Category: Roofing

Choosing a new roof can seem like an overwhelming task. There are many options related to materials and installation, making it difficult to determine which ones are best for your needs.

One of the decisions you may face is whether to install a white or black roof. Most people are unaware that each has a range of benefits that need to be considered when replacing a roof.

What to Consider

There are many factors that influence your decision when replacing your roof. Determining the right colour can have an impact on its performance, energy-efficiency, and even lifespan.

The following are some of the factors that you need to evaluate when choosing between a white and black roof:

• Deck type
• Surrounding climate
• Insulation
• Winds
• Budget

Why Choose a White Roof?

A white roofing system will help keep surface temperatures low and are generally more effective at reflecting the sunlight and decreases temperatures significantly. This lowers the energy required to keep your building cool which is especially useful in densely populated areas.

Buildings that are developed in warm climates commonly use a white roofing system, which includes a variety of types like PVC and TPO. Lower surface temperatures can increase the durability of your roofing system as well, however you shouldn’t assume that a white roof will always be more durable as other factors also influence the integrity of your roof.

Why Choose a Black Roof?

Black roofs don’t reflect sunlight in the same way as a white roofing system. They absorb the radiant heat, which allows moisture to evaporate quickly. During the winter months, a black roof makes it easy for snow to melt, reducing the risk of damage to your roof.

Buildings in colder climates typically use black roofing systems like EPDM, which provides a high level of durability over time. These options may reduce the costs associated with heating your property during the cold winter season.

Roof Maintenance

White and black roof systems require regular maintenance and cleaning in order to provide the many benefits they offer. A scheduled maintenance program makes it easy to keep your roof clean and optimize its performance. Keeping your roof clean ensures that its ability to absorb or reflect sunlight remains intact.

Your choice in a roofing system should depend on your building’s unique needs and budget. Determine the best choice based on the properties of each roofing system so that you can make the best investment for your building.

Understanding the different benefits provided by white and black roofs will give you the knowledge you need to choose the one that’s right for you. This will provide your building with a durable and reliable roof system.

Snow can be a serious threat to your property’s roof, but knowing what to look for helps you determine the best strategy to safely remove snow from an industrial roof.

There are inherent risks that you should consider to protect your roof during the winter months, but simply having the right knowledge and equipment helps you safely remove the snow from your roof and prevent long-term damage.

Evaluate the Risk

Before removing snow from an industrial roof, you should evaluate all areas of the property to determine your level of risk.

Taking the time to observe the drywall surrounding door frames and looking for cracks gives you an idea of the damage that may be caused by snow on your roof. If doors begin to stick, it could be an indication that there is a high level of weight on the structure of your property.

Keeping snow off of your roof lowers the risk of developing ice dams. These prevent snow, water, and other debris from falling off your roof. When these items get trapped, they can lead to further damage over time.

Examine the snow outside of your building. If it’s wet and heavy, it could indicate that your roof is at risk for damage. You should remove the snow from your roof as soon as possible.

Snow Removal Equipment

You can safely remove snow from your roof by using a snow rake equipped with a telescoping handle. This makes it easy to reach high areas, and the rake’s rollers can help protect your roof from its blades.

Some rakes allow you to target the underside of the snow on your roof. These rakes can be placed between the snow and underlying roof, which allows you to use the snow’s weight to remove it.

Removing the snow on your roof on a regular basis keeps it from piling up. This prevents the formation of ice dams and reduces the load placed on your rooftop structure.

If you’re unable to reach beyond your property’s overhangs, consult with a professional roofing service to remove your snow safely.

Professional Assistance

Your roofing service professionals can help you address snow buildup and protect your property during the winter season. A professional service team will have the insurance and licenses to provide you with quality work that is fully protected, and they help you reduce the excess weight on your roof without causing the damage that occurs when property owners attempt to remove the underlying ice.

Having the right skilled service team and the proper equipment makes it easy to keep your roof free from excess snow and enhances its lifespan.

Snow can lead to damage on your roof and other parts of your property. Knowing how to identify the signs of potential risks will ensure that you keep your property safe, so using the right equipment and the help of a skilled professional is an investment in the value and safety of your property. Contact us today for more information!

