Prevention is the best practice
There is no way to really stop the elements from doing some type of damage to your roof. That is why taking preventive measures, like adding walkways or using better roofing materials is always a good maintenance step. But in case, you cannot do that, there are some important maintenance steps you can take that will help give your new roof a longer lifespan. Maintenance takes a little work but repair and replacement takes a lot of work. Plus, those two options are far more expensive than spending some money maintaining your roof. Create a roofing maintenance plan This is always a good idea as it can be used to train new maintenance personnel as well as guide your current maintenance workers. Having a good plan of action to follow helps keep your roof in top shape. Here are some tips for what you should include in your plan:
Tips for maintaining your commercial roof Most building owners are not roofers. They know how to rent the place out, do general clean up, and so on but when it comes to maintaining a roof, they need tips to guide them. Here are some key tips to guide your roof maintenance program. #1. Hire someone who knows the roofing material- this is an important decision to make. Regular maintenance workers may not know all the roofing materials or how to maintain them. Having one person on staff who knows that specific roofing material saves money, and time and spares you a costly repair or replacement cost. #2. Provide walkways- if there are a lot of people going up on your roof on a daily basis, then have them walk on these walkways. They will spare the degrading of the roofing materials by reducing the foot traffic to none at all. Keeping your roof in top shape means cutting down on wear and tear as well as accidents. These walkways are for roof workers as well. #3. Watch the roofing equipment- when workers go up on the roof make sure they are aware that they need to be careful with their tools and roofing equipment. Accidents can happen even with professional roofers and to keep your roof lasting longer, you need to have the workers avoid damaging the roof with these items. #4. Pick the right roofing material- some roofing materials are better than others and the best way to maintain your roof is to buy one guaranteed to last for decades. Sort through the different roofing materials and pick the best option for your building’s situation #5. Clean the roof- you will want to do this on a regular basis as debris and other items can damage the roof when left alone. Tree branches, dust, and other debris can wear a roof down, clog water vents, and do other damage. It is best to sweep and wash the roof at least once a month if not more to avoid damage to the roofing material, vents, flashing, and so on. #6. Schedule regular inspections- you cannot maintain the roof if you do not know something is wrong up there. Regular inspections will spot any areas that need maintenance work. These inspections help you avoid seeing a very minor problem turn into a very major one. They will cut your roofing expenses down so they are affordable. #7. Trim overhanging tree branches- moving branches can damage a variety of roofing materials. This means that you need to trim any branches you see hanging over your roof, even if the tree does not belong to you. Prevention is the best maintenance and this is a great prevention method to utilize. #8. Fix the problems ASAP- nothing good comes from waiting till later when it comes to roofs. The longer you wait to repair a roof problem, the more expensive and extensive it gets. Fix all roof issues as soon as you see them to avoid creating a bigger problem than you currently have. #9. Keep petroleum and other hazardous products off the roof- spills will do a lot of damage. If you need these products on the roof for roofing purposes, watch that you do not tip the cans over or spill the liquids. Also, make sure to remove the cans as soon as the workers leave for the day. Preventing accidents is good maintenance. When your building has not had a lot of maintenance done on it, call our company Motor City Roofers. We are Detroit’s go-to roofing company and we handle all sorts of roofing issues. We can do inspections, maintenance, repair, and even replacement work at an affordable price. Protect your roof by calling in our experts to see what needs to be done to extend your roof’s lifetime. When you want the best results you call in the best. Call our office today.
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Owning a roof can be expensive
Many building owners, residential or commercial, sometimes think that once the roof is replaced, there are no more costs involved till it is time to replace the roof again. That cannot be further from the truth as roofs do not always remain in top shape for 10 to 30 years. Storms and other influences take their toll on your roof and you may be surprised by the annual costs you have to pay to keep your roof in top shape. There are a lot of costs involved when you have to repair or replace your current roof. The type of roof matters No matter the type of roof your building has, you can expect to replace individual shingles or make other repairs if you find a problem. The type of roof your building has will dictate the cost of repair. For example, a standard asphalt shingle can cost roughly $4.25 per square foot while a premium asphalt shingle can cost over $8 per square foot. An aluminum shingle roof may last longer and have fewer repairs but expect to pay more per square foot than an asphalt replacement will. Flat roofing materials, like rubber, EPDM, PVC, and so on, maybe a bit cheaper as the material costs are between $5,50 and $7.50 but you are paying more for the labor involved. In general, the variety of roof types available can cost somewhere between $4.25 and 28 per square foot. But the overall cost will depend on how many shingles or the number of square feet you need to replace in a year. The expected labor costs No matter the roof type, you will always have to pay the labor fees to have your roof repaired, re-coated, and so on. The amount you will have to pay would be a standard per hour rate for your location. But, those costs may go up if your roof is slanted, three stories high, or has a unique design. Even with repairs labor costs can climb due to the hazardous or difficult situation. Those costs do not change that much if you are only repairing a small section of the roof. Annual maintenance costs There is a bit of good news here as you may not have to pay any money to care for your roof for the first 5 years of its life. But once the roof is over 5 years old, then annual inspections would be warranted. The inspection costs each year can range between $120 to $350 with a national average of $215. The type of roof, its design, and difficulty in accessing will influence the inspection costs. But these inspections should be done each year to help prevent any problems from becoming large expensive problems. The cost of repairs to your roof will depend on what is wrong with it as those problems can vary from missing shingles to holes in the roofing material to problems with the flashing. Some professional roofing costs When you hire a roofing professional, their costs are going to be a bit higher than what you can pay if you do it yourself. Also, the following prices may not be applicable each year. They are potential or unexpected costs that come from owning a roof.
