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There’s a Loud Banging Noise on My Roof: Now What?

The wintertime has varying effects on all of us. Not only is the weather much more frigid, but it also gets darker outside far earlier in the day and stays darker long into the morning. This can have something of a jarring effect on those of us who do not particularly care for this time of year.

Another thing that you might encounter is that you suddenly hear loud banging noises on your metal roof. This can be pretty alarming to hear for the first time or two, but it is not a cause for panic. The noise might make you think that there is some kind of lurking intruder or that a tree has fallen on your roof, this is actually the effect that low temperatures can have on the roofing materials.

The banging you hear is the shrinking of the material that is occurring due to the shrinking of the material and it isn’t always a serious structural issue at hand. It does, however, require a bit more information to fully grasp.

Why does the roof make noise?

Let’s take a step back for a moment. Before you can truly understand what is happening with your roof, the concept of thermal expansion and contraction is something that you should have a handle on. The materials used to construct your building are all differently affected by the temperature of the environment that they inhabit.

During the winter, when temperatures have declined sharply, these changes can become much more noticeable. Colder temperatures can shrink any exposed materials. These materials are bound to one another as well as any interior materials by fasteners (this can include things like nails and screws).

Different materials will contract and expand at different rates; this can mean that all of the materials that encompass your roof are contracting and expanding at different rates as a response to the sudden shifts in temperature. This is what can cause these banging noises and is nothing to necessarily be alarmed about.

Metal roofing

Inside conditions vs outside conditions

Though the exterior of your roof is constantly exposed to the shifting temperatures of winter, the inside of your house is generally kept warm and is not exposed to shifting temperatures. The heat that is inside of your house is constantly moving upward toward the cold outer portion of the roof.

What this means is that the roof itself is shrinking due to the cold while the rest of the house is not. This can cause a buildup of pressure and distortion as well. When that pressure builds up, the joints and other areas where connections are made end up moving slightly; this creates those banging noises that might startle you during those cold nights.

It is important to not be alarmed. If you live in a colder region where there are typically large drops in temperature between daytime and nighttime during the winter, this is something that cannot be avoided and is not something to worry about.

What you might not have realized is that the same expansion and contraction is taking place is a far quieter fashion when water pipes are cooled or heated with each use. This contraction and expansion also take place with window and door frames even in the summer when the temperature cools from daytime to nighttime.

Another fact that you might not have even considered is that builders are well aware of the effects of thermal expansion and contraction and take that into consideration when they are building. For this reason, they try to choose compatible materials that are adjacent to each other and then tightly securing those connections in order to resist any excessive movement.

It is worth noting that you should probably make a point of clearing off your roof if several inches or more of snow have piled up. This snow provides additional weight to the roof and runs a greater risk of providing water damage to any areas that it stays in.

Insulation won’t make a difference

While there are certainly some instances where adding more insulation to your roof can help to quell those banging sounds that are being made as the roof and other components shift and contract, it ultimately cannot stop that expansion and contraction. This is because the roof is exposed to the elements and outside temperatures.

Adding any more attic ventilation could help to minimize the contraction and expansion through reducing the attic’s daytime temperature, but it likely will not end the banging entirely. Adding a little bit more of insulation to the attic could help to muffle those sounds if you truly are bothered or concerned by the metal banging of your roof during the winter.

As stated, it generally speaking is not a matter of concern if you hear your metal roof banging during the winter months. This is something that has been taken into consideration by the builders and is typically not a sign of something more serious like structural damage.

If the banging becomes more frequent or louder in nature, it might be worth calling in a contractor to perform an inspection. It might feel like overkill, but it is better to be safe than sorry. This way, the contractor can inspect your roof for the overall condition and ensure that what you are hearing has nothing to do with structural damage or any potential issues with the roof itself.

Your metal roof acts as any other material would in the colder months. That constant expanding and contracting that the materials do under the changing temperatures are nothing more than a cause for annoyance at best.

