Archives for February 2020

Increase the Energy Efficiency of Your Commercial or Residential Property

February 28, 2020 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

What Makes a Roof Energy Efficient?

Why would you want to make your property more energy efficient? Well it would benefit you by saving money on energy bills, creating less strain on HVAC systems, and minimizing your property’s environmental impact. Basically, for a roof to be energy efficient, it needs to do a good job of reflecting the hot air off your roof instead of absorbing it. When a roof absorbs heat, that warmth is radiated into the air inside the building, and pretty soon the entire interior has become much warmer. A roof that reflects the sunlight off and bounces the heat back out into the atmosphere will do a much better job of protecting the home or business from hot air.

Some roof types that have good reflective qualities are white TPO, PVC and Elastomeric Coatings. Cool roofing is probably the most popular and most effective in terms of energy efficiency for commercial roofs. Residential shingle manufacturers also have cool roofs, but the nuts are very expensive and not yet worth the cost. Manufacturers rate the energy efficiency of the roofing material by what’s called SRI values. You will have a hard time finding SRI values on shingles unless they are part of a cool series line such as GAF’s cool series. A common misconception about shingle roofing is that the lighter the color of the shingle, the cooler the house will be and will result in heating and cooling cost savings. The way the cool shingles work is the granules are coated in a chemical that reflects the heat. The downside is that the coating wears off in time and you will eventually lose your reflectivity, which is where the cost vs savings comes into play. Another roofing material for this type of job is a metal roof. You might think that metal would not be a good choice to save heating and cooling costs because it gets so hot when it sits out in the sun, but that is exactly why it works. The surface of the metal that is exposed to the sun gets super hot because it is reflecting all of the light and heat. Underneath the metal, however, remains relatively cool because the heat has been reflected away. Most commercial buildings will have a metal roofing substrate, and the roofing company will install insulation on top of the metal with a single-ply membrane to ensure the best insulation possible.

Reflective Roof Coating

A reflective roof coating is applied to roofs to help reflect more sunlight from the surface, reducing the amount of heat absorbed by the roof. Also known as cool roofing, these roof coatings are available for different types of surfaces, in a number of colors and thicknesses, and can make a huge difference when it comes to saving money on energy costs and usage. On top of that, they also aid in creating more comfortable indoor environments, and play a role in prolonging the lifespan of your roof and the roofing materials.

The point of cool roof coatings is to keep the home cool in two distinct ways. The first is by solar reflectivity, or the coating’s ability to reflect sunlight as soon as it hits your structure. Instead of absorbing the sunlight and heat like a traditional roof, a cool roof reflects the light and heat away from your home, keeping your home cooler in the process. The other way that cool roofing helps to keep your home cooler is through thermal emittance. These roof coatings are now made with special materials that increase your roof’s thermal emittance level, or your roof’s ability to radiate absorbed heat back into the atmosphere instead of down into your home. It’s this potent combination of high solar reflectance and thermal emittance that make these roof coatings so effective at keeping your home cool and your energy costs and usage down.

Ventilation Cooling

Ventilation is the least expensive and most energy-efficient way to cool buildings. Ventilation works best when combined with methods to avoid heat buildup in your home. In some cases, natural ventilation will suffice for cooling, although it usually needs to be supplemented with spot ventilation.

Insulation

Insulation in your home provides resistance to heat flow and lowers your heating and cooling cost. Properly insulating your home not only reduces heating and cooling costs, but also improves comfort.

To understand how insulation works it helps to understand heat flow, which involves three basic mechanisms: conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction is the way heat moves through materials, such as when a spoon placed in a hot cup of coffee conducts heat through its handle to your hand. Convection is the way heat circulates through liquids and gases, and is why lighter, warmer air rises, and cooler, denser air sinks in your home. Radiant heat travels in a straight line and heats anything solid in its path that absorbs its energy. Most common insulation materials work by slowing conductive heat flow and to a lesser extent convective heat flow. Radiant barriers and reflective insulation systems work by reducing radiant heat gain. To be effective, the reflective surface must face an air space.

Regardless of the mechanism, heat flows from warmer to cooler until there is no longer a temperature difference. In your home, during the winter, heat flows directly from all heated living spaces to adjacent unheated attics, garages, basements, and even to the outdoors. Heat flow can also move indirectly through interior ceilings, walls, and floors wherever there is a difference in temperature. During the cooling season, heat flows from the outdoors to the interior of a house. To maintain comfort, the heat lost in the winter must be replaced by your heating system and the heat gained in the summer must be removed by your cooling system.