The biggest unexpected cost you would have to face would be a complete roof repair. This can happen at any time from aging out to storm damage. The ballpark cost for this unexpected cost ranges between $5,700–$12,250 depending on the roofer you hire, the type of material you use, and the difficulty and size of your roof. Replacing your roof can be a major expense when your roof is quite large. Then 60% of that total cost is just for labor alone. Other unexpected roofing costs There are some roofing materials that can be laid right over the existing, damaged roof. If your roof has these types of roofing materials, then leave the old roof in place and just cover it with a new roof. This action will save you about $1000 to $1500. However, if any part or all of the roof has to be removed first, then you are looking at paying between $1 and $5 per square foot to have it removed. Removing the roof will depend on the severity of the damage as well as the roofing material type. Other costs involved in unexpected roofing costs will be any structural repair work that needs to be done. Also, there will be clean-up costs and disposal of old roofing materials. Keep in mind that chimneys and skylights can boost your unexpected costs due to materials needed and difficulty in repair. One final unexpected cost will be getting the permits needed to make the repairs. These permits can cost between $100 to $1000 and the roofing contractor usually puts those costs in your overall bill. The good news about roofing costs When your roof is built with PVC or TPO materials, you should not expect to have any maintenance or annual costs. The money you spend each year to maintain your roof will depend on the roofing material type. You may not spend any money in some years while in other years you may have to replace caulking or flashing because those components get damaged very easily. Your warranty coverage may require you to make repairs ASAP to keep the warranty valid. That means costs will vary from year to year. When you need roofing help Whether you need an inspection or actual roofing repair, call our company, Motor City Roofers. We are located in Detroit, Michigan and our professional roofers can handle all the repairs or roofing replacements you need to be done. Call us today before minor problems become expensive major ones. All roofs will leak
At some point in time, your expensive commercial roof will spring a leak. The odds against that taking place are small as there are so many ways for your commercial roof to spring a leak. Building owners, property managers, and even tenants are not looking forward to that time when the roof leaks on their building. The reasons they are not looking forward to their roof leaking are because, one, they are hard to find, two, expensive to repair, and three, can cause a lot of damage. However, there are steps you can take to minimize the damage to the building once it has been reported that there is a leak in the roof. Keep reading to find out what you can do when this problem arises in your building. There is a leak in the roof, what should be done? When someone in the building reports a roof leak, you have several options to try to rectify the situation. #1. Take safe steps- this is a situation where you as the building owner or property manager, should not go up on the roof and try to fix it yourself. Nor should you send untrained and inexperienced maintenance men up on the roof to do the same thing. Being on a roof when it is leaking can be a bit risky and you need to avoid putting yourself and others at risk. Part of the risk is the challenge of finding the roof leak. Additional equipment may be needed to make sure you found the actual source. You, the property manager, and the maintenance crew may not have access to that equipment. #2. Protect the interior property- while it is hard to find the actual leak, seeing where the leak ends up is not so challenging. Once you spot the interior leak, then it is time to take the steps to protect carpet, rugs, furniture, insulation, lighting, electronics, and much more. Water can cause a lot of damage to building interiors and its content so protecting as much as you can will help save you some money. Your insurance coverage may not cover everything so protect as much as you can. Some steps to take to apply this protection are to put tarps over carpets, other flooring materials, furniture, electronics, and other expensive to replace items. Or you can use plastic sheeting. Also, do not forget to put a bucket or two under the leak to catch the falling water drops. #3. Call in roofing experts- instead of risking life and limb, call in the experts who not only have the equipment to investigate the source of the leak but also have the knowledge of where to look and what needs to be done to fix the problem. Professional commercial roofing companies may be a bit expensive but once they are on the job, you know that the leak will usually be found and repaired quickly. If these professional roofers do fail to find the leak, then you can always call in licensed professional engineers who are a level or two above roofing pros equipment-wise and techniques. These engineers will work with professional roofers to fix the leak once it is found. The roof is still leaking, why is it doing that? There will be those times when all the steps you take will fail and your roof will continue to leak. There are some very good reasons why this is so. Here are some of those reasons: #1. Everyone failed to find the leak Blunt but true. As we said earlier, it is very difficult to find some roof leaks. They are well hidden and can escape an investigator’s eyes with ease. If the roof still leaks after you called in the contractor, then that leak tells you that they did not find it. The solution to this problem is to have the roofing contractor go up on the roof again and do another search. Or call in the professional engineers when they are free to do the search. #2. The wrong roofing material was used This can happen quite often and does when professional roofers get lazy and only use one type of roofing material to patch the leak. The key to fixing a leaking roof is to use the appropriate patch materials compatible with the roofing materials. When the patching materials are not compatible then you may stop the leak temporarily but eventually, a new hole will emerge and you are facing the same problem all over again. Make sure the contractor uses the right patching materials for your roof type. #3. Water-logged insulation was not removed This is an essential step when the roof leak damages the insulation. The