Archive for the ‘Roof Damage’ Category
City of Abilene Texas Roofing Permits
What’s bad for the homeowner is turning out to be good for the city of Abilene Texas. Since the baseball sized hail storm hit on April 24th, the city has issued over 7,200 roofing permits. The city is also getting a boost from the 2% sales tax.
Additional Roofers in Abilene
Roofers are paying sales tax on roofing supplies, estimated at $50.00 per job plus putting money into the local economy. Roofers from out of town and local roofing companies are hiring additional workers to handle all the extra roofing jobs since the storm.
According to the City of Abilene Texas website from April, 24, 2011 to October 15, 2011, 7,282 roofing permits were issued and $371,417.20 in permit fees was collected.
BBB Lists New Roofers
Abilene has seen an influx in roofers, the Better Business Bureau knows of 79 new roofing contractors in the service area of 13 counties, 11 contractors are from out of state and 13 are new to the roofing business.
The problem the homeowners are having is too many roof repairs, and not enough roofers. They can’t wait for months or years for their local contractors to have the time to repair or replace their roof. The scammers and fly by night companies are taking advantage of the situation.
Watch Out For Scams
Local roofing contractors are warning customers of scammers that chase storms, get the money and then disappear. Shoddy jobs are also a problem, costing the homeowner sometimes triple the original amount to repair the damage made by inexperienced roofers.
Insurance companies are paying the claims, the homeowners and businesses are paying the roofing contractors who are in turn buying the permits, roofing supplies and paying their employees, who pay their insurance…and the city of Abilene Texas is getting a nice increase in revenue.
Meteorite Hits Roof
A family in France was surprised to find a 4.5 million year old meteorite had crashed through their tile roof and was lodged in their attic insulation.
The Comette family (really, that’s their name) arrived home from their vacation and noticed their roof was leaking. When the roofer saw the hole in the roof he said: ‘You need to be Superman to break a tile like that! It must be a meteorite.”
Chrondrite Rock
The 3 oz. egg shaped meteorite came from an asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars says Alain Carion a mineral scientist. “The iron-rich celestial rock known as a “chondrite” was easily identifiable thanks to a black fusion crust that characterizes the crossing of the Earth’s atmosphere”.
Estimated 10,000 meteorites hit each year
A surprisingly large amount of meteors crash through roofs with incredible speed and force.
Although the expert’s figures vary, according to the British National Space Center, they estimate 10,000 football sized meteorites hit the earth each year.
Other Roof Hits
January 2010, in Lorton, VA a 308gram stone chondrite meteorite crashed through a dental office roof. In August 2006, a 25 ounce meteorite smashed a hole in a steel plate on the roof of a warehouse in Moss Norway. In 1954 a meteorite crashed through the roof of a house in Alabama. The homeowner was sleeping when the grapefruit sized meteorite fell into her bedroom.
Cheyenne Roofers
Roofing contractors in Cheyenne Wyoming are scrambling to repair thousands of damaged roofs. According to Bruce Wilson, the city’s chief building inspector, 830 permits were issued by this time last year and over 3,000 roof repair permits have been issued since the two July hail storms this year. He estimates as many as 5,100 homes incurred roof damage.
Golf Ball Size Hail
The storms on July 12 and again on July 24th produced golf balls size hail. Intersections were flooded with water and hail. Residents and city employees cleared debris from storm drains until the city snow plow and front loader arrived to clear the intersections. It looked like a blanket of snow on the rooftops and ground in the middle of July.
More Permits
Contractors are speculating there will be many more roof repair permits as some homeowners have not inspected their roofs. Roofing companies are expecting to be repairing the storm damaged roofs for the next couple of years. Homeowners are being warned to beware of storm chasers who come into town and scam people into paying for roof repairs that will never get done. As always, check with the Better Business Bureau, ask for references and get their brick and mortar address and phone number.
Church Roof Deemed Un-Repairable
A 98 year old church is scheduled to be torn down at the end of September in Clinton Massachusetts. The former Our Lady of Jasna Gora church on Franklin Street is deteriorating and damaged. The Roman Catholic Church was built in 1913 and designated for Polish immigrants.
The distinctive roof design would be difficult to repair and costly to replace. A large stained glass window directly under the roof is making it challenging and expensive to fix . “It’s a very unusual building, and it would be a very difficult roof to repair because of its unique architecture,” said Monsignor Thomas J. Sullivan, chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Worcester.
The church was last used by the Catholic Church for Mass in 2010. The adjacent school, St. Mary’s Elementary was closed in 2009.
The church has been up for sale, but so far no one has been willing to pay the $300,000 for the building. Once the church is torn down, the cost of the property will be less and they are hoping to be able to sell the school, rectory and recreation building.
Inspect Your Roof after a Storm
The recent hurricane and storms on the east coast remind us that our roofs should be inspected after each heavy rain and storm. Small leaks can turn into big problems; it’s cheaper and easier to fix a few missing shingles or bent flashing now than replacing your whole roof and deck later.
Check for Damage
Stains on your drywall are a good indicator that your roof may be leaking. Check your yard for any roofing nails or shingles that may have blown off during the storm. Standing in your yard with binoculars or safely on a ladder, check for missing shingles or missing or bent flashings on your roof.
Although your roof may be guaranteed to last 20 years, your flashings and rubber flanges should be replaced after approximately 7 years. Leaks from pipes and vents for plumbing and chimneys are common due to the flashing being blown off or bent.
Check Your Gutters
Don’t forget to check your gutters. If they are full of dirt and debris, the water can back up and seep under the soffit, shingles or decking. This could rot the wood and create large holes that are costly to repair.
If your roof is in need of repairs after a storm, depending on how extensive they are, you can hire a local handyman you trust or call on a reputable roofing company to give you an estimate and fix your roof.