An insulating material’s resistance to conductive heat flow is measured or rated in terms of its thermal resistance or R-value. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness. The R-value depends on the type of insulation, its thickness, and its density. The R-value of some insulations depends on temperature, aging, and moisture accumulation. When calculating the R-value of a multilayered installation, you add the R-value of the individual layers.

Installing more insulation in your home increases the R-value and the resistance to heat flow. In general, increased insulation thickness will proportionally increase the R-value. However, as the installed thickness increases for loose-fill insulation, the settled density of the product increases due to compression of the insulation under its own weight. Because of this compression, loose-fill insulation R-value does not change proportionately with thickness. To determine how much insulation you need for your climate, consult with your local roofing contractor during your free estimate.

Cool Roofs

A cool roof is one that has been designed to reflect sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof. Nearly any type of building can benefit from a cool roof, but must consider the climate and other factors that come with the building’s geographic location before deciding to install one.

Just as wearing light-colored clothing can help keep you cool on a sunny day, cool roofing materials that are designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof complete the same objective. Cool roofs can be made of highly reflective types of paint, a sheet covering, or highly reflective tiles, rubber or shingles. Standard or dark roofs can reach temperatures of 150 degrees F or more in the summer sun. A cool roof under the same conditions could stay more than 50 degrees F cooler and save energy and money by using less air conditioning.

Beyond the commercial building itself, cool roofs can also benefit the environment, especially when many buildings in a community have them. Cool roofs can reduce local air temperatures, which is sometimes referred to as the urban heat island effect. Lower peak electricity demand, which can help prevent power outages. Reduce power plant emissions, including carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, and mercury, by reducing cooling energy use in buildings.

There are many types of roofing systems available, but the surface exposed to the sun is the one that determines if a roof is cool or not. You can usually make a new or existing roof cool by selecting the appropriate surface or applying a roof coating. Cool roof coatings are usually white or special reflective pigments that reflect sunlight. Coatings are like very thick paints that can protect the roof surface from ultraviolet light and chemical damage, and some offer water protection and restorative features. Roof coating products are available for most roof types.

What is the Most Energy Efficient Roofing Option?

Not only does being more energy efficient help the environment as a whole, but it also can help your pocket book each month. Energy costs, whether it be gas, electricity, or other forms, are at all time highs. Increasing your home’s energy efficiency can be a great help when trying to pay bills. One of the biggest influences on the energy efficiency of a home is the type of roof that it has installed over it. In North America during the summer time it can get really hot, therefore, that means if you are trying to keep that hot air out, you should consider installing a cool roof or cool roof coating. Any homeowner would know that trying to keep the hot air out of the home can be very expensive, simply by running the air conditioner to return the house to a comfortable temperature. When building a residential property or commercial property, picking the right material for your roofing project can make a big difference in your heating and cooling costs down the line.

The Dangers of Asbestos

February 14, 2020 by Infinite Roofing 1 Comment

What is Asbestos? Why is it Dangerous?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring substance. In the environment, it poses virtually no threat to humans. However, the problem with asbestos initially arose out of the full-scale mining, extraction, and use of the substance in the roofing industry which led to an increase of the amount of asbestos in the air. Asbestos fibers are microscopic, so when they are exposed they can become airborne and inhaled. Once inhaled, they can lodge in the outer tissue of the lungs and abdomen, which over time leads to inflammation, scarring and the eventual formation of fatal diseases such as lung cancer. This is why many homeowners have begun to get asbestos roof removals done for their safety. Many homeowners today are seeking to get an asbestos roof removal once discovered.

How Can I Tell If It’s Asbestos?

The reliable way to know if your home contains asbestos is to hire an environmental consulting firm or asbestos building inspector for asbestos testing. They’ll take fingernail-sized samples and test them in a laboratory. You can’t see or smell asbestos, but exposure to loose fibers can cause lung diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer. The naturally occurring, flame-retardant mineral fibers are too small to identify without a microscope, so don’t believe anyone who claims you have asbestos but hasn’t done testing.

Is An Asbestos Roof Dangerous?

One of the widest uses of asbestos in the building industry was in roofing. Due to its heat and fire-resistant properties, asbestos was added to many roofing products including roofing tiles. Cement tiles were not comprised solely of cement. Cement roofing tiles were largely made from cement, with the now-banned product added into the cement mixture. Depending on the manufacturer, the cement tiles would typically be made with between 10 to 15 percent asbestos.

In addition to its heat and fire-resistant properties, asbestos has excellent strength and durability features. New homes built prior to the 1970s with asbestos roofs, were lauded for the longevity of their roof systems, as the roofs had a life expectancy of 30 to 50 years. Although asbestos serves as a formidable roofing material, it exposed people to a list of compromising health issues, which led to its eventual ban.

