During the spring we received a call about a flat roof that was leaking and in desperate need of replacing. The roof sq ft is approximately 40,000 total for the two adjoining roofs. Their current roof was a built up roof system with the gravel. The crew went to the site and began investigating the leaking problems they were having.

In Southern Indiana climates a problem that occurs for many roofs in the area are moss, algae, lichens and fungus’. These organisms like to live in humid climates and shady areas. They love moisture and one place that they can get that moisture is on shingles. They also absorb and hold moisture on the roof causing the life span of the shingles to lessen quicker than should. Because we live in or around a lot of wooded areas and we have such a humid environment, these are very common problems homes have to deal with on the roof and attached to the house materials. Moss needs 3 things to grow, shade, humidity and moisture that makes for our area the perfect area for moss to grow. Especially on roofs. 

What is a fly by night roofing? This is what we call a so called roofing contractor that uses different tactics to get roof jobs and then is gone by the time the job is done and they are paid. We have heard many stories this year about roofs that are leaking badly or even one that did not even get the same color and/or brand because the contractor messed up. Why is that probably because they were a fly by night roofer that is not licensed, insured and probably doesn't even have experience. It is extremely important to make sure and check out the roofing contractors you have contacted for your roof. If not you will end up with a lot more cost of repairs or replacement shortly after you just spent a lot. Read some of our blogs that discuss things to watch for. 

Days fly by so fast during the summer and now schools will be back in session and fall will be just around the corner. If you haven’t had your roof inspected whether it is a flat roof, slope roof or a commercial roof or residential roof; now is the time to start having them inspected before the winter is upon us. The way the crazy weather has been in Southern Indiana area there is no telling what kind of winter we are up against this year but one thing is for sure that we will have the freezing temperatures and the snow and ice. Don’t let your roof fall victim to the harsh winter without being ready to withstand it. Ice damming is very common in our area and can be very damaging come spring time. Also the heavy amounts of snow can cause problems for many flat roofs in the area. It is also good to start checking gutter systems and ensure they are clean and hanging properly for aluminum gutters. Box gutters should be checked for breakage and blockage.  We can assist in an inspection of commercial buildings no matter what roofing system you have. Don’t let winter catch you by surprise.

One thing that might not be considered about the type of roofing system needed for a roof is based on the structure load that the roof can handle. Any deficiencies in the structure of the roof can cause flat roofs to collapse under too much weight on top of the roof. In some cases the designer or builder did not include sufficient support for the roof size and structure. Make sure that before you start deciding what roof system that you have the information about your roof structure in order to make an good decision on what is best for your roof. The more information you know about your roof the better decisions you will make to ensure it continues to perform the way it should.

There are so many roofing systems today that are used for flat roofs. Which is the best? Every roofing contractors opinion will vary. Every region will have varying prices on systems so its hard to say what system is actually the best priced. Some have their favorite systems for many reasons like ease of installation, lower price, performance and so on. Here at Exterior Pro we have a roofing system we recommend more than others for flat roofing that meets all of the above. In the Southern Indiana region we feel that the system is best priced for the quality and performance this product has provided. One reason is this roofing system does not use glue/adhesives and does not use tar or asphalt to be applied, especially at the seams. The system we recommend for flat roofs is Duro-Last.We have seen so many different flat roofs with many problems in leaks and a lot of these areas are the seams. Sometimes it can be the workmanship but the older roofing systems that still use the older application process of glue and tar, still do not last. Seams are the most likely areas leaks will occur because the outdated roofing systems still relying on the adhesives, tar and asphalt to provide the best performance when in fact there is a better technology to apply flat roofing systems that are lasting longer than 10 years. 

Having a business alone can be expensive and business owners have to learn of ways to save money on inventory, products and everything else that goes along with running a business. But do you think about how to save money on having an expensive expenditure for your roof? Here are some times that can help save money when having to get a new roofing system for your flat roof.

The roof is normally the last thing many of us think about in every season because there is always so much going on. In the spring time we are so happy the flowers will bloom, grass grows back and the sun starts warming the days not to mention spring break time when we like to travel. Then the summer comes, kids are out of school and the days get busy with adventures and yard work that must be done. Then by the time we think about our roof its fall time and some attempt to fix the roof ourselves, then we go about cleaning gutters and preparing for winter. Then what is the worst thing that can happen? There are still problems with the roof and we might as well let it go until spring because its winter.

Commercial buildings can average in size 5,000-10,000 sq ft in many different industries. Considering the size of these buildings you can imagine the effort that must be taken to maintain the roof. Businesses have so much cost that is involved in running the business, the last thing a business wants to do is spend a fortune in repairs every year to keep the building in current conditions. Why spend that much money every year to restore it to the condition it was in than to improve the buildings condition and spend less every year? In todays economy many businesses don’t need the extra costs every year. If you are paying for a repair for your roof that seems small at cost but having to repeat these repairs and maintenance every year; after 10 years or so you could already have spent more than you would to install a new roof system. Of course a new roof will cost more than repairs most of the time, but if you look at what you have to spend on an annual basis it makes more sense to invest in a new roof and not have an annual repairs cost added for the lifetime of the roofing system.