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Roof inspections should be top of mind before winter sets in
It may seem like last winter ended not too long ago, but the reality is that fall is quickly coming to an end, and colder temperatures and harsh weather are not far off. As a building owner or facility manager, planning for winter’s ice and snow starts at the top: The roofing membrane serves as the first line of defense against the elements. For roofing professionals, this is an opportunity to be a proactive partner with customers. While internal staff may be tasked with performing basic roof inspections throughout the year, it is always a good precaution to hire a roofing professional for a detailed inspection before the weather turns. This can prevent minor roofing issues from becoming major concerns. A close-up...
read moreGenFlex EZ TPO Peel & Stick™ membrane makes for safe and speedy installation
When a member of the Broadmoor Church in Shreveport, Louisiana donated money to replace the 20-year-old roof, the project came to life in the summer of 2015. The church’s 17,500-square-foot building was prone to leaks and held two existing roofs, making it clear that it was time to replace the roof. Roofing contractor Steve Kinel, and his team from Corporate Roofing, led this project but worked closely with GenFlex distributor Bill Henderson, of Riverside Roofing Materials, and GenFlex sales representative, Chuck Steiner. The Broadmoor Church hosts many occupants on a regular basis, including a daycare, so it was extremely important that the roofing team find the right product to ensure a speedy and safe installation. After...
read moreCommercial construction sector looks promising moving forward
Unemployment rates are strikingly lower through 2015 in the U.S. construction market compared to other markets and equipment purchases are on the rise. While 2015 might not be a record-setting year for the industry, signs indicate that the construction sector may continue with an upward trend for several years. According to Jones Lang LaSalle, construction unemployment has declined 20 percent year-over-year since June 2014, and construction demand continues to grow. Earlier this year, Wells Fargo released a forecasting report on the construction industry which included 2015 equipment purchases. The banking institution estimated an increase in new and used equipment purchases throughout 2015. Also included in the Wells...
read moreEnergy-saving tips for Energy Action Month
The roof is often times your building’s first layer of protection against environmental elements, but it is also indispensable to your building’s overall energy efficiency. Energy consumption rates continue to climb, making it more important than ever to focus on ways to reduce a building’s energy needs. Selecting the best roofing materials for the project can greatly improve a building’s overall energy efficiency. While a cool roof membrane will work to keep a facility’s cooling cost lower during the summer, many parts of the country find great relief with a product more conducive to heat reflectivity. Read more about how GenFlex is doing its part to stay up-to-date with energy-efficiency standards in our recent post,...
read moreGenFlex practices Energy Action Month all year
President Obama declared October Energy Action Month as part of an overall federal agency initiative to reduce energy consumption. Every year, commercial buildings represent nearly one-fifth of all U.S. energy consumption, according to the Department of Energy. In the commercial sector, the top three end uses of energy consumption include space heating, lighting and space cooling. Combined, these three components represent approximately half of all commercial building energy consumption. To go along with this, commercial energy consumption grew between 58 percent and 69 percent from 1980 to 2009 and continues to rise. In more recent years, LEED® certification and the WELL Building Standard® are on the rise, and building...
read moreJust how strong is your commercial roof
The roof is often times your building’s first layer of defense against the weather elements, standing up to extreme UV light, heavy snow, and rain. Even a regular maintenance trip to the roof can result in something being dropped on the surface. Common punctures to your roof can happen in a variety of ways with objects hitting the roof at high and low rates of speed. Single-ply membranes do not have a hard exterior layer, so they may seem less resistant to damage on the surface, but many factors go into selecting the right roofing membrane that will stand the test of time. To help ensure your roof is up to par, your roofing contractor will generally work with their roofing distributor, the general contractor, and the...
read moreStorm season was harsh this year; is it time to re-cover the roof
Unforgiving storms combined with excessive amounts of rainfall followed by extreme summer conditions have created less than ideal conditions for an older roofing system this season. It was the most active July for tornadoes since 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. On July 12, a large thunderstorm traveled nearly 1,000 miles from Minnesota to North Carolina, resulting in more than 900 severe weather reports, mostly consisting of strong winds and large hail – a roof’s worst nightmare. Also according to the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, this past July marked the wettest July on record for a few states and cities,...
read moreBest roof for the job: GenFlex takes on Cincinnati apartment complex
GenFlex proved to be a valuable partner for the roofing team as they worked on the VP3 Apartments in Cincinnati, Ohio. Situated near the east side of the University of Cincinnati, VP3 Apartments were a part of a revitalization effort in the community to provide additional housing in the area. Downtown Cincinnati is receiving a $3 billion transformation in efforts to change the industrial feel of the city’s urban space. Uptown Rental Properties saw a need for additional housing near the University of Cincinnati and developed more than 40,000 square feet for the main apartment building and an additional 10,000 square feet in townhomes. For this project, the team at Armor Services partnered with Midwest Roofing Supply...
read moreGenFlex helps clear the air on VOCs
“Green” means many things to many people. For building owners, it typically refers to the energy efficiency of a building. For general contractors, it can indicate the sustainability of products and practices. For architects, it sometimes represents the impact of construction on the surrounding ecosystem. And for roofers, we often think of “green” as the amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the products we use. It’s estimated that more than 80,000 chemicals are commonly used in construction around the world, and there’s a growing backlash against potentially toxic additives like VOCs – a class of chemicals whose emissions can exacerbate respiratory illnesses like asthma. If you’re a construction...
read moreMake your roof last despite summer storms
At any given time, there are 1,800 storms occurring, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service. This adds up to approximately 16 million storms every year…good odds that one will be brewing over a roof near you soon enough. Summer is a particularly intense season for severe weather due to the rise in warm temperatures and added moisture in the air. Inevitably, severe summer storms will damage buildings and homes. After any severe weather, it is a good building maintenance practice to perform a roof inspection to ensure there is no damage. Some important things to look for include: Proper drainage: Low slope roofs are designed to drain within 24-72 hours. Standing water after...
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