Though you may wish for the banging to go away, it is part of having a metal roof in colder regions of the country. There is not much to be done to alleviate this issue and it is something that you generally just have to take with the colder months of the year.

So, don’t freak out the next time your roof starts to bang. It’s just doing what nature makes it do.

4 Ice Dam Prevention Tips for Metal Roofs

Ice Dam

The wintertime is one of some contention for those who don’t particularly enjoy the cold weather. It means more clothes, turning the temperature up in your home, and making certain that your roof is properly protected from the elements.

One of these issues that you may need to worry about, particularly if you have a metal roof, is what is known as an ice dam. An ice dam is where ice and water become trapped on a portion of the roof and catches any flowing water. This can be particularly bad for your roof.

Ice dams can cause a number of different issues for your metal roof. The water can get under the metal shingles, raising them up and leaking water down onto the roof below. This can cause heat loss as well as damage to your attic space as well as further structural damage to the wood surrounding that area.

But what exactly causes ice dams to form? This occurs when the heat that is inside the house rises up to the attic space. There it continues to rise until it reaches the apex of the roof. That warm air then warms up the top of the roof itself; this causes the snow that has built up there to melt and that water runs down the surface of the roof. When it reaches the colder edges that are at the bottom of the roof, that water then refreezes and forms a wall of ice (or a dam). That ice then traps additional water, causing icicles and additional ice and water to build up.

So, what can you do to prevent those ice dams from building up and causing substantial damage to your metal roof over the winter? Here are a few helpful tips that can go a long way towards keeping your metal roof protected.

Minimize the impact of warm air

As stated previously, it is that flowing of warm air that really aids to the buildup of water which then causes the ice dams to form. In order to prevent the ice dams from forming, you need to ensure that the warm air is kept to a minimum when flowing outward to the roof.

You can do this by first sealing the air leaks that can lead to the attic space. Do this by locating those little pathways where the warm air can rise up inside the attic and make sure that they are properly insulated. This is an effective long-term solution towards solving the ice dam problem that plagues so many metal roofs.

The first step is properly identifying those holes and then sealing them. You can use something like weather stripping to make sure that they are properly insulated and then make sure to seal all of the holes through which that warm air can escape into the attic.

Properly insulate your attic

After you have ensured that those holes are properly sealed so the warm air cannot escape to the roof, the next step would be to bring up your level of the attic floor that is insulated to a certain level. Most homes within a snow-belt zone will be required to have a level of attic insulation that is around R-49 as rated by Energy Star.

Older homes are generally not properly insulated, which means that you have to have additional floor insulation added to your home’s attic. To do this, you need to find out what the current level of insulation is in your attic. You can grab a ruler and measure the height of the insulation in your attic and then multiply that height in inches by 3.14 and that will give you your attic’s current floor insulation R-Value.

If your level of insulation isn’t where it needs to be, you will have to purchase additional levels of energy-efficient floor insulation pads for your attic to ensure that it is properly insulated from the cold. This will help keep your roof from getting those annoying ice dam buildups.

Ice Dam Icicles

Icicles are just part of the problem with ice dams.

Add additional attic floor pads

One of the most important things to do here is to ensure that you are not putting the insulation into corners where the attic floor and the roof walls wind up meeting. This is because it can create something of a cold area near the edge of the roof; this can contribute to ice dam formation and it can block the air in-flow as well.

That additional attic floor padding will help to properly insulate your roof so as to keep it protected and to keep that additional heat from escaping into the roof itself. That additional insulation will go a long way towards preventing the buildup of ice and water, which leads to those pesky ice dams building up on your roof.

Ensure there is proper ventilation in your attic

After you have taken the steps to ensure that your attic is properly insulated and sealed, you need to make certain that your attic is also ventilated properly. First, you need to check to see if you have soffit vents installed. These are designed to drive cold air into the attic and you will be in good shape if you have them.

