How Much Does a Commercial Roof Replacement Cost?
Although proper care and maintenance can extend the lifespan of any commercial roof, it’s time to replace it if it has visible structural problems, such as…
Commercial Roof Repairs and Emergency Roof Leak Repair Service
Chaffee Industrial Roofing is one of Rhode Island’s oldest and most trusted roofing companies with over a century of experience in commercial roof repairs, so we know a thing or two about emergency roof leak repair service. Nothing can ruin the day of a building owner or property manager quite like roof leaks and other problems that are the result of roofing damage. They’re costly, unsightly, and threaten the daily operations of your business at the most inopportune times! Additionally, now you have to find a trustworthy commercial roofing company to inspect your roof, identify the source of the leak(s), and create a plan for repairs. Fortunately, Chaffee Industrial Roofing is New England’s choice for professional roofing, and we have the experience and the knowledge to get you in the dry and your building back to normal in short order, all while preserving much of your property maintenance budget! Signs You Need Roof Repairs Sometimes when your property is in need of commercial roof repairs the writing is on the wall (or even the ceiling!) When you notice visible signs of leaks and other damage, it’s time to schedule an inspection and begin the process of repairs. Telltale signs that your roof needs repairs include, but are not limited to: What Causes Roof Leaks? Exposure to the elements is known to be an underlying factor […]
Modified Bitumen Roofing
Modified Bitumen (MB) roofing is an asphalt-based roofing system that is ideal for low-slope or flat roofs. It is a durable and flexible roofing ….
Brahmin Leather – Chaffee Roofing Case Study
115 year old family-run commercial roofer moves mountains to help local leather manufacturer. Brahmin is a Massachusetts-based leather goods company founded in 1982 by Bill and Joan Martin. They specialize in handbags and other high-quality leather goods that are designed to exemplify the American dream. All of their products are designed in Massachusetts and delivered to their brick-and-mortar stores and customers around the world. The company is celebrated for their commitment to diversity, creativity, and innovation. Being based in New England, their production facilities have been subject to the severe weather that descends upon the region every winter. Over the years, their factory in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, has not been spared the harsh winters and blistering summers. Joni O’Calliham, Brahmin’s factory facilities manager, noticed signs of aging and began her search for the right New England roofer to begin the process of replacing the roof. Joni had found Chaffee Industrial Roofing from a google search, and following a competitive bid process ultimately selected Chaffee to replace the brahmin leather roof because they were friendly, thorough, professional, and they did more due diligence than any other contractor she spoke with. “They’re clean and respectable, and I wish everyone else could have the same interaction with roofing companies like them,” she said not only did they do the work to make sure they were offering the best solution […]
4 of the Most Common Commercial Flat Roof Repairs to Expect
Commercial flat roofs are industrial structures that need careful installation and maintenance. When excellently done and if properly maintained, commercial flat roofers will tell you that a quality roofing installation will last upward of twenty five years. Unfortunately, commercial flat roofs may not attain the twenty five year lifespan because of weather and calamities. Snow overload, excessive heat, humidity build-up, and condensation are all factors that may affect commercial flat roofs. Humidity build-up, extreme heat, and snow build-up on commercial flat roofs may cause cracks, voids, or holes. Below we take a look at the most common commercial flat roof repairs: Holes are common in commercial roofing. Dropped tools, knives, and sharp objects may cause mechanical damage, leading to holes. The presence of holes in commercial roofs implies the leakage of rainwater, snowwater as well as the direct penetration of sunlight. So, patching holes caused by mechanical damage and sometimes aging is one of the most common flat roof repairs – especially for commercial roofs – whether EPDM, TPO, PVC, or asphalt. Flashing repairs are another category of repair for commercial flat roofs. Flashing details are often the most difficult part of a flat roof installation, which makes them a likely source for roof leaks. Checking to see how walls, rooftop units, roof drains, etc. are installed is a good start to finding your leak […]
Rhino Bond
RhinoBond roof systems have been installed since the late 2000’s. They are known for having the benefits of a mechanically attached system, where the membrane is fastened to the deck, along with the benefits of a fully adhered roof system, where fewer gaps exist between where fasteners are installed. With a RhinoBond Roof system, special insulation plates are used that are coated so that a heat welded system can adhere to it. As a result, Rhino Bond can only be installed on a TPO Roof System or a PVC Roof System. The way RhinoBond works is the rigid insulation is laid out and installed the same way a mechanically fastened rigid insulation system is installed. The only difference is the type of plate used, and the number of plates used. Notice in this picture, the plates are gold, which is the color used for a TPO Roof System. Once the insulation is installed, the membrane is rolled over the insulation. After the membrane is down, the RhinoBond welding tool is placed over an insulation plate, and is induction welded to bring the plate to 500 degrees. After, a cooling clamp is placed over the insulation plate for 30 seconds, then removed. The final result is that the TPO Membrane or PVC membrane is fully welded to the plate. As with any mechanically fastened roofing system, a better wind rating comes with more […]