water on the insulation will compress the latter and allow for a roof depression to form. Once that does, the water can stay in one spot putting pressure on the roofing seams, etc. All this pressure on the seams and the flashing can create a new leak. When you are having your roof leak repaired, make sure the roofing contractor removes all water-logged insulation and replaces it with new insulation. #4. Damage was not repaired This often happens when the roofing contractor goes with a roof coating and does not take the time to repair the structural damage underneath the coating. The underlying damage can eventually ruin the roof coating, splitting it apart and letting the water run in again. Always double-check to make sure the contractor fixes all damages before applying the roof coating. When you have a leaky commercial roof, do not trust it to just any roofing contractor. Call our office today to see what can be done to fix your roof as quickly as possible. At Motor City Roofers, we understand that time is of the essence when the roof leaks. Not only do our professional roofers work quickly but they make sure all damage is repaired before calling the leak fixed. Call us today for quick service. Do your homework
When it comes time to replace your roof, you just cannot open the phone book and pick a roofing company name by using a finger and pointing to a name with your eyes closed. This is an expensive upgrade and that means you need to do your roofing contractor homework. One of the ways to do your homework is to get a list of potential roofing companies and ask them the following questions. Then take notes and compare what they all say. The best companies will have answers that stand out and prove their credibility. Top Questions to Ask Your Roofing Contractor Some of these questions may sound obvious but there are roofers out there that are not licensed and their work ethic is a little questionable. It is best to filter these companies out before you pay a large price for hiring the wrong company. #1. Is your company licensed and bonded? This is a very important question as most states require both of these legal qualifications before they can begin work on your home. Also, be aware that a business license is not the same as a roofing license. Check with your state to see if they have methods to verify the license and bonding claims for all roofing companies. #2. Do you have insurance? Another important question that you need an affirmative answer before proceeding with the estimate. The two insurance coverage roofing companies should have are workman’s compensation and general liability. The general insurance coverage protects your home and your finances if the roofing company damages it during the removal and replacement of your current roof. Make sure to see proof of insurance coverage and that it is current. #3. Do you offer a warranty on the new roof? The correct answer will be yes. While most roofing companies offer only a 1-year warranty, the better companies will guarantee their work for up to 10 years. Make sure to get the guarantee in writing so that you have proof if anything should happen to your roof during those 1-year and 10-year time periods. If they balk at providing a written guarantee, then it is time to move on to the next roofing company on your list. #4. Do you use subcontractors? It is standard practice for some companies to outsource their work for a variety of reasons. If the company answers yes, then you should get the same information from them that you are asking from the company you are talking with. You will want the name, and address of the subcontractor, their business license information, if they are bonded and insured, and so on. Plus, you should know who is going to honor the warranty, the subcontractor or the roofing company. The roofing contractor should be able to explain to you which tasks they are outsourcing and why they are doing it. #5. How long has the contractor been in business? While not all good roofing contractors have decades in the business, more often than not, newcomers may not be as good as experienced contractors. Then, while newcomers need some jobs to get established some projects might be too tough for them to handle. In addition to those reasons, a long history in the business will provide you with a good source for references and to see how their previous clients like the work that was done on their roofs. Getting references is essential when you need an idea of how the work will be done on your roof. #6. Do you provide written estimates? This is a good way to control the cost of the roof. The estimate should provide you with accurate materials and labor costs with no hidden charges. While the estimate will not be written in stone, it is a good guide to judge if the contractor is doing extra work that you did not agree to have done. Sometimes there will be hidden damage that needs to be taken care of so your final expense may be a bit higher than the estimate. In the construction trade, there will always be additional costs when the roof is not in good shape. #7. How do you protect the property? A good roofing contractor will explain all the steps they take to ensure your surrounding property is protected from damage. They will also have the right equipment to help prevent any damage to your driveway, sidewalk, landscaping, and so on. Also, ask them how they will repair any damage done to your property if it does take place. Knowing these answers can give you some peace of mind once the work gets started. #8. How is the old roof disposed of? It is said that on the average roof, 10,000 pounds of roofing material is removed. This material has to be removed from your property. Normally, the roofing contractor will supply the right-sized dumpster to handle all the old roofing material. You should not have to order one or pay for one. The cost of the dumpster should be included in the estimate. #9. How will the contractor leave the property? On average a new roof can take several days to complete. That means that there will be an open roof and other materials left on your property. The roofing contractor should have tarps and tie-downs to protect your home from the elements. Plus, they should store the unused materials safely and cover them with tarps. Sharp objects like nails and shingles should also be picked up at the end of the day. When you are ready for a new roof, contact our company, Motor City Roofers. We have all the right answers to these and other questions concerning the roofing work for your home. We have been in the business for many years and not only are we bonded and insured, but we also have lots of references. Leaving your roof to inexperienced contractors is not the best strategy to use. Call us today for experienced help. It is a fact of life