If you don’t have soffit vents, then you will need to have gable vents installed as an alternative. Generally speaking, you want to have one foot of that gable ventilation or any alternative roof ventilation for every 150 square feet of your attic floor.

When you ensure that you have proper ventilation, you prevent that buildup of heat that can melt water and cause it to become trapped in areas of your roof, causing those troublesome ice dams to form. It might be a bit of a hassle, but ensuring that those ice dams do not form can mean the difference between a properly functioning roof and one that can become damaged and cause issues with your roof.

Prevent ice dams with these relatively easy steps and you can ensure that your metal roof holds up during even the toughest of winters.

Roofing Diagnosis 101: Metal Roof Leaks Around Screws

When it comes to roofs, there are few products that can match the strength, durability, and performance that a metal roof can offer. But like just about anything else, metal roofs are not indestructible and they definitely can spring leaks.

Knowing where and how to identify leaks in a metal roof is the first step towards implementing the repairs that you will need to get your roof back into working order. Here are just a few things to look for if your metal roof is beginning to leak.

Metal Roof Interior

Metal roofing screws

More often than not, if you have a leak in your metal roof, a metal roofing screw is the culprit. When installed properly, metal roofing screws will seal out the water by compressing a rubber washer down at the base of the screw head. When the screw is then driven down into the metal roofing panel, the rubber washer will form a gasket of sorts between the roofing panel and the screw head itself.

While this sounds like a simple process, there are definitely things that can go wrong and we will go over a number of those later in this piece. The key is to know that when you have a leak, you should go for the site of the metal roofing screws before checking out anything else.

Here are a few of the ways that a metal roofing screw can lead to a leak in your metal roof.

Under driven screws

This can happen when you don’t have enough torque on the screw as it goes into the metal roof itself. What causes the leaking is that the rubber washer does not properly seat against the metal roofing panel. When this happens, the rubber part of the screw is never compressed and there is no gasket seal that is formed.

This can typically be remedied by tightening down the roofing screws with additional torque. This might not resolve the issue every single time, but it likely will solve the issue the majority of the time. This is one of the easier fixes that you can implement when your metal roof springs a leak, particularly around the metal screws.

Overdriven screws

This is the other end of the spectrum. In an effort to ensure that the tight seal between the screw head and the metal roofing panel has been met, the screw can be overdriven into the metal roofing panel. This can lead to damage to the roofing panel itself, which presents other problems that may need to be addressed.

The added torque generally breaks the rubber washer and makes it spin out to the side, preventing the sealing necessary that keeps the water from leaking down into the hole. In some cases, you can simply take some of the torque off of the screw; in others, the screw may be stripped and there could be pressure damage to the metal roofing panel itself.

Metal Roof Leaks Around Screws

Screw is driven in at the wrong angle

Again, the key to a successful screwing of the metal screw is getting that seal. When you screw down at the wrong angle, there is nothing for the rubber washer to sit flat against. This will result in the seal not taking effect and leaks persisting around the area.

When something like this happens, you can generally unscrew your driven screw and use the proper torque to re-screw it in. You know you have done it properly when the rubber seal sits flush against the metal roofing panel and keeps the water from leaking through.

This is a pretty easy fix as, in most cases, the screw will not have done any damage to either itself or the metal roofing panel. Simply unscrew the current installation and make sure that you screw it in again so that it sits flush with the panel.

Screws that might have missed the wood framing or strut below

When something like this happens, the screw has nothing to seal against and leaks can be hard to find because many times the screw is right there, but without actually touching it you wouldn’t know that it didn’t actually seal or hit anything.

Always double-check to ensure that the screw has seated properly and grabbed onto the strut or wood framing below. You can save yourself a ton of trouble by double-checking your work each time and won’t have to revisit a leak area caused by inefficient screwing.