Replacing your roof is one of the best investments you can make in the performance and value of your commercial property, but there are a number of options to consider when doing so, and understanding what they are will help you determine which method will best suit your needs.

Roof replacement can be done by removing the existing roof and replacing it with a new roofing system, but there is a possibility to simply apply a new roof layer over your existing one, depending on it’s current condition.

However, there are certain risks that you need to know about before choosing the best method to replace your roof.

Roof Over Considerations

A roof over is a cost-effective method to replacing your roof, but the amount you save may only be a short-term benefit. Although tearing off your existing roof for replacement may cost more, it can also prevent unwanted issues from occurring in the future.

A roof over results in having two roof layers on your property. In addition, it can make it difficult to detect any underlying issues prior to replacing your roof. If these issues are left unaddressed, you could end up needing more extensive and costly repairs down the line.

Roof Over Risks

Adding a second roof to your property increases the weight it must support. This adds stress to the decking and can lead to higher surface temperatures that damage the roofing materials.

A roof over also increases the risk of algae and bacteria growth, which can become trapped under the roofing layers. This can cause damage and decreases the lifespan of your roof.

Covering your old roofing makes it difficult to perform a full inspection, which leads to the concealment of wear and damage that contribute to leaks and other issues. If moisture leaks through the top layer, it can spread underneath to other areas.

A roof over can also limit an warranty protection you may have and can impact the value of your property.

Tear Off Option

Tearing off your existing roof to replace with a new one offers a number of benefits. It allows your roofing service professionals to properly inspect the underlying structures for any damage which gives you an opportunity to implement any repairs or replacements prior to installing a new roof. You’ll enhance the integrity and lifespan of your property and avoid having to do more costly repairs.

Tear off roof replacements last longer than roof over installations. The heat that can accumulate in a roof over can be avoided when you replace your existing roof. A longer lifespan makes a tear off roof installation or more cost-effective solution.

Understanding the difference between a tear off and roof over replacement will help you determine the best choice for your property. Roof overs can be less expensive, but they also carry additional risks to the performance and safety of your property.

A tear off gives you an opportunity to reinforce the existing structures prior to replacing your roof. This will provide greater stability and savings in the long run.

For more information, contact our team today.

When you consider a standard roof, you expect it to last, 20, 35, or even 50 years depending on the materials used. But because the roof is your building’s primary line of defence when it comes to fending off the elements, it is constantly exposed to a wide range of harsh weather conditions year round, and this can eventually take its toll.

Cracks, leaks, and other kinds of roof damage can eventually become a serious problem that compromises the protection of your building. To avoid this and extend the service life of your roof, regular repair and maintenance is important.

Causes of roof failure

It is unfortunate that many roofs fail before they should, usually due to several factors including:

• Poor choice of materials
• Poor design
• Poor installation
• Natural causes
• Lack of maintenance
• Rooftop traffic
• Building component failure caused by incompatibility of components
• Man-made causes, like material defects or lack of proper and timely response to roof problems

Two components of extending roof life cycle

1. Care and prevention

Prolonging the life of your roof and increasing the return on investment (ROI) of your assets depends on many factors, including proper system selection and maintenance to provide long-term performance.

To optimise roof performance, it is critical that you understand how to maintain different roof systems and prevent damage that is unique to each system. Knowing how your specific roof system is affected over time, and what actions are necessary to prevent premature ageing, helps to eliminate many of the common issues that occur.

2. Inspection and evaluation

A regular roof inspection plan helps identify issues before they become costly problems. As part of the roof maintenance program, you can include evaluations to add value for resale, through among other things, repair and maintenance history.

How a good inspection and maintenance plan helps

An inspection helps you determine the right time for an intervention. Of course, the objective is to prolong the roof’s useful life while avoiding the disruption, material waste, and high cost associated with a complete tear-off and replacement.

Proactive roof maintenance can help detect early signs of failing roof components, like cracks and leaks, and allows you to mitigate these problems in a timely manner to help avoid expensive repairs and extend the service life of your roof.