Strong Roofs Help Stand Up To Tornadoes
Researchers show much of the damage from tornadoes comes from homes not being secured together adequately. If you focus on windows and doors, and tie your truss into roof rafters and anchor the roof to the walls with metal clips and straps and then securely anchor your walls to the foundation; your home should be able to withstand winds at 110 to 120 mph.
The institute of Business and Home Safety in Tampa Florida says that 77% of tornadoes have wind speeds of less than 110 mph. It may cost 2-3% more to connect your house together, but the savings will be evident when your home is still standing after high winds rip through your neighborhood.
There are no tornado building codes; most cities require codes for earthquakes, hurricanes and floods. FEMA estimates to build an 8 X 8 foot safe room inside your home, it would cost $6,500 to $8,500
According to the Florida Institute, 110 to 120 MPH winds can destroy a typical house in 4 seconds. The problems begin when the wind carrying debris shatters doors and windows, then air rushes in your home and the structure is pressurized. The internal pressure builds and pushes against the ceiling and roof. The roof is also getting pressure from the outside wind. Once the roof blows off, the walls can collapse.
While your home may not stand up to a direct hit from a severe tornado, connecting your roof to walls, and walls to foundation will help your home survive.
Roof Collapses at Georgia Senior Center
At 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 24, 2011, a portion of the roof collapsed at the Golden Living Center on Scenic Highway in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The roof crashed down over the dining area where the construction crews were working on that section.
The contractors, workers, staff and residents were all accounted for and no one was reported as being hurt. The staff and residents were fortunate that the roof did not collapse later in the afternoon when people would be using the dining room for activities.
School buses, vans, and ambulances transported more than 100 residents that had to be evacuated to other Golden Living Centers in the Gwinnet county area. The residents had to be evacuated due to the structure damage and the utilities being cut, making it unsafe for residents to stay.
The Gwinnet Golden Living Senior Center provides a place for seniors to socialize and participate in a variety of activities. The residents receive skilled nursing long-term care, and also short-term care to help those who are recovering after an illness, injury or surgery.
City inspectors, firefighters and contractors are working together to assess the damage to the dining room and kitchen area of the buildings. The cause remains under investigation.
Family members can call the 24 hour information line at 800 926-5766 for information on their loved ones.
Roof Leaks at Louisville High School
Three different times in the month of November, North Clay High School in Louisville Illinois, has had water leaking into the classrooms. The issues started on November 3rd when an unexpected rain seeped through the exposed portions on the roof. The damage forced the school to close on November 4th to clean up the water saturated ceiling tiles that had crumbled onto the classroom floors.
Although each storm has produced rain under an inch, it has been enough to saturate the ceiling tiles and cover the classroom floors. The rain passed through the drop ceilings and then into the second floor classrooms. An estimated 65% of the classrooms were affected. Teachers and staff have been shuffling the students around to unaffected classrooms and working hard to clean up the mess.
Channels cut into the roof to connect a new vaulted roof to the existing rooftop have been the catalyst for the damage. A subcontractor applied a foam like protective spray coating into the channel attempting to prevent further damage. Unfortunately, it was the wrong type of coating and did not protect the roof from leaking.
The cost of the damage to the ceiling tiles, electronics, and damage to the roof is still being evaluated. The bills are being sent to the general contractor Johannes Construction of Centralia. Joiner Construction of Greenville has been the subcontractor for the roofs protective coating.
On thanksgiving break workers will be repairing the damage, removing tiles and fixing upper ceilings. The school officials and staff are hoping things will be back to normal soon.
High Demand for Roofs in Colorado
Many damaged roofs in the Colorado Springs area are due to winter storms early this year and massive hail in early July reeking havoc on local homes. Nearly 17,000 permits for new roofs were issued, more than 2 ½ times as many as in 2009. The roofing costs are estimated to be $85 million.
Along with the rise in roofing needs is a rise in homeowner complaints. Southern Colorado has received 95 roofing related complaints, nearly double from last year. Customers are citing shoddy work, fraud and pressure tactics from fast talking con artists. The high demand also opened the door for less experienced workers. At least one roofing company has been investigated by the Colorado Springs police department for theft.
They are also seeing a big influx of storm chasers using high pressure tactics and scamming homeowners. These operators are knocking on doors and offering to check your roof for damage. Homeowners are handing over money without checking references, often taken in by the lowest bid.
One of the biggest mistakes a homeowner can make is to give money up front. Get a written detailed estimate, check references, and verify they have an actual business location and local phone numbers so you can contact them in case of issues. And never make a final payment until you have inspected your roof and are satisfied.
Creek Gets Acrylic Roofing Runoff
Approximately 25 gallons of white roofing material spilled into the Matadero Creek in Palo Alto California during Saturday‘s rain storm.
Residents called 911 when they noticed the milky paint like substance in the creek. Firefighters tracked the spill to a building leased to Xerox/VMware on Hillview Ave.
Acrylic elastomeric roofing material runoff from two roofs entered the downspouts from the buildings that connect to the city system and then on to an outlet on Matadero creek. The property owner and the contractor are working to block any additional drainage.
Titanium oxide and a drying agent were applied Friday and Saturday to two separate buildings by Platinum Roofing Inc. of San Jose. The roofing material did not have a chance to dry before the rain storm hit Saturday. The contractor stated that lower level of accelerant added to the product and lower then expected outside temperatures is why the roofing material failed to cure.
The creek remains cloudy; most of the milky substance has cleared. There is still some pooling of the material in the catch basins. Although the substance is not known to be harmful, officials are hoping there will be minimal toxicity to the creeks inhabitants.
Fire department and city environmental officials are still investigating and determining what type of codes and fines will be enforced. The company will more than likely receive a fine, the penalties can run up to $10,000.