Do I Have to Remove My Asbestos Roof or Siding?

Many homes, especially the ones that were built at the turn of the twentieth century, have siding or roof shingles that contain asbestos. Asbestos has plenty of quality features, including its durability and fire-resistance. However, it also poses many significant health hazards. The inherent question that comes with this is whether it is necessary to remove your asbestos-containing roofing shingles or fiber cement siding to protect your family’s health?

We know that there are many homeowners who want a roofing company that does asbestos roof removal. A homeowner should be aware of the harmful effects that occur with asbestos when someone breathes in a tiny, sharp fiber, which irritates and inflames the lungs. If the asbestos is not airborne, it is not a danger. The asbestos in shingles, siding, and other home products is encapsulated, which is surrounded by a coating of something else that keeps it from becoming airborne. If your roof or siding shingles are in good condition, they are unlikely to pose a health hazard to you or your family. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends not disturbing asbestos if at all possible.

Unfortunately, while asbestos home products are durable and long-lasting, everything must be replaced eventually. In 1989 asbestos was banned, leading to the asbestos roofs and sidings to fall into disrepair. Many asbestos roofs and sidings are damaged, cracked, or broken. Asbestos siding in particular, however, has a tendency to chip, crack, and break with normal wear-and-tear of family life. This can release the fibers into the air, which poses a threat to your family’s and neighbors’ health.

How Can You Tell If Old Siding Has Asbestos?

Many manufacturers made their products to look like asbestos-free products, so it is not really possible to determine if your siding contains asbestos just by looks. You can easily send a sample to a lab if you suspect that it may contain asbestos. Or you can hire a specialist to take a look at the siding so that they can determine if you have an asbestos siding.

Can I Install New Siding Over Old Asbestos?

Some people try to attempt to solve the problem of deteriorating asbestos siding by installing vinyl siding over on top of it. This practice is not recommended for a number of reasons. First, the siding installation process itself, nailing into existing boards or tiles, is enough to disturb the existing material and create a dangerous condition. Second, installing vinyl siding over any existing materials, particularly those in poor condition, can lead to additional problems in your home and can hide the development of those problems until they become extremely large and costly to repair. Therefore, hiring a specialist or roofing contractor who has the right education for asbestos would help in asbestos roof removal.

Can You Pressure Wash Asbestos Siding?

Painting asbestos siding is not difficult at all, as one of its benefits is that paint easily adheres to it and it is very durable and can last for decades without chipping or cracking. However, when cleaning the siding before painting, the important thing to note is that you should avoid power washing asbestos siding as it can chip or damage the siding and release the dangerous asbestos fibers into the air. If you do pressure wash, use a gentle touch if possible and stop immediately if you find that you’re knocking pieces of siding off. This means that you’ll have to take some extra time cleaning and prepping the siding before painting and rely on a garden hose and sponges instead. If you manage to chip damage your siding and worry it may be made with asbestos, make an appointment to have the material tested to confirm.

Do You Have to Disclose Asbestos When Selling a House?

For starters, it is not illegal to sell a house with asbestos. Obviously, buyers would much rather buy a home with no asbestos concerns. However, outside of a thorough inspection, there is no way to tell if a home contains this potentially toxic material. If you know your house has asbestos, you might disclose the information to buyers. Again, it’s not illegal to sell a home with asbestos, but you can be liable for not disclosing the information to the buyer if you knew it was present beforehand.

Cement Asbestos Roofing

When asbestos came into the picture many manufacturers experimented with it. In the 1880s manufacturers used asbestos fibers in mixtures that resulted in building products like insulation for steam pipes and boilers. It was eventually being mixed in Portland cement and the paste was used as a roof repair compound. In 1907, process equipment was invented that produced rigid sheets from the cement-asbestos mixture. These sheets could be pigmented and cut into manageable shapes and were able to have textured patterns pressed into the surface. The result was very durable siding and roofing shingles that imitate traditional, natural products, both less expensive and lighter than slate. They don’t rot or warp like wood and are extremely fire resistant. It’s not at all surprising that the popularity of these asbestos sheets skyrocketed throughout two-thirds of the twentieth century.

The manufacturers of individual asphalt shingles, which were less expensive and more flexible than cement asbestos, were major competitors for market share in the roofing material industry by the 1920s. In the late 1930s, asphalt strip shingles, coated with granules in a wide variety of colors, were the most popular roof covering.