Faulty screws

While it isn’t the most common of causes that there is, you could find yourself having leaks after a proper installation simply because the rubber washer might not be safe or complete. It is also important to check on the screws after each season because hot summers followed by frigid winters are likely to be unkind to those rubber washers.

Over time, and with temperature changes, can degrade those rubber washers and make them lose their seals. When something like this happens, it can be difficult to find a difference between where the screws are leaking and where they are not.

Screw

How to prevent leaks created by metal roofing screws

As stated previously, it is essential that you double-check your work before walking away from the roof. Screwing in a screw with too much or too little torque can be a common cause, as can a screw that is placed at an improper angle.

When you double-check your work, you ensure that there are no screws that will slip by you and you should not have to deal with leaks. But should there be leaks in your metal roof, you have a pretty good idea that the metal roofing screws are the culprit. Take a look around, inspect those screws, and make adjustments where you need to.

Leaks in your metal roof don’t have to be a catastrophe. Taking proper care and using common sense can save you a lot of headache and hassle and leave your roof standing up to the test of time and those pesky leaks.

Synthetic Slate Roofing: Everything You Need to Know in 2022

As is the case with nearly any industry, once the initial item is created, it is only a matter of time before competitors within the industry learn how to replicate those production methods and implement more cost-effective materials and measures to reproduce that item.

This is absolutely the truth when it comes to the roofing industry, particularly slate shingles. Those authentic slate material shingles have been the material of choice for roofing construction for a number of centuries. Its popularity can be seen in the United States and Europe for things like cathedrals, libraries, estate homes, and so many more buildings.

Slate Roofing Tiles

The Cons of a Slate Shingle Roof

The downside with authentic slate shingles, however, is in the cost. The material itself is more costly just to buy. That is not taking into account the other aspects of installing a roof. Even if you know how to do this yourself, the cost of the materials alone is much higher than other methods of installing a roof. If you have to hire a contractor to do the installation, that can become a costly endeavor.

In addition to the cost, there are a few other troubling aspects of this lauded material. It is very heavy to lift for transportation and installation, meaning you have to spend more just to transport and move the slate shingles.

Lastly, slate shingles are also quite fragile, especially when cutting and nailing it. Not only that, they are particularly susceptible to cracking once they have been installed.  This makes for a very costly and difficult endeavor when installing a new roof and the repair process is equally as difficult and expensive.

Enter: Synthetic Slate Shingles

As stated above, any product that has been created goes through a process where other manufacturers develop their own version of the product, oftentimes with more cost-effective measures and materials. This is exactly the case when it comes to slate shingles.

While synthetic slate shingles are not technically slate – they are made from rubber and plastic, generally speaking—they are designed and constructed to mirror the unique, beautiful authentic slate, but without the major cost or the installation process that can leave you with a stress headache.

Best of all? Synthetic slate shingles are designed to last longer. No more cracking, no more costly and difficult repairs. Just more durable, flexible, and reliable materials that you can implement onto your roof to ensure that it stands up to the test of time for far longer.

How Are Synthetic Slate Shingles Made?

I’m sure the initial description of synthetic slate shingles makes them sound like some sort of super material. While they are not quite that, they are definitely making life easier when it comes to roof installations and repairs that were previously a very expensive endeavor.

These synthetic slate shingles are made through the process of injection molding. Petroleum-based materials are injected into these metal forms that are actually cast from authentic slate. There are certainly some brands of synthetic slate shingles that use virgin plastic or rubber in the manufacturing process. There are others that use recycled plastic or rubber as well as cellulose fibers or mineral dust. Really, there are quite a few ways to do this and using recycled content actually consists of using high-quality post-industrial materials; there are only a few manufacturers that incorporate recycled materials that are post-consumer.

Once the molded materials harden, you have a shingle that is synthetic slate that is made to stand up to the test of time for a far lesser cost than the shingles of their namesake. 