Everything ages and metal commercial roofs are no exception to this fact. One reason why these roofs age out is that it can be expensive to maintain and repair them. But eventually, you have to address the situation and find the right methods to either bring them back to life or replace those old metal roofs. If you do not want to make this decision alone, keep reading as our article has the information you want to know about. Take a few minutes to see how this information will help you decide which option is best for you. Then after you made your decision, call Motor City Roofers to help you repair, coat or replace that aging metal roof. Solutions for your aging roof problem The good news is that there are some good solutions for when you want to upgrade your current roof. The bad news is that these solutions may not all be economically priced or some can take a long time to complete. But the following solutions all have their good and bad points and one roofing style may not work for every commercial building. You just need to investigate the style that will work best for your building and budget. #1. Repair the roof This can be done in several ways. If you have used roofing panels for your current roof, all you need to do is replace the damaged panels and your roof should be fine, for now. If the roof is on the young side, then repairing may be your best and most economical option. But if it is aging out it is best not to take any chances and simply replace the entire roof. Let our roofing experts help you make that call as they can see damage where you may not notice it. #3. Replace the roof This is an option that can take a long time to do and interrupt your business operation when it is not done correctly. The process includes tearing off the old roof and inspecting the joists. If the problem is that the metal is just old, then the joists should be in good condition and will not need to be replaced. This is the best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario is that you may have to replace some if not all of those joists. The cost of this solution will depend on the condition of those joists and other roofing materials. But the positive side of this solution is that the new roof will last for a very long time. #3. Apply a coating Ever since roof coatings were invented, it has been a popular solution to extending the life of your aging roof. This option is best when you are trying to mend minor problems and leaks, plus,m it may help with your energy issues. Once the older roof is coated, the coating should help prevent rust and corrosion and extend the life of the metal sheets. However, some owners who have used this option have had warranty problems due to repairs of leaks, etc. Another negative issue you need to know about is that the coating does not repair big leaks and it may break down sooner than expected. There is also a low adhesion factor that may not allow the coating to work as well as it could. The good news is that this is usually the most economical solution you can choose to use. #4. Metal panel overlay No matter what you call this solution, it can be called a retrofit, it is a good solution to consider. The process is where you do not tear out the old roof but add a new metal roof over the top of the existing metal panels. The pros of this solution are many. You get the extended life of a new metal roof, address major roofing issues, your building will look better, cut roofing costs, and keep your building’s interior protected from the elements. The negatives for this type of roofing option are that it can be very expensive, the installation is said to be complicated, there may be some warranty issues, and it does not help with your energy concerns that much. #5. A single-ply membrane retrofit There are a lot of advantages to using this roofing option. One is that you get some extra roofing insulation that will help with your energy needs. The insulation is placed on the roof and smooths out the existing roofing material. Over the insulation, a TPO or PVC membrane is placed to provide even more protection to your building. The high-performing membrane should prevent and guard against leaks, as well as your building experiencing other benefits. While this solution can be a bit more expensive than applying a roofing coating, the bigger drawback is that it may alter the overall look of your building. You need to analyze the look of this roof before giving the go-ahead to install it. These two negatives are overshadowed by the improved insulation, the increased reflectivity as well as better warranty coverage. Which roofing option is best for you This is hard to say as the best option will depend a lot on your roof’s design and other factors. If the joists are damaged, then replacing the joists is mandatory and some of these roofing options may not work as well as a new metal roof. The key to replacing your aging metal roof will depend on how much it impacts your current day-to-day business operations. The tear-down and rebuild option will have the highest impact while the roof coating system has the lowest. To help you find the best roofing solution for your current metal roof, call our office. Our roofing experts will gladly help you investigate all the options and help you find the best one for your roof situation. Call now so you can get that aging roof repaired or replaced as quickly as possible. It pays to go with the best roofers, Motor City Roofers. Repairing is not always the best method
