Archive for January, 2012
“Raise The Roof” Exhibit To Awe Visitors
Roofing goes beyond the industry norms to show visitors a closer look into roofs. A new exhibit is bringing insight and wonder into the minds of visitors.
As part of the Minnestrista, an artsy gathering spot in Central Indiana, The “Raise the Roof” exhibit offers a unique approach to discovery and building design.
Telling A Story
Created by the Science Museum of Minnesota, exhibit designers wanted to give visitors a closer look into the making and design of buildings.
Open through May 20th, the “Raise the Roof” exhibit features interactive experiences for visitors of all ages to explore the intricate aspects of building construction. One of the most notable aspects is a feature in which visitors can raise a domed roof and then allow it to collapse around them. Similar features includes a closer look into the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and a playful test of knowledge of how roof materials stand up to natural disasters.
Florida Nabs Roofing Scammers in Sting
Polk County Sherriff’s Office conducted an undercover operation and arrested 5 people for attempting to scam a woman into unneeded roofing repairs.
The suspects are part of a nomadic community referred to as Travelers. Travelers generally follow storms into other states and will go door to door and offer to do repairs at cut rate costs.
Working with the police, a senior citizen posed as a woman worried about her roof. After a reputable roofing company had checked out her roof and found that it did not need any repairs, she called several companies known to be Traveler type businesses for estimates.
• Bartholomew and Patrick Rafferty of Rafferty Roofing told the woman that her roof needed repair and they would fix it for $975.
• Alexander Parker and Charles Evans told the woman her roof had several nails “popping up” and the areas around the vents were dry rotted. They offered to fix the roof for $600.
• A 17 year old solicited an elderly Lake Alfred man for doing unnecessary repairs on his home. The teen charged $600 for dumping tar on the roof and pouring rocks on top of it.
Sheriff Grady Judd said “Scam artists like these will stop at nothing to get your hard-earned cash. They use intimidation, fear and confusing conversation to coerce victims out of their money. Don’t be fooled by their sales pitch or their professional appearances.”
Some of these Travelers can be pretty slick, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Contact local, reputable roofing companies and ask for references and call around to check them out. You can also contact your local Better Business Bureau to ask if any complaints have been made against a contractor that you are considering.
OSHA Fines Houston Based Roofing Contractor
Martha M. Alvarez, a residential roofing contractor based in Houston Texas, has received $102,300 in fines for 3 Wisconsin job sites from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The willful violations were issued because the contractor failed to provide fall protection at the inspected sites. Martha M. Alvarez has received citations for 13 violations from OSHA from 6 inspections since November 2010.
Leading Cause of Death
Kim Stille, director of OSHA’s Madison Area Office said “falls are the leading cause of death and injury in the construction industry. Employers such as Martha M. Alvarez have a responsibility to ensure that workers are provided with and trained in the use of required fall protection. OSHA is committed to protection workers, especially when employers fail to do so.”
The OSHA fall standards state; “Unprotected sides and edges.” Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8m) or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems.
OSHA has been cracking down on contractors, roofers and other violators of the fall protection compliance since it went into effect in June of 2011.
Moss Covered Roofs Not Always “Green”‘
While much of the green roof movement has focused on natural, vegetative coverings as a main roof material, they aren’t always executed properly. Moss-covered roofs can be a great way to insulate a home and reduce environmental impact, but when the moss comes in addition to a non-green roof material, it can be more problematic than beneficial.
Roofing Made Not So Easy
In order for a moss-covered roof to be beneficial for both the homeowner and the environment it needs to be part of an intentional green roof. In many areas around the world where climates are moist or part of densely wooded forests, moss can infiltrate a traditional roof material, causing more harm than good.
Asphalt shingles, wood shakes and clay tiles are all roof materials that can be damaged by the growth of moss along the roof line. Since these traditional roofing materials are not made to support a moss covering, the increased moisture and growth patterns of the plant itself can damage the materials and result in the need for roof repair.
Metal roofs are fairly resistant to moss, or other plant, covering materials and do not require much maintenance in the way of preventative care. For other traditional roof materials, installing a strip of metal roof along the peak of the roof itself to discourage moss from growing along the roof line.
Historic Fort in Clarksville Gets New Cedar Roof
The Tennessee building believed to have been built in the late 1700’s or early 1800’s is having the roof replaced by historic restoration carpenters Jonathan Ferrell and Brian Prather.
The small rock fortress is believed to have been owned by early settler Valentine Sevier. He built it for his family to take refuge in during Indian attacks.
Red Cedar for the Roof
Farrell and Prather became interested in the project since they make oak shingles and the roof was more than likely built with native wood. Native to the area was cedar, oak, cypress and chestnut. Due to the cost of supplies, Ferrell and Prather chose to use hand split red cedar from Canada.
Ferrell said “it’s the prime wood species for shingles. It’s got a better insulation rate factor than most modern materials. They’re hand-split and they’re completely waterproof. The splitting of the shingles make them waterproof. It raises the grain of the wood and makes it to where water won’t soak in.”
30 Year Roof
The carpenters are hoping to get the new roof finished soon, they are waiting for a 22 foot long timber beam that Farrell and Prather will hand hew themselves. The red cedar shingles are expected to last up to 30 years if kept well maintained.
Scouts Looking To Help With New Roof
Scout groups are known for their charity and fundraising efforts, which often bring us delicious snacks in the form of popcorn or Girl Scout Cookies. The boy and girl versions of these scout groups work hard to learn new skills and help others, which is no doubt part of their mission statement. A scout group in the U.K. is looking to branch out into a new area of charity, helping fund a new roof for buildings in need.
