The Pleasures of Sharing Information

Here is our list of the Top 7 Questions every client should ask their commercial, industrial, and institutional roofing contractor:

1. What are the best options for a roofing system in this climate? Almost 50% of roofing failures are a result of defective design. Your roofing contract must consider things like drainage, puncture resistance, fire resistance, tensile strength and other performance factors. Your roofing system should be practical for your building type and location.

2. Is tearing off the entire roof necessary? Eliminating waste can help the environment and your budget when re-roofing. There are roofing systems that can actually be put on right over your current roof.

3. Does the roof system moderate temperatures in summer and winter? Looking into eco friendly roofing options such as a vegetative roof can help control temperatures in the building and extend the life of the roof. The end result would be reduced energy costs and may even improve employee health, well-being, and morale.

4. How long is the roofing system under warranty? Ask your roofing contractor how long is the warranty.. Does the warranty cover the entire roofing system, including installation defect?. Sometimes warranties have exclusions and fees for things like ponding water and additional damage that may have been caused.

5. Will this roofing system be Energy Star Complaint? A client can find the minimum requirements for reflectance and emittance at the government’s Energy Star Website.Initial reflectance must be at least 65%. After 3-years of exposure to weathering, it must have a minimum reflectance of 50%. In addition to the Energy Star website, you can visit the Cool Roof Rating Council Website for ratings of various roofing systems for solar reflectance. With this information, you’ll know whether or not your roofing system options are energy efficient.

6. For what Federal tax deductions might my roofing system qualify? If it meets the ASHRAE 90.1 standard it does! The minimum requirements for energy efficient building design (standard 90.1) were established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers. In 1994, the federal government adopted this standard. At a minimum, solar reflectance should be 70% and solar emittance should be 75% for government facilities.

7. Does the roofing materials manufacturer have a recycling program? Some manufacturers do have recycling programs which collect the roofing material once a roof is ready to be replaced. You would be surprised at the types of products that are created from old, worn-out roofing materials. As an example, you find creations like park benches, roadways, flooring, and even new roofing systems come from recycled roofs.