The average lifespan of a commercial roof is 20 years. Some commercial roofs do not last that long while others last a lot longer. If you are lucky enough to have a slate roof, you may never have to replace your commercial roof. But for those building owners who did not install a slate roof, repairing the current one may not be the best answer. Those repairs may only delay the inevitable and cost you more money in the long run. The best repair to do is to replace those below-average and average roofs before they get any worse. You get a lot of benefits when you opt to replace your current roof with a new one. The reasons why you should replace your commercial roof #1. Your roof is getting too old- age has a way of deteriorating your roof. When yours is getting too old, repairing it just won’t help #2. Extensive damage- wind, rain, hail, and snow storms have a way of damaging your roof. When they do that damage may be too great to simply repair it. Replacement is your best option. #3. Energy efficiency- older roofs just do not have the modern technology in their components. Instead of helping you save on energy costs, those older roofs add to them. When your roof is like this, it is time to replace it with roofing materials that keep your building energy efficient. #4. Building code requirements- it happens to a lot of older buildings. Those older roofs are not meeting the updated building code requirements and you will need to replace that roof to avoid fines or other problems. Repairing won’t work here either. #5. Inferior roofing materials- back in their day, these roofing materials were state of the art. But with all the technological advancements that have taken place, replacing the older roof is a wise move. You get the benefits these upgraded modern roofing materials offer. The benefits of replacing your old roof It is a well-known fact that replacing your old roof can be too expensive. But sometimes replacement must be done. It is a fact of life and you need to make the decision, hire the contractor, and get it done before any damage happens to your building. There are some good benefits that come with replacing your older roof: #1. A new roof provides more safety- not only does technology help improve roof construction methods and materials but a new roof can withstand heavy snowfalls, stop the rain, and solve other safety issues. Plus, you can address those roof locations that seem to encourage falls and accidents. Getting rid of those liabilities protects you in more ways than just keeping the weather out. #2. Prevent lawsuits- if an employee or a customer gets injured due to a faulty old roof, you could face a lawsuit costing you more than the roof replacement would cost. This is a bigger hit to your bottom line than the expense of a new roof. #3. Extend the lifespan- when you replace the old roof, you are adding 20+ years to the life of your commercial roof. That is if you use the right construction materials. A new roof will also protect and extend the life of the sub-roofing membrane so your building’s interior does not get damaged any time soon. #4. Possibly protect against insurance premium increases- By removing the old roof, you are keeping your building in top shape, and insurance companies like that. Especially when you use roofing materials that prevent fires and other damage. Having a new roof over your employees' heads can give you some peace of mind. #5. Better storm resistance- wind, snow, rain, and hail storms can cause a lot ofdamage. Not just to the roof of your building but to its interior. Unknown leaks or newly created ones can let a lot of moisture inside where it will continue to do damage until the problem of the leaks is solved. A new roof is stronger, younger, and more capable of stopping these storms from doing damage to your building as well as preventing leaks from being created. #6. Save on energy- when you select the right new roofing construction materials, you can stop any energy leaks that happen to find their way into your old roof. A good new roof will help your heating and air conditioning units work better cutting your energy costs somewhat. Using those construction materials known to be energy efficient, you are becoming eco-friendly and have created a sustainable building. Maintaining your new roof To make sure that you benefit from installing a new roof, you will need to do regular maintenance. This work is essential if you want your new roof to last longer than 10 or 20 years. One thing to note is that the different roofing materials may require different maintenance applications. Make sure you know everything about your roof and how to take care of it. That way you can employ the right people to see that your new roof lasts a long time and that you did not waste the money. A good maintenance schedule will help prevent leaks from becoming a problem. Also, it will help you make repairs that will count and not delay the inevitable. Protect your commercial building with a new roof that will last a long time. If you are not sure if your roof needs to be replaced or not, contact our company, Motor City Roofers. We are in Detroit and can visit your location to give you a free estimate and let you know if you need a new roof or not. Our company hires the best roofers so whether you need repairs done or a new roof, you will receive a professional job at a reasonable price. Call us today for an appointment to check your roof and get a plan of action that will protect your commercial building and its contents. ROOF REPAIR VS REPLACE
For owners, it is a tough decision. Whether it is a residential or commercial roof, every owner has to face this decision when the roof starts to show its age or contract leaks. Some budgets are not ready for the replacement costs that come with removing the old roof and installing a new one. Sometimes, simply patching or doing a partial re-roofing will not do anything except delay the inevitable. The condition of the roof will help guide you through this tough decision. There are some situations where repairing is the best option and others where, over time, replacing the roof is the less expensive route to take. When to repair the roof Usually, the time to repair is when your roof still has plenty of life left in it. Plus, the leaks or damage are not that severe and can easily be fixed with little effort. For example, shingles are blown off your roof. The wind can blow a few shingles off and there is no point in replacing the roof when a couple hours of time and a few new shingles will handle the problem. The type of roof will also indicate if you should repair or replace your roof. For example, if you have a slate roof that can last up to 100 years and is only 20 years old, then repair not replace it. Then the weather will also tell you when it is best to repair the roof instead of replacing it. If a major storm is coming to your location, you won’t have time to replace the roof. Find the vulnerable spots and repair them to protect your belongings inside. You will be the judge or you can call in a top roofing company to look at your roof and make suggestions. Our professional roofers are ready to examine your roof and let you know if you should repair the weak spots or replace them. When to replace your roof There are several key situations that will tell you that repairing is not going to be enough. Those situations will indicate that you need to replace the roof as quickly as possible. When it comes to roof damage time is always of the essence. Most often, repairing only delays