Doing The Most good
The 1st Apsley Scout Group is a British scouting group that has been dedicated to raising money for the less fortunate since the group’s formation many years ago. As part of the century old tradition, this scout group aims to continue the tradition of fundraising and donating by extending their services for the purpose of roof repair.
One local division of the scout group is attempting to raise £39,000 to repair the old roof on Durant’s Hill Road hut, in Apsley. The building’s roof is over 40 years old and is damaged and made of hazardous materials, such as asbestos. Being a donated meeting place for the local scout group, the roof repair is vital to the group’s survival in its efforts towards helping the community. The scout group will be fundraising for the next six months in hopes of raising enough funds to pay for the replacement of the building’s roof.
Roof Ventilation
Regular maintenance can extend the life of your roof, so can insuring you have proper attic ventilation. Keeping the air flowing in your attic can minimize ice damning and lower your energy costs. Moisture produced inside the home may move to the attic if ceiling vapor barriers are not used. If moisture is not removed from the attic it can cause deterioration of your roofing materials.
The main goal is for attics to keep rain and snow out of your home and to be free of moisture problems and also the control of heat gain or loss.
Proper Air Flow
An effective roofing system will allow air to flow constantly through your attic, while keeping the inside temperature constant. If additional air flow is needed, there are temperature controlled power ventilators that can move the air in the attic.
Basically, for every 300 square feet of ceiling space, you need one square foot of attic ventilation. Gable vents may allow a small amount of air through your attic, roof line vents are effective for ventilation but usually not recommended due to leaking issues, and soffit vents may leave air trapped at the top of the attic. Ridge vents and soffit vents are generally the best and the most cost effective venting available according to most roofing experts.
Talk to A Roofing Professional
Talking to a roofing professional will help you determine if you have enough ventilation. Also check local building codes that may affect your home.
Roof Canales and Parapets
Drainage on a flat roof (or nearly flat) is very important. A minimal slope of ¼ is needed for water to drain off the roof properly to prevent buildup of water and leaks and other roof problems. Usually you are not seeing a flat roof, but a parapet or wall that contains the flat roof. A parapet is a low wall projecting from the edge of a roof, platform or terrace.
Drain spouts that protrude through the roof parapets are called canales. Canales are commonly made of wood reinforced with a metal lining. Southwestern adobe style flat roofed homes traditionally use canales instead of gutters to drain water from a flat roof. Parapets are very common in London; in 1707 projecting wooden eaves were banned due to fire risk.
Typically Canales Will Drain 400 sf of a Roof
Sometimes heavy rain fall has trouble passing through the canales openings fast enough to prevent water from puddling on the roof. Regular yearly inspections of the canals can insure nothing is blocking them and they are in good condition. Also check where the roof meets the parapet to look for possible places for leaks that may need roof repair. Other ways to allow more water to drain is by making the opening in the parapet larger than the canals. Canales should be avoided on the north sides of roofs since the parapet can give too much shade causing freezing and ice blockage and damaging the roof.
You can prevent erosion in your yard from the canales drainage by using rain barrels under the spouts. The water saved can water your yards and growing beds and used for other non-potable water needs.
Leaking Roof for Cibola County DA
The New Mexico Cibola County District Attorney’s and county manager’s office is having a problem with the roof leaking. Recent snow storms have left a large amount of water on the roof and it is draining into the offices.
13th District Attorney Lemeul Martinez recently removed all the furniture and electronics out of his office due to the water problems. Some of the staff has been temporarily relocated to offices in Sandoval and Valencia Counties.
Canales Not Draining Properly
The problem seems to be that the canales (drain spouts protruding through the parapet, or low wall) on the roof are freezing at night preventing water from draining off the roof properly. The water is backing up and pooling on the roof and finding ways to leak into the building.
Approximately 5 years ago the roof received a major renovation that cost taxpayers $300,000. The company that installed the roof gave a 3-5 year warranty on workmanship and labor. The roofing products have a 10 year warranty.
Only Part of the Warranty Viable
Since the original roofers are no longer required by their warranty to repair the problems, Cibola County Manager Scott Vinson is hoping to get an area contractor to access the roof problems. Firestone manufactured the roofing material, a rubber membrane that stretches with the heat and cold. An Albuquerque firm, National Roofing will be performing the warranty work on the material.
Vinson said “The damage to the building is not significant, most of the damage is to the sheetrock, ceiling tiles and carpet in the interior of the building that will be repaired by the in-house work crew and we will make sure that the manufacturer is held accountable for the costs of that work.”
Free Roof Applications Due For Charity Program
One charity program in Michigan is seeking applications for those in need of a new roof. The Rebuilding Together Ingham County offers several local residents the opportunity for a free roof repair as part of their annual program. Local volunteers pull together to help roofers provide residents in need a dry and safe home for the New Year.
Christmas In April
The program is part of an annual charity event that has been dubbed by locals as “Christmas In April”. Charity participants repaired 18 homes last year in a one day, blitz of home repairs on the last Saturday of April. This year the group hopes to improve last year’s record by helping at least 20 residents.
The program focuses on repairs for low income seniors and the disabled. In order to be eligible for participation, residents must be at least 60 years of age or disabled and living in the home as their primary residence in need. Applicants must have an income less than $1,361 per month and be current on their property taxes. Repairs that qualify for assistance include new roof, plumbing work, painting, gutter and safety rail installation.
Applications are due by January 20th and Ingram County, Michigan residents can find out more information by calling (517) 214-8356. Anyone wishing to volunteer can contact the organization at Rebuilding Together Ingham County P.O. Box 1111, Okemos, Mi., 48805.