Benefits of Synthetic Slate Shingles

The benefits of using synthetic slate shingles are numerous and there is good reason that they have become a popular alternative to authentic slate shingles. Among the benefits:

  • Using synthetic slate shingles is considered as a “green” building alternative, even those that use what are known as virgin materials. This is because just about any type of synthetic slate can end up being recycled at the end of life for a roof.
  • Synthetic slate shingles tend to be much more durable than their authentic counterparts. This is because the synthetic variations contain things like advanced ultraviolet inhibitors in order to reduce the wear that occurs from constant exposure to the sun.
  • One of the best features of synthetic slate shingles is that the safety is built-in. This is because the synthetic slate generally has things called impact modifiers that are added in to help withstand storm damage. As a matter of fact, most of these are certified by Underwriters Laboratories for what is known as Class 4 impact resistance; this is the highest level when it comes to roofing materials. Most synthetic slates also tend to have some of the highest fire-resistance ratings – Class A – which means that they are effective when fighting exposure to external fires. They aren’t readily flammable, and they also do not spread the fire.
  • One of the most underrated aspects of using synthetic slate shingles is that they are far easier to transport and install and they are also less expensive than most other roofing materials. At 1.25 pounds per tile, they are far lighter than any asphalt shingle and they are about a quarter of the weight of a standard authentic slate shingle.
  • Their lightweight means that even a standard roof structure is able to support these synthetic slate shingles without requiring any special reinforcement. This means that they are practical when it comes to mainstream construction in residential areas. During the installation process, the synthetic slate shingles can be cut much easier using a field utility knife and then nailed into place with a pneumatic nail gun and standard roofing nails.

When you compare the costs of using authentic slate shingles versus their synthetic counterparts, the difference is massive. There should be little wonder that homeowners are opting for synthetic shingles on their roof; they tend to be far cheaper as well as more durable over a longer period of time.

Having to repair or replace your roof is never a good situation to find yourself in, especially when you are replacing your roof with very expensive slate shingles. But when you have a synthetic slate shingle roof, you can rest a bit easier knowing that your repairs will not cost an arm and a leg to implement.

Slate Roofing Against Blue Sky

The Downside of Synthetic Slate Shingles

Like just about anything ever, nothing is perfect, and everything has its downsides and flaws. Synthetic slate shingles are no different as there are known issues with those, as well. Here are a few of the issues that have been reported about synthetic slate shingles:

There have been multiple instances of the product coming faded as well as discolored. There have also been instances where the singles have begun to curl, though. It is important to note that in general, most of the fiber-cement materials have become so unattractive. It is also worth noting that most homeowners tend to find themselves unhappy with the appearance when there is fading or discoloration.

They can also come damaged in the box. Typically, this doesn’t mean cracks or anything that obvious; it is more along the lines of the corners beginning to roll up. You can flatten these out in most cases, but it is definitely something to look out for.

How Do You Know When It’s Time To Replace Your Roof?

Sometimes, it might not be as obvious of a situation as a huge patch of the damaged roof to let you know that it is time to make a switch. Though this is often times when the change occurs – thanks to storm damage, most likely – it is not 100% of the case.

Since slate is one of the strongest and longest-lasting materials available for roofing – the right shingle can last as long as 200 years depending on the environment – it might not be readily apparent when you might need to replace your slate roof.

Generally speaking, there are two types of slate roofing: soft slate and hard slate. The hard slate is considered to be one of the strongest types of roofing materials available when it comes to fire resistance and weather resilience. Because it is a hard stone, slate won’t absorb water and won’t become warped due to exposure to moisture. Best of all, slate maintains its composition for decades. That is why it was stated above regarding the life of a slate shingle roof that they can last as long as 200 years.

The softer slate counterpart is, as is described in the name, softer and less durable between the two. Though it is a stone, the composition of soft slate doesn’t have the ultra-durability that hard slate does. Still, roofs with shingles made of soft slate can still have a life expectancy of 50 to 125 years if in optimal weather conditions.