what really needs to be done. #1. The age of the roof- the typical commercial or residential roofs have limited lifespans.. if you are closing in on the end of that lifespan, then replacing the roof is your best option. #2. Severe damage- light damage is okay to repair but when the damage is extensive then again, replacement will be your only option. If the damage done to your roof is covered by insurance, then replacing the roof is the intelligent thing to do. #3. Selling or staying in your home- this is an important situation to consider. If you are looking to stay in your home for a good 5 to 10 more years, then repairing may be the way to go. That would depend on if the roof can be repaired or not. However, if you are thinking of selling your home in the next 2 to 3 years, then to add value to your house, and make it look good, replace the roof. A new roof provides good curb appeal and that influences the value of your home. #4. Moving to energy-efficient roofing materials- this should only be considered if your roof is not brand new. There is no financial sense in upgrading your roof when it is in top condition. But if the roof is getting older and showing its age, then replace it with those energy-efficient materials. The energy savings will help offset your roofing costs. #5. Building codes may make the decision for you- there are regions of the country where building codes will restrict how many layers of roofing material you can have on your building at the same time. The building code in your area will let you know that you have to remove the old roofing materials and replace them with a new roof. The tough financial decision It goes without saying that replacing your roof can be very expensive, especially when you are going to updated roofing materials. In many cases, your budget will dictate what action you can take at the time. Repairing your roof is often the only route your budget will let you go in. That is okay as a repaired roof will still protect your building’s contents until you can afford to replace the roof. Check your budget and get good estimates for both repairing and replacing your roof to see which is the most financially sound direction to take. Repairing, replacing, or partial replacing Technically, you could say that partial re-roofing is the same as repairing but in reality, it is not. Partial re-roofing will fix the damaged or leaking area but it also replaces other sections of the roof that do not have problems. The initial cost for repairing one side of a four-sided hip roof may be roughly $3000. But if you replaced all four sides at the same time, your cost may be lowered to $2000 per side or $8000. You may be paying more upfront for a partial re-roofing but you are saving money per side. This option works best when the original roof is nearing the end of its lifetime. It can save you money in the long run. When it comes to repairing or replacing your roof, you do not have to make this decision on your own. To get help and all the facts, contact our company, Motor City Roofers, to get all the facts and figures you need for both options. Our company has the experience and knowledge to guide you to the right decision for you and your home. We are located in Detroit so we can be at your home quickly to provide a free estimate. Call us today to schedule an appointment and have experts repair or replace your residential or commercial roof. Commercial roofs are durable
These types of roofs are known to last for decades, especially when they are taken care of. However, they do not last forever and they will need some tender loving care eventually. Since you put a lot of money into building the roof, it is a wise decision to look after it. A commercial roof is a big investment you do not want to lose too soon. To keep it in good shape, there are some considerations you have to think about. These considerations help you decide where you should start in maintaining and repairing your expensive roof. The questions you need to ask The following questions will help you determine if your roof needs to be repaired and where you should start repairing it. They will also help you decide when you should start those repairs. #1. How old is your roof? On average and depending on what your commercial roof is made from, the roof should last somewhere between 25 and 45 years. This longevity also depends on many factors. The older your roof gets the more likely it will start to wear out and leaks will begin to show themselves. #2. How is your roof constructed? This question takes into account the different roofing materials and how well they stand up to the elements. Some roofing materials withstand rain, UV rays, snow, wind, and more a lot better than others. In some cases, it is financially better to upgrade your roof before the high maintenance costs ruin your bottom line. #3. What was the date of your last roof repair? The trouble with small leaks is that they can cause some big-time damage if you let them go. The date of your last roof repair should help you schedule regular roof inspections to keep track of all repairs and to make sure your roof is still in top condition. These inspections and roof repair dates should help you create a preventive maintenance schedule that will help your roof last a lot longer. #4. Is there visible damage on your roof? The visible damage includes damaged flashing, blistering or bubbles, pools of standing water, punctures, tears or cracks, and damaged seals. If you see any one of these or a combination of them, then it is time to repair your damaged roof. If you leave them alone, then they can only get worse, not better. When they get worse, you are looking at paying a lot more money to repair the damage. #5. Can you see water leaks inside your building? The signs for these leaks are- dark spots on the ceiling or walls, sagging in the ceiling or water stains, mold growth or an unusual odor inside your building, and finally, the presence of plants or grass on your roof. All of these signs are evidence that you have a commercial roof problem that needs immediate attention. Roof repair considerations #1. Have you conducted regular preventive medicine? Remember an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. #2. Paying for quality materials- when you repaired your roof did you buy the cheapest materials or did you plan for the future? By spending a little more on top-quality materials you can save money in the long run and your roof will last longer. #3. Prepare for the future- your repair records will tell you if your current roof is ideal for your location and weather patterns. If