Who should you call for assistance?

To develop the right maintenance and repair plan, you should hire a professional company that can address your roof’s specific needs within your budget, and works in all Canadian seasons. For more information, contact the Empire team today.

Most of the elements that would help ensure a quality roofing job are hidden from sight, so it might be hard to tell if the finished job meets your expectations. Much of the quality assurance process depends on the professionalism and trustworthiness of the roofing company you choose to contract for your project.

When you work with Empire Roofing Corporation, our experienced field supervisors are responsible for checking that all work is completed to superior standards. This extends to project cleanup, irrespective of the season when the project is undertaken. Our production manager follows up at the conclusion of each job to ensure your complete satisfaction.

It starts with hiring a quality roofer

The roof is a very important component of a building, and any kind of work performed on it should be exceptional, from small repair jobs to new roof installations. Usually, the bulk of what is spent on a roofing job goes for the skilled labour involved, while the materials themselves represent a fairly small portion of the bill.

This implies that choosing an experienced roofing company is the best way to protect your investment and ensure that the finished job meets your expectations.

1. Get recommendations

The easiest way to find a reliable roofing company is by shopping around and looking for recommendations of people who have worked with them before.

2. Call references directly

If you get multiple recommendations of good roofing companies to work with, you could narrow down your search by getting in touch with some of their references to determine whether they were satisfied with the work.

You could ask them questions like:

• Whether they would use the roofer again
• Whether there were any problems with the finished job, and how fast they responded to the complaint. Also find out whether they charged for the additional work
• Whether the job was done within the agreed budget, or how much the project exceeded the budget
• Whether the roofer caused damage to other parts of the property, and whether they cleaned up after completing the work
• Whether there was a designated foreman available to address their concerns for the entire duration of the project

You could also visit some of the references to get a visual feel of the quality of work done by a prospective company.

Final note

Proper management of the roofing project is important to ensure a satisfactory outcome. Even as you check whether the roofer you want to hire carries workers’ compensation coverage and offers a warranty to cover leaks, flashing failure and other labour-related defects, you should find out the qualifications of the construction manager in charge of the overall project – as a competency check.

With time, all roofs wear out and need replacing. It is important to know the right time for a replacement so you don’t end up wasting money because you did it too soon, or alternatively, suffering from water damage and other disruptions because you waited too long. There are a few things you can do to get the timing right and identify early signs of roof failure.

Follow these simple guidelines to ensure that your roof is replaced at the right time:

1. Hire a professional roofing company to perform a complete roof condition assessment

During the assessment, your contractor should thoroughly examine every part of the roof, including: seams, flashings, attachment points, cracks at joints and corners, units and projections. They will also assess the roof for damage, deterioration, punctures, ageing, leaks, ponding water, etc., and will most likely do a test-cut (cut through the roofing material to see what’s under the surface layer, and if your existing insulation is saturated with water). This will allow them to properly identify the current condition of the window and decide whether repairs or a replacement is necessary.

2. Are the costs of the repairs are high and frequent?

When there is some kind of damage on your roof, you have to determine whether to simply patch up the damaged areas, or get a partial or complete re-roofing. Usually, repairs are reasonable if the leak or damage is on a brand new or sound roof. After all, you don’t want to pay for repairs only to incur replacement costs after a couple of years because your roof has reached the end of its life.

However, when you reach a point where the repairs are being done too frequently, or when they add up to a cost that is greater than that of a roof replacement because the first roof was poorly installed or perhaps you used the wrong materials for your building’s location and design, it may be more cost-effective to get a new roof installed.

3. Did the roof has surpass its warranted expected life? Have you been doing proper maintenance?

How old is the roof? Many experts agree that a standard roof has a life cycle of between 20 and 25 years. However, longevity may also depend on whether the old roof was properly maintained, if it was installed over another layer of roof, or if it is properly ventilated.

Many building owners decide to get a new roof when they spot irreparable damage on their roof, conditions such as water damage can cause a serious enough problem to need replacing. If the roof was installed over another layer, and has been in place for more than two decades, you probably need to get it replaced.