Soft slate offers the same fireproof and weather-resistant qualities that the harder counterpart does, it comes down to a matter of cost as well as improved overall durability for the hard slate shingle roofs that you might see.

Look Into Your Warranty

Often times, the terms of a warranty on your roof will depend on who the manufacturer is. There are some warranties that will cover the materials of the roof against any defects for decades but may only hold the contractor liable for a couple of years after the date of completion of installation. There are some manufacturers that will guarantee the materials for up to 100 years.

It is worth noting, however, that not all warranty policies will transfer over from one homeowner to the next and that some do transfer, but only one time. So if the previous property owner had the slate roof installed a decade ago and wants to sell, the next owner won’t be able to inherit that warranty.

As complicated as this whole endeavor is, that’s not the end of it. Local law can play a factor as well. Ultimately, if you are planning to purchase a home that has a slate roof, you will want to find out about the warranty and if it is transferrable to prevent any unexpected headaches from arising.

Cost of Replacing Slate Shingles With Synthetic Slate Shingles

This is where it gets a bit nerve-wracking and is not for the squeamish. The average roof in the United States is about 1,600 square feet. Each square of synthetic slate shingle can run in the neighborhood of $350-400 per square. Yes, per square.

That means that after installation costs you are looking at $900-$1,100 PER SQUARE. Incredibly, that pales in comparison to the $1,650-$3,000 per square cost of authentic slate tiles. When all is said and done, you’re looking at $14,400-17,600 for a synthetic slate shingle roof and around $26,000 for a natural slate roof of the same size.

The costs are going to be there regardless, but you are still saving anywhere from $9,000-12,000 on synthetic versus natural slate. Coupled with the durability, lightweight, and ease of installation, it is clear why so many are moving away from natural slate roofs.

Questions to Ask During the Roof Installation Process

As you can see from the section above, it is a massive investment to either have your roof replaced or to build a new roof made from any kind of slate, synthetic or natural. For the amount of money that you will need to spend, it is imperative that you have full confidence in the professionals doing the job.

The last thing that you want is to invest that kind of money into a roofing project only to have it done in a subpar manner that leaves the need for further repair or worse. Doing your homework beforehand can save you a world of headaches and hassles and ensure that you are getting the job done right for your substantial financial contribution.

Do Companies Specialize in Synthetic Slate Roofing?

Contrary to popular belief, not all roofing companies are the same. When having a slate roof installed, you want a contractor that has substantial experience in regard to the application of slate. This is especially crucial given that handling slate is a bit more difficult than other roofing materials, though this is less imperative with a synthetic slate roof.

For roofers who do not have the experience with slate roofs that are necessary, they might make a litany of easily avoidable mistakes. They need to know that you can’t walk on slate or synthetic slate shingles in the same way that you might be able to with other materials. And there are things like leaving fasteners exposed to rain and snow that can cause headaches you don’t need.

There is also one thing that a roofer should absolutely never do and that is coat a slate or synthetic slate shingle. This isn’t necessary because the slate and synthetic slate shingles are already resistant to rain, fire, snow, wind, and hail; the coating may compromise that.

Don’t let an inexperienced roofer provide sub-quality work. Finding an experienced roofer who has dealt with slate and synthetic slate roofing before is the way to go to avoid any additional costly mistakes that might drag the already expensive process out even further.

Does The Roofing Company Provide Maintenance. What Kind?

This is perhaps just as important of a question to ask. You likely will live in an area where weathering will occur; rain, snow, and wind are the most common factors involved here. And when these elements get involved, you might find yourself in need of maintenance to your roof.

Selecting a roofing company that will provide maintenance is important should there be any issues. Maintenance work is generally covered under the warranty with your roofing company, but each company has different policies and warranty lengths as well as different types of issues that it will cover.