Asbestos-containing products, like the cement mixture, posed very little health risk if the material is kept in good condition and not disturbed. Severely worn or damaged asbestos roofs and walls, or improper repairs, alterations, or removals can allow the release of the fibers and risk the health of the occupants and neighbors. The EPA provides detailed information about managing asbestos-containing products on its web site.

The Problems

Cement asbestos roof shingles typically have a much shorter life than the siding panels. If a replacement is needed, removal can be a significant expense. If the shingles are severely weathered, to a point that the material can be crushed by hand, professional abatement is needed. Precautions should still be taken even if they’re intact. The fasteners securing them should be kept wet and lowered to the ground instead of being tossed down. Individual states and municipalities may also have additional requirements for the removal and specific requirements for disposal.

Like tile and slate roofs, occasionally there may be some cracked, broken, or missing tiles or slates, or flashing repairs that may be needed. Maintaining an asbestos tile roof can be difficult. Finding contractors willing to work with the material associated with the A word can be a challenge. It can also be a challenge to find contractors that are mindful of the brittle nature of these tiles. Some roofing contractors, experienced with slate and tile roof repairs are willing to repair and restore asbestos tile roofs. The tools, equipment, and techniques they use for their regular repairs are well-suited for working with the brittle shingles. There are also a few good sources of salvaged replacement shingles that with luck can be a close match to the existing roof.

Hopefully, the remaining cement asbestos roof tiles are in good to repairable condition and will be properly maintained for the maximum potential life. Those that are beyond safe repair will need to be properly and professionally removed, and will likely be replaced with a roof that looks like most other roofs, and will likely only last one-third as long.
If you or someone you know is concerned about the effects that asbestos can have on their health, please visit the EPA website for more information on handling asbestos the proper way.

Can I Replace My Roof In The Winter?

February 7, 2020 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

Installing a roof in the winter is very different compared to installing one during the summer. There are a lot more precautions to focus on when trying to install a roof when the temperature drops. A customer can call and want a repair service and the roofing contractor realizes that they need a full roof replacement. Some homeowners may want to wait until the spring to get their roof replaced, but some situations call for an immediate replacement. A homeowner would have to consider this if the heating of the home is being affected by the damage for the winter season. Roofing in the winter can seem intimidating, however, taking the right precautions will make the process simple, safe, and painless. The good news is that most materials will perform up to a certain point with just a few tweaks to your technique. If you adjust your work style to construct a roof designed to last through cold temperatures, being careful to not damage the roofing materials, you can be sure that you can count on your new roof even during the harsh winter.

Do Roofing Contractors Work In The Winter?

Roofing contractors do work in the winter. You may be wondering, isn’t it dangerous for a roofer to work on top of your home in icy conditions? Roofing contractors need to work in the winter as well, and what you may not know is that some roofers actually prefer to work during the winter than in the summertime. When they are working on your roof during the summer time and it’s about 90 degrees outside, it is actually about 120 degrees on your roof. If your roof has an accumulation of snow, it would probably take about 30 minutes to an hour to get all of that snow off, depending on the size of your roof. After that is done, the roofing contractors can get to work.

Winter Roofing Contractor Safety

There are ways to carefully and safely take advantage of the business boosting benefits of working year-round, by understanding how to minimize the drawbacks of winter weather. Roofing contractors should follow safety standards published by the OSHA to ensure everyone’s safety. Never under any circumstances should a roofing contractor put your work before personal safety. Finishing a job is never worth risking a life, so when a roofing contractor deems it unsafe to work on your roof due to weather conditions, be sure to respect the limits.

Snow And Ice Make For Slippery Surfaces

Roof surfaces can become slick and slippery due to snow, ice, or frost. This means roofers must take extra precautions when working on a roof by wearing roof-fall protection equipment, working methodically and carefully, and wearing high-performance gear such as winter-rated work boots which have been tested for wet and cold conditions.

A common winter consideration before starting a roofing project is the snow removal or de-icing of the roof surface after a storm. This requires extra time, extra caution, and different equipment of which workers need to be trained on, along with increased monitoring while the removal is taking place. After all of that, the asphalt roofing manufacturers association warns, even on a freshly cleared roof, there may be nearly invisible ice or frost build-up on the roof or deck surface, which can make it extremely hazardous for anyone to work on. It is advisable to wait until the roof surface is free of ice and frost for safer roof installation. Ensure that the attic space is adequately ventilated. Often, what appears to be a roof leak is actually a considerable amount of moist interior air drifting up into a cold, improperly ventilated attic.

Snow Can Hide Hazards

Pay close attention to where you work and walk to ensure you don’t accidentally step on or fall through any hazards you may find on a roof such as a skylight, pipe, or any materials hidden under the accumulation. Make sure to clear surfaces before working and pay close attention to the location of objects while disposing of snow and ice.

