Roof Replacement: Safety Hazards, Impact on Occupants

Building owners and managers must consider safety hazards and the negative impact that roof condition has on building occupants, who too often are left out of any financial analysis when deciding to replace or maintain a roof.

No one will argue the importance of safety. Old, worn-out, defective roofs are a hazard to those working on them and to building occupants underneath. But unless an accident has occurred, facility professionals tend to not give this factor enough consideration when debating the need for roof replacement.

Though a roof contributes an average of only 5% to a building's construction cost, it is by far the most litigated component of a commercial or institutional building.

Consider a study by the Education Writers Association, which found that 1/4 of America's school buildings were inadequate, obsolete or downright dangerous, and that school budgets generally do not provide enough money to make a dent in the problem. Researchers report a correlation between the poor physical condition of schools and low test scores.

It is not too far-fetched to blame a part of this situation on structural problems, such as roof leaks, because so many districts face problems with large amounts of deferred maintenance. When districts cut capital-improvement budgets, by far the primary target is the roof. Whether a leaky roof is a nuisance or a major safety hazard, its condition says something about the organization.

Avoiding Trouble
Should a manager wait until leaks become intolerable — until the roof has failed — before starting to make the case for roof replacement? The most cost-effective option for roof replacement is the trouble-avoidance option. Avoiding future problems reduces risks and long-term roofing costs.

Roof replacement should take place long before leaks become a regular occurrence. By planning a roof replacement before the system fails, managers can realize significant cost savings in two other ways.

First, early planning for replacement might allow for overlaying the first roof, which avoids tear-off costs related to the existing roof. This option might not always be available because of potential restrictions, such as code or structural requirements or flashing height limits.
But when overlaying is an option, it can generate significant cost savings. A tear-off of an existing roof can add $2-4 per square foot to the replacement project. This figure easily could double when the project requires interior protection to keep debris from falling into the building.

Second, early planning for replacement can prevent damage to the roof's structural deck. Delays in roof replacement can allow water to damage the deck, and managers too often neglect to consider costs associated with a deteriorating structural deck until replacement is under way. Deck replacement costs can be significant — typically about $46 per square foot. Again, the type of interior protection required can drive up the cost significantly.


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The Economic Impact of Roof Leaks

When is roof replacement a better option than continued roof maintenance? Of course, the ideal answer to this question is never, but it is rare that a roof's service life equals the service life of the rest of the building.

The more obvious answer to the question is that roof replacement is a better option when the roof's watertight integrity (its primary function) is compromised. When leaks become intolerable, it is time to replace the roof!

When do leaks become intolerable? Is leak tolerance the best or most cost-effective reason to make a huge capital investment? A central element in the roof-replacement decision for managers is determining when leaks become bad enough to mandate replacement.

The Economics of Leaks
In some cases, a financial model can help determine when roof maintenance has reached the point of diminishing returns, in which case building owners or managers essentially end up throwing good money after bad. As much as preventive maintenance is preached for roof systems, at some point it becomes useless.

It is difficult to justify the capital expense of replacing a roof, especially when that money could go toward buying new equipment and systems that would benefit the organization's bottom line. But roof leaks also can hurt the bottom line. Consider these real-world examples:

• Interior damage. Roof leaks that damage ceiling tiles, carpet, furniture, and computers are common, but the damage can be much more severe. What if a school lost its gymnasium floor due to damage from roof leaks? The school would have to cancel or move athletic events and replace the floor, at a cost of $500,000 or more.
• Operations downtime. A roof leak could shut down operations for a day or longer, costing the company tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue.
• Damaged products. A retail store could lose tens of thousands of dollars worth of products due to one roof leak.
• Lost business. Roof leaks could force a hotel to close its top floor (the priciest rooms) for weeks, causing significant lost revenue.

Building owners and managers must incorporate all of these factors into any life-cycle cost analysis in trying to justify a roof replacement. Granted, for any manager who has not gone through the cost-justification process, projected costs are only predictions. But to neglect figuring in these costs is misleading and provides a false sense of security.