Slate and synthetic slate generally do not require maintenance because there is no warping, rusting, or attracting of mold. And they are unlikely to be damaged by a natural event, short of a tornado or earthquake. Still, the tiles can crack under select circumstances. Make sure to trim nearby branches so that they don’t fall onto your roof and cause damage to the shingles.

Conclusion

Though it is clearly a heavy financial investment, making the switch to synthetic slate shingles for your roof makes for a sound long-term investment. They are meant to stand up to heavy weather conditions that aren’t natural disaster levels and will hold up for far longer than you might ever need.

Still, the cost is something to take into account. Not only that, you want to make sure that you have a warranty that will cover your roof in the event of any damage because that is a huge amount of money to spend to not have any type of insurance in your corner.

After you have gone through the installation process, you can sit back and enjoy your beautiful and durable synthetic slate roof for a long, long time.

Turning OSHA Safety Standards Into a Marketing Opportunity

Imagine sitting down in your office. While budgeting your time for the day, a project manager calls to tell you that OSHA wants to penalize your company over $130,000 for fall prevention violations and other safety shortcomings. How does that make you feel? Not good!

That’s a situation that Five Star Commercial Roofing found itself in this month, after the Indiana state commissioner of labor filed a complaint against the company for OSHA safety violations. According to Star Press, the Hartford City commercial roofing business agreed to pay the fines, in addition to undergoing additional training for fall protection. While the fines and training hours may represent a minor setback for this prolific business, the damage to the respected company’s reputation may take longer to repair.

Worker Follows OSHA Safety Guidelines With Fall Prevention Rails

Safety Guidelines Keep Your Business From Expensive Fines and Bad Press!

OSHA safety standards guide countless roofing construction projects across the US. Even if your state of operation has adopted a different regulatory standard, your business still feels the effects of OSHA mandates. It’s a cross we all have to bear in the industry, but not one without potential benefits. What if you could take all the staff meetings, boring training seminars, and certifications and turn them into fuel for your company’s marketing efforts?

Today, we’re going to talk how to do just that. Here are three steps to turn your OSHA safety guidelines into a lead-generating tool!

Step #1: Go Through the Training Process

To leverage the marketing benefits of OSHA training, you’ll need to complete each of the crucial sessions and certifications required by your state. That means everything from competent person training to fall prevention planning. If you’re wondering about what type of training is required for your company or how to become OSHA safety certified, check out their guide “Training Requirements in OSHA Standards.”

A Team Undergoes OSHA Safety Training

Don’t Forget to Take Photos While Completing Training Courses! Photo Source: osha.gov

As you and your employees undergo training, be sure to take plenty of photos of the team! Not only do these provide visible evidence of your company’s dedication to safety protocols, they also showcase the personal side of your business. You may also want to use these training sessions as topical fuel for your company blog (more on this later)!

Want to enhance the marketing value of your training even more? Start taking quality video of your achievements. Praise an employee for completing special certifications. Make a walkthrough video of completing an OSHA safety checklist for construction projects!

Step #2: Adapt to Your Client’s Point of View

Let’s be honest here. Your commercial clients aren’t wildly concerned with OSHA safety requirements for working on roofs. What does concern them are additional costs and delays to their single ply roofing restoration or specialized foam system installation. Clients look for qualified roofing companies that produce reliable, timely results.

So the real question is: how can your marketing team translate an admittedly mundane activity into something that builds confidence in your client prospects?

A Crane Lifts a Heavy Object Onto a Roof

How Does Employee Safety Standards Help Your Clients Save Time and Money?

For every training seminar and online course your team completes, ask yourself a few questions.

  • What elements of these OSHA safety standards matter most to my team?
  • How does following these guidelines ultimately save time and money for my client?
  • What media can we use to capture and communicate what we’ve learned with potential clients?

If you want your clients to value safety, show them how it matters to you personally, your employees, and your company as a whole. Never underestimate the value of enthusiasm! After all, if you don’t value safety training, your clients aren’t going to either. Try to convey how OSHA safety standards for fall prevention (for example) have enabled your employees to work with confidence, producing faster results and even better quality work!