Final note

A new roof is a costly proposition, and in most cases, taking the right steps to get roof repair when small problems crop up can help reduce the likelihood of bigger problems that necessitate a replacement. However, there are instances when a roof replacement is the only option. Call in a roofing expert that works in all Canadian seasons to assess the amount of work that needs to be done, and advise you on the best cause of action. It’s an investment that will save your company time and money in the long run.

It happens every year: a business owner waits too long to deal with their roof issues, the Winter arrives, and issues arise. While the preferred flat roofs can be installed during winter months, roofs that have any kind of a pitch can be dangerous to work on in bad weather.

When a leak occurs, the business owner may call a roofing company to come and deal with the leak.

The first consideration with Winter repairs is that real people need to work on the roof. A general roofing crew that needs to fix damaged areas may not be experienced in working in inclement weather, so finding a roofing company that’s not only professional, but used to working in all Canadian seasons is essential.

Before they begin fixing any problem areas, the crew will need to remove any snow and/or ice from the roof, and it’s likely that the bare roof surface can become extremely slippery and dangerous. Roofers need to move up and down ladders and if it’s cold outside, will likely have extra gear on, which adds weight. Considering all the additional barriers roofers need to face when fixing a commercial roof, it can be expected that the job will take slightly longer than it would in the warmer months.

An additional consideration is that roofers use a lot of different tools. Air compressors and nail guns may not work correctly if the weather is too cold because the compression and release of air in the system can cause humidity that turns into water. This water can freeze in the airline, and less airflow will be received by the installer. If the roofer does need nails for the job and this occurs, then the nails will not be installed flush with the roofing material.

Despite all of the above potential difficulties, you will be able to get your damaged commercial roof repaired or even replaced entirely during the winter months if you contact the right roofing company, and if the conditions are right. If the weather is too inclement to conduct a safe job, even the best roofers will be unable to complete the task. Look for a company who has experience doing this kind of work in the Winter and you’ll be able to maintain the structure of your building and the safety of your employees.

The two broadest categories of roof are sloping and flat, although for commercial roofs, flat is the ongoing standard.

Each type of roof requires different forms of maintenance. It’s important to be cognizant of the needs that your particular category entails, as a properly maintained roof will last longer and will ensure that your building is adequately protected, resulting in significant cost savings.

Flat Roofs: The Better Option

Water is much more likely to pond on an older flat roof, so it is important that flat roofs are inspected for pooling after a significant rainfall. Any pooling water should be removed within 48 hours to avoid permanent damage to the roof, although it should be noted that it’s best to have your roofing professionals do the inspection. Going on a roof yourself can be dangerous to yourself and hazardous to your roof.

New or refinished flat roofs, if installed correctly by a reputable flat roofing contractor shouldn’t see an ongoing issue with pooling, as your roofing company will have installed an antiquate drainage system.

Large industrial flat roofs may have several hundred feet of flashing surrounding the perimeter of the roof. This flashing should be inspected twice yearly and following major storms, as flashing is particularly vulnerable to being damaged by winds. It is important that damage flashing be replaced, because it is designed to project joints, which can leak if not in proper condition. Damaged flashing can be replaced in sections, so you won’t be left having to repair large sections of your roof if damaged, saving you both time and money.

As well, an adequate level of ballast (i.e. gravel) may be used on some flat roofs. Ballast protects the roof from the elements and also needs to be maintained.

As is also the case for sloped roofs, gutters and downspouts which should be inspected on a regular basis to ensure water can flow and drain properly. Just like in your home, natural debris can buildup in your commercial building’s gutters, and the only way to ensure they’re working properly is to do regular checkups.

Sloped Roofs: The Older Option

It’s uncommon today for a roofing company to suggest installing a sloped roof, as they’re costly and cause more problems than flat roofs do. A sloped roof needs to be inspected more often than flat roofs to determine if any areas are broken or worn out.

Any cracks around daylighting or other protrusions should be identified and sealed using the proper outdoor-rated sealant or caulking.