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Tired of labor problems and low profit margins? Make more $$ spraying coatings with Conklin Roofing Systems! Patton Services | (309) 303-3128 | rpatton55@comcast.net | http://www.whiteroofingsystems.com

 

New Life For an Old Roof

Conklin has been in the innovation business since 1977, when we formulated the first acrylic roof coatings. Now we’re taking our innovation to new heights by offering a complete waterproofing system for Aged Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE) roofs that can improve and extend the life of the existing single-ply roof.

As TPO and other approved single-ply membranes become weathered, rooftops can crack, leak, and pick up dirt, diminishing their effectiveness and energy-saving properties. Conklin’s elastomeric coatings provide a new, cost-effective solution for repairing and preserving approved single-Ply membrane, resulting in improved energy savings.

An approved single-ply membrane restored with a Conklin Roofing System will deliver all these benefits for years to come:

• Stops leaks with superior waterproofing
• Increases energy efficiency and lowers utility expense with its cool, white, reflective surface
• Extends the life of your existing roof

Professional application of a Conklin Single-Ply Coating System involves:

1. Power washing and cleaning with Wac II Roof Cleaner
2. Priming the surface with Tack Coat
3. Reinforcing the seams with Spunflex® imbedded in Rapid Roof® III or Equinox Base Coat
4. Sealing the entire roof with Rapid Roof® III or Equinox Top Coat

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Tired of labor problems and low profit margins? Make more $$ spraying coatings with Conklin Roofing Systems! Patton Services | (309) 303-3128 | rpatton55@comcast.net | http://www.whiteroofingsystems.com

Roofing: Recover or Replace? (Part 5 - Replacing Roofs)

Replacing Roofs

The complete removal and replacement of an existing roofing system, known commonly as a tear-off, is warranted if one or more of the following situations exist:

• Tear-off is mandated by the building code.
• The existing roofing system has deteriorated beyond being serviceable as a substrate for a recover system.
• There is extensive moisture below the membrane.
• The existing roof system attachment cannot provide the wind up-lift resistance or fire protection required for the new roof assembly.
• There is significant deterioration to the underlying structural deck.
• The existing roof assembly contains phenolic foam insulation, which, when wet, may create sulfonic and formic acids that will promote the corrosion of steel.

Exposure of the interior finishes to water damage during the construction process is a major concern and will influence the selection and design of the roof replacement system. One approach that will facilitate the safe installation of a new roof over an occupied space is to install a temporary roof. In northern and moderate-temperature climates, this temporary roof can remain in place and serve as a vapor retarder in the new roof system.

A typical building will accommodate several roofs throughout its existence. Educated decisions pertaining to maintenance, repairs, recovers or replacements can only be made when there is a thorough understanding of the roofing materials and their relationships within a system and to the building. Please consult a professional roofing contractor when making this decision.

We hope you have enjoyed this five-part series on making the decision to recover or replace your roof. If you have any questions, please call (309) 303-3128 or email rpatton55@comcast.net.

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Tired of labor problems and low profit margins? Make more $$ spraying coatings with Conklin Roofing Systems! Patton Services | (309) 303-3128 | rpatton55@comcast.net | http://www.whiteroofingsystems.com

 

Roofing: Recover or Replace? (Part 4 - Recovering Roofs)

Recovering Roofs
The installation of a new roofing system over an existing roof (if viable) is an alternative approach to roof replacement. The major advantage to this approach known as recovering is the cost savings associated with not having to remove and dispose of the existing roof membrane. This can be acheived with a variety of materials including cool roof coatings like those from Conklin. Another advantage is the reduction of materials sent to landfills because labor, disposal and trucking costs are high and are climbing faster than material costs.

There is also an opportunity to improve the thermal performance of the roof system because most recovers include the installation of a thin section of insulation or other material to separate the new roof membrane from the existing roof membrane. A final advantage that recover has over replacement is that the existing membrane stays in place, protecting the interior from water damage while the new roof is being installed.

As with repairs, an issue that must be addressed prior to any recover is determining whether moisture is present under the existing system. Trapping water within an existing roof assembly is a problem that often occurs with improperly executed recover projects.