they indicate otherwise, then it may be a wise move to change your roof to one that is ideal for your location. #4. With every passing year your roof’s ability to withstand damage deteriorates. Consider the age and make sure to have regular roof inspections to watch out for any possible damage. Remember, leaks do more than just damage the roof. The water and moisture will get inside and cause hundreds if not thousands of more dollars in damage if you do not keep an eye on your roof and make timely repairs. Criteria to consider when hiring a roofing contractor Having a solid set of criteria to base your hiring practices on can save you a lot of trouble and money. These criteria can filter out the not-so-good contractors and guide you to employing the best one. #1. Look for a trusted and professional contractor- you can test them out on the smaller repairs and see how they work before hiring them for bigger jobs #2. How are their communication skills? If they do not communicate with you in a professional and timely way, then it is time to find someone who will. You will want a contractor that will communicate with you before and during the project. #3. The lowest bid is not always the best bid- while you want to save money, sometimes the lowest bid is an indicator that the contractor does not know what they are doing. Or they may do a poor job using inferior materials. Read their estimate to make sure the work is clearly defined and make sure this definition goes from start up to clean up. Know what you are paying for and inspect the roof to make sure the work is being done correctly. #4. Check their references- while some good contractors may suffer from those customers who vindictively give bad reviews, it is still a good idea to check references and check more than one. You want to get a full picture of their character as well as the quality of their work Some additional words When you pay a lot of money for a commercial roof, it only makes sense to maintain it through preventive maintenance. While roofs can last for 2 to 4 decades, if not longer, they can also break down fairly easily if they are not regularly and well maintained. The above considerations will help guide your roof maintenance program and ensure that you get a longer lifespan out of your roof. When you do this, you will get a roof worth what you paid for it. All roofs are the same
No matter the materials they are made from, residential and commercial roofs are the same. They can get damaged for a variety of reasons. When they do get damaged the cost to repair them can be quite high. Unfortunately for many businesses, the roofing repair costs are far higher than a residential one. To spare the business and building owner of these repairs, it pays to know the causes of the damage so they can be avoided when possible. To find these causes, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about so you can protect your commercial roof. The causes of commercial roof damage and leaks No matter the damage that is done to your roof, you will always find leaks. The two go hand in hand. Here are some causes to be on the lookout for and get ready to upgrade before it gets worse. #1. Low-quality workmanship and installation Sadly, not every roofing professional has a solid work ethic and the results of their attitude often end up with a badly installed roof. When this happens, you will often find more than one roof leak. If you can, filter out the different roofing companies and settle on the best even if it costs a bit more. The same can be said when you find those leaks and need them repaired. #2. Old age Not much can be done to avoid this problem. Commercial roofs will age out eventually and their longevity depends on the types of materials used to build the original roof. The only thing you can do in this case, is to replace the whole roof. There will be no spots that are younger than the others and to leave any of the old roofs intact and in place is just asking for more leaks and damage. #3. Wear & tear While in many cases, this cause goes hand in hand with age, it is not limited to appearing with age. If your roof gets a lot of traffic or a lot of bad weather, it will wear out faster than you want it to. When it starts to wear out, it is difficult to know exactly where the leaks originate. Sometimes it is a treasure hunt to find those leaks and patch them up. But if you see your roof starting to wear out, get your maintenance crew up there to reinforce the weaker spots to prevent future leaks. #4. Punctures or holes in the roof membrane These holes, etc., can be caused by any number of sources. If your rooftop is designed to let employees take a break up there, then high heels or just foot traffic can create punctures and holes. Or the wind blew sharp debris across your roof and that debris snagged the membrane causing the damage. Whatever the source, these holes and punctures are hard to find unless they become bigger. Once you spot a leak, get your crew up there to find and seal it before it causes greater damage. #5. Clogged gutters & drains Always a big factor in roof damage and roof leaks. It will happen to the best of roofs at some time. The wind can blow a lot of debris onto your roof and after a while, the rain will bring that debris to the gutters and drains. When it does, the water backs up and causes a lot of damage to your roof. To avoid this problem make sure you regularly have someone up there cleaning those gutters and drains. Keeping your roof nice and clean is one of the best ways to avoid any damage to your expensive roof and protect your building’s interior and contents. #6. tree branches & other debris Not all commercial roofs are built in the downtown core where there are no trees. Nor are they built high enough to escape the treetops and broken branches. If your building does not escape the tree-lined areas, then tree branches and other debris, for example, leaves, will cause damage to your roof. Broken branches can fall on the roof, the wind can bring smaller branches, twigs, sticks, and leaves to your roof, and so on. After they get blown around up there, your roof may suffer a lot of damage and cannot keep the water out of your building. Trimming those trees is one option to avoid this problem. #7. Poor ventilation and insulation Damage to either of these building components can let condensation and moisture inside your building. When they do get inside, they are free to cause as much harm as possible. The best thing to do is ensure that the insulation and ventilation are not damaged and if they are, repair or replace as soon as it is feasible