Fully Adhered
Fully Adhered roof systems have been installed since the mid 1960’s. They are known for being aesthetically pleasing and having the least amount of membrane fluttering, since every square foot of membrane is bonded to the insulation. Manufactures also give fully adhered roofs the highest wind ratings, whether it is a fully adhered TPO roof system, or a fully adhered EPDM roof system. However, it is important to note that factory mutual gives higher wind ratings to mechanically fastened roof systems, since it’s easier to add more fasteners to weak points in the roof system, such as the corners and perimeters. Fully adhered roofing systems rely on the rigid insulation to be fastened down thoroughly. As a result, fully adhered roof systems have fastening patterns of 12-24 fasteners per 4’ by 8’ rigid insulation board, far more than the 5-8 fasteners required for mechanically attached roof systems. The result is that fully adhered roof systems typically have more fasteners installed than mechanically attached roof systems! Once the insulation has been thoroughly fastened down, the roofing membrane is rolled out. Then, the bonding adhesive (or glue) is applied to both the rigid insulation and the membrane. After, the membrane is placed on top of the rigid insulation, then rolled in for a tight bond. Where there are angle changes, for example around walls or rooftop units, the membrane is fastened and glued down […]
Mechanically Fastened
Mechanically Attached Roof System Mechanically Attached roof systems have been installed since the late 1960’s. They are known for consistency and strength, since a fastener goes directly through the membrane and insulation on its path to attaching itself directly to the structural deck of the building. All mechanically attached roof systems have two core components, the fastener and the plate. On the insulation and separately on the membrane, a plate is laid down first, and then a fastener is driven into the structural deck. They are both laid out in accordance with a fastening pattern specified by the manufacturer. The number and location of the plates and fasteners is based on the warranty, wind speed, FM rating (if applicable), and numerous other factors. Extra fasteners are typically installed along the corners and perimeter of the roof system, where wind hits the hardest. Extra fasteners are also installed on the perimeter of rooftop units, drains, and other rooftop penetrations to prevent the membrane from lifting or sagging during angle changes. Thicker fasteners also may be required based on the wind rating of a particular building. All fasteners are then covered by membrane. The insulation fasteners, which are installed first, are covered by the top layer of the roof system, which is the membrane itself. The fasteners in the membrane are then covered by membrane from the next […]
Membrane Installation
Flat Roof Membrane is installed directly over the rigid insulation. Membrane is the weatherproofing portion of the installation, and needs to be fully installed over the rigid insulation and any roof penetrations to make the building watertight. There are many different membrane products that can be used, and many different installation techniques. Every type of membrane product used in flat roofing is unique with its own strengths and weaknesses. For more information on the most commonly used membrane products, see our pages below on: Single Ply membrane roofs, like EPDM Membrane and TPO Membrane, can be installed a few different ways. The most commonly used membrane installation methods are: Asphalt based products, like modified bitumen and built up roofs (BUR) have their own installation methods. No matter what roof membrane product you use, the installation is comprised of two aspects: Field work and detail work. The field work, for the most part, is the easy portion where the membrane is installed over open, flat areas. The detail work is the harder portion, which includes areas like HVAC units, skylights, walls, roof hatches, and other penetrations and rooftop equipment in the roof system. Over 90% of flat roof leaks come from the detail portion of the flat roof work, so it is important to have an expert crew performing any membrane installation work. After the membrane […]
PVC “Vinyl” (Polyvinyl Chloride)
PVC Roofing Systems have been installed since the 1960’s and was one of the first single ply materials used in roofing. PVC Roofs come in thicknesses from .036 mil to .090 mil, can only be reinforced. PVC is typically white, tan or gray in color. A PVC membrane installation can be mechanically attached, fully adhered, Rhinobond or ballasted. Like TPO roof systems, PVC Membrane rolls and flashing membrane are heat welded together, creating the strongest bond available in a roofing system. A PVC Roof installation is heat welded together using computerized hot air equipment that reaches temperatures of around 800 degrees in the seams. For welding the seams on open membrane rolls, an automatic “robotic” welder is used that automatically sets the correct temperature, applies the perfect pressure, and sets the best speed to perfectly weld the two membrane sheets together. For smaller areas, like rooftop units and curbs, a hand-held heat welding gun is used, along with a rubber roller. These smaller detail areas rely heavily on the craftsmanship of the roofing mechanic to achieve the correct temperature, pressure and speed required for a perfect weld. Benefits of a PVC Roof PVC Roofing systems have solid strengths. Some Benefits of a PVC Roof are: Drawbacks of a PVC Roof In the roofing industry, PVC roof systems are being overtaken by TPO, because TPO holds […]