If moisture is present under the existing system, additional investigation is warranted. If the subsurface moisture is extensive — 30 to 35 percent or more of the entire roof area — it may be more practical and cost effective to remove the entire roof system and replace it rather than attempting a recover.

There are many devices and methods used to detect and quantify subsurface moisture. These include nuclear backscatter, infrared imaging and capacitance meters. There are advantages and disadvantages of each system, and these should be explored.

Another factor influencing whether or not a recover project is feasible is establishing how many roof systems or layers are currently in place, which requires making inspection openings. Most modern building codes allow a maximum of two non-ballasted roof systems on a structure, mostly due to the weight associated with the roofing materials. Other code-related issues are wind up-lift and fire resistance, which the building’s insurance carrier may also influence through specific requirements. The length of the warranty required for the new roof also needs to be considered, because many roofing manufacturers will limit the duration for the warranty available on recover projects.

Tomorrow we wrap-up this series with a discussion on replacing roofs. Please check back and feel free to leave us a comment.

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Tired of labor problems and low profit margins? Make more $$ spraying coatings with Conklin Roofing Systems! Patton Services | (309) 303-3128 | rpatton55@comcast.net | http://www.whiteroofingsystems.com

 

Roofing: Recover or Replace? (Part 3 - Investigating Moisture)

Investigating Moisture
Repair or replacement of specific roofing elements can be justified when the causes of damage to a roof membrane are from impact, an isolated incident of poor installation, or some other non-systemic cause. In those cases, once the roof is repaired the expected service life of the system will be restored.

One procedure that should be included as part of any roof repair is an investigation for the presence of moisture below the roofing membrane. Even though the membrane may appear to be in good condition on the surface, the presence of subsurface moisture from other sources may create problems that can only be addressed by the removal of an apparently good membrane.

If extensive subsurface moisture is present below the existing membrane, all the wet areas of the roof system should be replaced since wet insulation, wood blocking and gypsum will deteriorate and may lead to further problems, such as mold growth.

In any case, the source or sources of moisture must be found and confirmed; otherwise, the conditions may return soon after the membrane is replaced. The continued presence of moisture attributable to an adjacent wall or condensation from the interior of the building may eventually cause structural damage to the roof deck. The cost of investigating for subsurface moisture is justified when compared to the difference between the cost of a new roof system and the cost of a new roof system plus structural repairs.

Tomorrow we will discuss recovering roofs. Please check back then to continue following this five-part series.

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Tired of labor problems and low profit margins? Make more $$ spraying coatings with Conklin Roofing Systems! Patton Services | (309) 303-3128 | rpatton55@comcast.net | http://www.whiteroofingsystems.com

 

Roofing: Recover or Replace? (Part 2 - Repairing Roofs)

Repairing Roofs

Repairing an existing roof membrane or replacing sections or parts of a roofing system become difficult to justify if the deterioration leading to the need for a repair is due to long-term exposure to the elements or the advanced age of the roof.

If the deterioration is extensive, the application of a maintenance coating will rarely solve the problem. Replacing deteriorated base flashings or pitch pockets may eliminate a specific source of water intrusion, but the extensive replacement of isolated components will rarely be cost effective. Also, the interface of the new repair elements with the old deteriorated roof membrane is difficult to perform with a consistent level of quality.

If the source of water infiltration is identified incorrectly, the roof may be repaired pointlessly several times in an attempt to find the location of the leak. As the roof leaks continue, more interior finishes will be damaged, and the cost for repairs will escalate.

If the roof is leaking because the existing system is aged, it will be just a matter of time before the entire system will need to be replaced. In those cases, the cost of the temporary solutions may not be justifiable; the money would be better spent recovering or replacing the roof.

Tomorrow we will discuss investigating moisture. Please check back to continue following this 5-part blog series.

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Tired of labor problems and low profit margins? Make more $$ spraying coatings with Conklin Roofing Systems! Patton Services | (309) 303-3128 | rpatton55@comcast.net | http://www.whiteroofingsystems.com