Comparison of Roofing Membranes
There are many choices to make when you are looking to replace your commercial roof. Due to the number and complexity of options facilities managers often leave this decision to their roofing contractor. Other times, architects will decide. But arming yourself with this knowledge will give you the opportunity to ask pertinent questions. Flat roof systems are long term capital investments that will protect your building for decades to come. Making sure you’re getting the most out of your hard-earned dollars is just a sensible thing to do. Bear in mind that the best product in the world will still fail if improperly installed. Success is almost always a collaboration of (1) a quality product installed by a (2) quality commercial roofing contractor. If you remove one part from that equation it is generally unreasonable to expect that you will get the best results. Remove both from the equation? Well, I’m sure you can do the math. The following are some points for comparison in commercial roofing products: Breaking Strength A majority of TPO roofing systems that are installed are mechanically fastened to the roof deck. Breaking strength is a critical measurement of a sheet’s strength if the membrane is ever subjected to extreme forces, such as excessive wind, against the fasteners that hold it in place. The ASTM breaking strength test consists of a […]
Signs it’s Time to Repair or Replace your Mechanically Attached Roof
Sooner or later, all roofs need repairs or replacing. Ideally, your flat roof should be replaced before you start to notice things that could add up to costly repairs. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t know the warning signs to look for to determine when their commercial roof needs to be replaced or repaired. The following are a few signs that it’s time to be thinking about call in the experts: Signs :- The seams and flashings on the roof system are starting to come apart. This is common on older EPDM roof systems where the seams were glued together. Pin holes appear in the membrane. This occurs to mechanically attached roof systems, fully adhered roof systems and ballasted roof systems over time as the materials begin to break down. Once pin holes start to appear, the membrane is typically beyond effective patching. Numerous patches exist on the roof system. The more patches that exist on a roof, the harder it is to continue patching a roof, as new patches start getting applied over old patches instead of the base membrane. The membrane itself has started to wear down, potentially exposing the scrim. If the scrim is exposed, the membrane is in need of replacement, because the scrim is located in the middle of a reinforced single ply membrane. Once the scrim is exposed, […]
About Us
Rhode Island’s Go to Industrial and Commercial Roofers for over 115 Years A century is longer than one might think. Our family business has endured and prospered for over 115 years right here in Rhode Island while servicing the rest of New England, with ownership and operation staying in the hands of the Chaffee family the entire time. You could say roofing is in our blood. Our family’s original entrepreneur, Thomas K. Chaffee began ‘The Thomas K Chaffee Company’ offering “Chaffee’s Mill White” products to the many local textile mills as an alternative to whitewash. Over the years, he expanded offerings to include roofing materials. Merely selling roofing supplies to businesses looking to perform their own roofing projects, Thomas Chaffee’s business was sourcing inventory from New Jersey using a horse and team as transportation! As the years went on, and younger generations came to learn the ropes of the family business, Chaffee expanded into roofing production – offering installations of the Chaffee products and, over time, other products as well. Thus Chaffee Industrial Roofing was born. Want the full Chaffee story? Check out the Chaffee Legacy and read about how each generation of Chaffee took the mantle of company president and made their own unique impact on the business. Why We Stand The Test Of Time Chaffee Industrial Roofing is Rhode Island’s go-to commercial and […]