to do so. Preventing damage to your commercial roof You will not be able to prevent all the possible damage that can be done. But you certainly can cut down on the magnitude of the damage if you take the biggest step to avoid proof problems. This big step is to have roofing experts do regular inspections. The reason you have expert roofing inspectors is that they know what to look for and where to look for possible damage. Then when they report their findings to you and there is some type of damage on your roof, send your maintenance crew up to do the repair work. Or, if the roof is too far gone, hire a top professional roofing company to replace the roof. Some additional words The commercial roof is as important as the residential roof. It needs as much tender loving care as the latter because what you have inside your building may be more valuable and harder to replace than what is in a typical home. When you need roofing inspections and repair work call our company today and see what we can do for you. Go with the best to get the best results. Durable and strong materials are used
When a contractor builds a commercial roof, they take care and select durable and strong roofing materials to finish their job. These materials are expected to last a very long time. However, even commercial roofs cannot withstand strong winds, and storms or remain damage-free. There will be signs letting you know when you need to get an experienced roof to come and repair the damages you have spotted. To know what you are looking for, just continue reading our article. The content gives you these signs and more. Common signs that are easy to spot The signs that tell you that you have a damaged commercial roof are usually easy to spot. They are very visible for the most part and a quick visual inspection should see these signs. Here is what to look for and at: #1. Flashing- This is the material that covers the joint between different roofing materials. It helps redirect water and keep it from entering your building through that joint. If any part of the flashing is damaged or missing, then you know you need a roofer to come out and examine the amount of damage this sign has caused already. If you are lucky, you may catch it in time before any further damage is done. #2. Pooling water- Usually, commercial roofs are flat with a slight slope to direct the water to the drain pipes. However, if the drains get plugged then the water will pool in different parts of your roof. You do not want pooling water on your roof as that little pool can cause some damage to your roof. When you see this sign, check your drains and clear any ones that are plugged. #3. Interior water damage- This is not just caused by rain. When flashing is damaged or missing or there are pools of water, those issues can allow water to flow inside your building. When this happens you are looking at a fairly expensive repair. If you see water marks on your ceiling or walls, you know you have a leak or two somewhere on your roof. The best fix is to hire an experienced and good roofer to find and repair those leaks. Then repair any damage that the water may have caused. #4. Little ventilation- ventilation helps remove excess moisture but when there is not enough of it, the excess moisture can cause roofing damage and may even encourage mold or mildew growth. Check your ventilation system and if it is not doing the job, then get qualified help to rectify the problem. #5. The roof is getting old- this can be determined by how the roof looks. While this is not an immediate issue to deal with, when your roof is starting to show its age, you know that the potential for damage increases. An aging roof may look like it is bubbling, cracking, or blistering, or it just may have lost its color and look outdated. When you see these signs, it is time to consider replacing the roof and protecting your building’s structure and interior. #6. Higher than normal energy bills- a business’ energy bills can remain the same for a very long time. While there is some fluctuation in your monthly bill, if you see a sharp increase in the cost, then you may have a roofing problem. This sharp increase is telling you that your energy is escaping somewhere through the roof. When you see your energy bill, make sure to call a roofing expert to investigate and find the source of the problem. Sealing the leak or repairing the damage will pay for itself over the long run and lower energy bills. #7. Holes- every now and then you should walk up to your roof and walk around. This routine inspection can help you spot any holes in the roof birds, or storms that may have caused. Once you see those holes, you know that you need to repair the roof as quickly as possible. The next rainstorm could cause a lot of interior damage if the holes are left alone. The best fix is to call a good roofer to come in and make the repairs. Get several quotes and pick the best one for your budget. #8. Roof membrane tears- During your routine walk-through inspections, check the roofing membrane. The same sources for the holes in your roof can cause tears in the membrane. Once that happens the integrity of the roof is in jeopardy and could lead to interior damage that is more expensive to fix. When you see tears, get on the phone quickly and get a top roofer out there to fix the problem. When to replace the roof Now that you know what signs show a damaged roof, the bigger question that needs to be answered is Do you need to replace it? Most often, you may not have to but if the roof is getting old or the damage is irreparable, then you have to make this hard decision. To help make this decision you have to consider the cost to your business if you delay and there is interior damage done later on. Patchwork repairs only delay the decision. Get estimates for the work first before authorizing any work. Then pick the most credible and experienced roofer to do the work. This is not a repair where you go cheap. Some additional words When you see any of the above signs on your roof or interior walls, give us a call. We at Motor City Roofers are based in Detroit and we know what the weather in this city can do to a commercial roof. We also know how to fix those damaged roofs making them stronger than ever. Once you call us, we will schedule an appointment and then come out to inspect the damage. No roofing repair is too small or too large for our company. Plus, our rates are reasonable and competitive. Call us today for the best roofing repair work. |
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May 2024
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