have plenty of […]
Factors in Sustainable Commercial Roofing Repairs
The definition of a sustainable roof can be someone enigmatic. It can mean different things to different people. even the terminology can be confusing. But what is clear is that sustainable roofs can save money and produce energy. Here are four key factors that you should keep in mind when looking for sustainable roofing repair or installation solution. Insulation We measure the insulation value of a roof, and any other surface and material with insulating capabilities, in terms of R-value. R-value is the rating of a material’s resistance to heat transfer through itself As roofs act as an essential barrier to different environmental forces inside and outside the building, roof insulation plays a crucial role in ensuring longevity and energy efficiency. Many roofing systems have extremely low R-values, and therefore cost their building owners money every single day. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation. With less heat, air conditioning, and other forms of energy leaving your building, you should see a decline in your utilities and maintenance bill. Energy Energy-efficient roofing material can significantly reduce the amount of energy usage, thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions as well as the utility bills. Different climatic conditions demand different types of roofing materials to conserve energy. Light-colored, highly reflective surface, for instance, are suitable for warm southern climate, while dark, heat-absorbing roof surfaces are best in the […]
Snow Removal Services for Commercial Roofs
Chaffee Roofing is committed to providing service that keeps roofs from gaining the weight of snow loads or high water levels. There are several key steps to commercial roofing safety, from technology on the roof, to winter maintenance, to snow removal. Keep the followin mind when keeping your commercial roof in fighting shape: Technology on the Roof There are various kinds of technology that safeguard roofs of commercial structures and the lives, investments and businesses that rely on them. These systems are designed to monitor live loads of water and snow on the roofs of low-sloped buildings and to inform businesses of potential risk. Inspection of the Roof Inspection of your commercial roof every year is essential. The sooner you can identify what the problem spots might be can save a roof from winter disasters. By keeping drains clean and free of debris, you lessen the likelihood that water will accumulate on the roof from improper drainage. This can be especially important when the with snow melts, which is even heavier on the roof. Getting Chaffee Roofing maintenance before the harsh winter weather can save you time, money, and heartburn. Snow Removal Make sure to work with a professional roofing company like Chaffee to create a system for commercial roof snow removal With many roof collapses noted in the news in the last few years, having strong […]