Cold Weather Can Be Hard On The Body

Working in below temperatures can put a strain on the body, making your heart and lungs work harder, while at the same time putting the roofing contractor at an increased risk for hypothermia or frostbite. Roofers should work shorter hours, planned around the sunshine and warmer weather forecasts. Adjust the schedule to avoid uncomfortable cold temperatures and potential snow or ice storms. Roofing contractors should always wear layers of warm clothing that is breathable but provides ample coverage, hides exposed skin, and insulates against wind.

What Types of Roofs Can I Install In The Winter?

Now let’s get to the heart of the issue. Roofing materials all behave differently in conditions below 40 degrees. There are types of materials that should not be installed in these conditions and some that can be installed any time of year, regardless of the weather.

Here’s what to do depending on your home’s roofing material.

Can I Install A Flat Roof In The Winter?

There are two flat roof systems that can be properly installed during the winter and they are PVC and TPO roofing systems.These thermoplastic single ply flat roofing products are mechanically installed and are hot air welded instead of using adhesives. However, with rubber roofs like EPDM, it is a completely different scenario when it comes to installing these systems. With a rubber roof, it should not be installed in temperatures below 40 degrees because the adhesives that seal it will freeze and not bond. Contractors who say they can and will conduct rubber roof projects are ignoring manufacturer suggestions and proceeding with this project can result in roof leaks and voided warranties. It is a good idea to hold off on winter roof replacement if you’re looking at rubber roofs until it gets a bit warmer to allow for proper adhesion of the roofing material.

Can I Install Asphalt Shingles In The Winter?

The short answer is that shingles can be installed in cold weather, however, there are some precautions that must be taken when it comes to the installation. Roofing contractors must be careful not to bend and crack the shingle.The asphalt material in the shingle may lose its flexibility and resistance as the temperature goes down. Therefore, it becomes harder to bend the shingles and to cut them straight. With that in mind, the shingles might end up being more brittle, which could cause the shingles to end up being overdriven by nails when using regular pressure in the system. However, with a professional roofing contractor, they would be extra cautious of that and would take their time to do it right. There are ways to deliver a proper installation during the winter.

Another important consideration is whether the cold weather application of the shingles will increase the chances of the shingles being blown off. The shingles are lined with an adhesive that most of the time requires the sun to activate to bond the shingles, which would in return prevent the wind catching them. Depending on the manufacturer, the glue may activate at different temperatures. The manufacturer may specify that the shingles will not bond properly due to temperatures below 40 degrees, therefore, the roofing contractor would have to apply an adhesive of some sort underneath every laminate shingle with a caulking gun and then press the shingles into the adhesive. Winter in North America can get pretty bad, which means asphalt shingles are also susceptible to ice dams, which are large ice formations along the eaves of roofs caused by poor ventilation or inadequate insulation in the attic. An ice and water shield membrane is a great method to prevent ice dam leaks, but it also requires the sun’s heat to properly adhere to the roof deck, so some of the same shortcomings may apply. In the end, roofing contractors must take these precautionary steps in order to help prevent wind from blowing the shingles away before there is sufficient heat for them to self-seal, as well as prevent any ice build up which would lead to leaks.

When roofers work on your roof they use so many different roofing tools. Generally, some are not affected by cold temperatures, however, there some tools such as nail guns and compressors that can be affected by the cold temperature. When air is compressed and is released into your roofing system, the humidity will turn the air into water. However, if it’s winter time and it’s freezing, that water would end up freezing in the airlines and reduce the airflow that the roofing contractor is trying to get in the roof. When it comes to nails, they need to be installed flush with the shingle, not overdriven or under driven.

Can I Install A Metal Roof In The Winter

Metal roofs can be installed in the winter without compromising quality. Cold conditions do not affect metal roofs since they won’t crack due to improper handling. They are designed to allow for expansion and contraction, so the outside temperatures won’t make a difference. Just be sure to use a premium breathable synthetic underlayment to combat moisture caused by poor ventilation and always upgrade intake and output ventilation whenever possible. Whether you need winter roof repair or replacement, metal roofs are safe during any season.

Be Considerate

Roofing contractors understand that you want your roof repair or replacement done as soon as possible so you can get back to your everyday life. However, understand the limitations that come with working on a roof during the winter season. A roofing contractor will work when they feel it is safe to do so and will make sure all the proper steps are taken to ensure the best quality for your roof. If a contractor denies doing any service due to winter weather, it is to make sure the quality of the work and materials are at their highest for your roof. Contact your local roofing contractor for more information on their winter weather roofing projects.