Many of the maintenance techniques described here may seem relatively simple, however, it is important that these tasks are completed properly to ensure leaks are eliminated and the problems don’t worsen. If you are concerned about problems with your roof, contact our team today! We’re fully equipped to carry out any of the maintenance measures described here, and any other issue your roof might face.

Whether you’ve bought a new warehouse or have simply been in your commercial building for many years and have become worried about the structure of your roof, consider these six warning signs your ultimate check list to knowing whether or not you might need a new roof.

1. Water is pooling on your roof

Water remaining pooled on a roof for more than 48 hours is a sign that your roof is not draining properly. Pooling could be the result of a clogged drainage system, which may be a relatively easy fix. However, it could also indicate the existence of more serious damage, such a buckling and warping of roofing materials.

Either of these situations should be addressed immediately as standing water can cause rot, which may affect the structural integrity of the roof.

2. Interior water damage is visible

Interior water damage (such as a sagging ceiling, dark spots, and mold/ mildew growths) are signs that your roof is failing to drain properly. If visible water damaged is noticed, an experienced roofing professional should be contacted immediately to assess the situations and recommend a course of action.

3. Flashing is damaged

Flashing is sheet metal trim that is installed over joints on a roof – whether around the perimeter or protrusions – that keeps water from entering the joint. Flashing is particularly vulnerable to damage caused by high winds, so it’s a good idea to check flashing after severe storms.

While individual sections of flashing can be replaced, damaged flashing can indicate that water may have entered the roof, causing more serious problems. An experienced roofing professional will be able to asses whether or not this is the case.

4. Blistering is visible

Blistering (i.e. bumps) on the roof indicate that air and moisture is trapped under the roof’s membrane. Extensive blistering is a serious cause for concern, as the water trapped under the membrane could be damaging to the roof deck.

5. There are cracks and punctures on the roof

This is an obvious sign that water is able to permeate the roof. Holes and cracks should be addressed immediately, as significant rainfall could enter the crack and cause flooding.

6. There is significant staining on top of the roof

If there are large areas of the roof that are discolored, it’s likely that moisture has failed to drain from those areas over a prolonged period. This situation should be immediately investigated by a roofing professional, as this could be an indication of severe water damage sustained over time.

While it is important to know if your roof has been subject to wear and tear, it can be dangerous to go on your roof yourself, and you can even end up damaging it even more. To prevent further damage from occurring, call our team to check your commercial roof for you.

Solar power generation technology continues to advance at a rapid pace. Even if a building owner may not want to install solar panels at the moment – it is quite possible that he or she may wish to make the investment at some point in the future, considering how quickly the industry is growing. As such, it is prudent for newly constructed roofs and buildings to be ‘solar ready’.

In certain areas, such as California for example, it is generally required by law that all new commercial properties be built to solar standards. While that is not the case in Ontario, anyone installing a new roof should still consider upgrading for these possibilities, as this will result in drastic cost-savings in the long term if the decision to install the panels is eventually made. Not only that, but it will likely increase the resale value of your property, should you be looking to sell in the near future.

Here is a brief overview of the main factors that make a roof solar ready:

1. Rooftop obstructions should be minimized

Obstructions on the roof, such as machinery, should be kept to a minimum. If it is necessary to mount some equipment on the roof, as will often be the case, the equipment should be grouped together and confined to as small an area as possible so that there will be a large open area on which to install solar panels.

2. The load bearing capacity of the roof must be adequate

The roof must be able to bear the load of an array of solar panels. Not only does it have to be able to hold the weight of the panels themselves, but also the snow that may accumulate on the roof, and the wind that may bear extra weight on the roof. To ensure that a roof can handle it, building owners will have to consult with a roofing company who are experienced with installing heavy structures on heavy roofs.

3. Mounts should be installed

Any solar panels eventually installed will have to be mounted to the roof. Installing these at the time or roof construction will almost always be cheaper than doing so after the roof is constructed, making it a smart investment for anyone interested in making the change in the future.

If you’re looking have your roof upgraded, or are looking to build an entirely new building altogether, contact our experts on what you need to do to get a solar-ready roof!