Step #3: Generating Ideas for Your Website and Social Media

So which media provide the best value for your new marketing material and what platforms should you share the content from? When it comes to digital marketing, we generally recommend launching new content from your website first. That’s because your company website usually offers the greatest exposure and the best potential to convert interested businesses into clients. You can easily spread out the content to social media and other platforms afterwards.

Worker Fulfills OSHA Safety Guidelines During Roofing Project

Video is Considered Rich Content, Providing Better Engagement With Clients.

Now, what sort of media should you consider as you prepare your material? You have many options to choose from, including:

  • Images
  • Video
  • Infographics
  • Text

Most companies stick with a simple OSHA logo and a short text insert of their policies. The end result feels more like a disclaimer than a point of pride for the business. Others dedicate an entire page to their OSHA standard compliance, but rarely take full advantage of their hard training. If you really want the greatest impact, start with a page that combines multiple forms of rich media!

Compelling Marketing Strategies With OSHA Safety

We’ve already mentioned some very lucrative ways to showcase your company’s dedication to safety.

  • Celebratory videos of your employees completing competent person training. These go well with blog and community posts!
  • Your team can also create a “What is an OSHA Safety Plan?” video, personally walking through how safety features enhance project timeliness and reduce costs.
  • You may even schedule a recorded walkthrough with a client, pointing out important safety elements involved in the construction project.

Take this content, embed the video in your website, and share the footage on your social media outlets! If your marketing team doesn’t have the capacity for creating a lot of video footage, you can instead explain your OSHA safety standards and benefits in a detailed infographic. Just remember, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Thick blocks of text aren’t going to convey the values you want to advertise to prospective clients. Video, images, and infographics (mixed with text) offer the best bang for your buck! Optimize your content well, and you may even find your guides showing up in featured snippets on Google search results.

Join the Roofers Guild!

For more tips on optimizing your website, creating an online marketing strategy, or developing promotional opportunities, talk with one of the experts at Roofers Guild! We’d be happy to answer those hot questions you have about growing your business. Simply call our team at (877) 532-3852.

Becoming a Conklin Independent Distributor

Members of Roofing Community Work on Project

Having a Network of Commercial Roofers for Support is Invaluable

Many small-scale roofers would like to grow their business, but lack the resources and accountability to realize that vision. A great solution to this common predicament is Conklin Independent Distribution. Becoming an Independent Distributor (ID) allows you to earn instant credibility in your market, and start profiting as a commercial roofer. You will gain access to an expansive library of training material, as well as a management structure that encourages excellence. In summary, benefits of becoming a Conklin Independent Distributor include:

  • Materials: Utilized premium quality roofing materials on your jobs
  • Resources: Gain access to countless training and management resources
  • Structure: Abide by a management structure that encourages success

Regardless of your current location, you can become an Independent Distributor. From New York to Texas, and Illinois to Louisiana, there’s opportunity available to anyone willing to take advantage. The most difficult part of launching a roofing company is earning credibility. A large percentage of consumers will not trust unknown commodities, but affiliation with Conklin allows contractors to establish credibility on day one. This makes marketing much simpler, and encourages growth at a much faster rate. Call (877) 532-3852 to speak with Roofer’s Guild about becoming a Conklin Independent Distributor.

Expanding Your Roofing Business

Many contractors don’t have an official business, but perform jobs based on word of mouth, and friends of friends. Becoming a Conklin ID allows you to turn a side business, into a legitimate company. You might be surprised by how quickly an unknown contractor can increase their demand with a little help from Conklin. There’s so many untapped resources available to contractors throughout the United States, and the time is now to start capitalizing. Ways to expand your roofing business include:

  • Branding
  • Digital Marketing
  • Management Structure
  • Reputation Building

It would be a shame to waste a business opportunity with so much upside, and very little downside. Roofers should view their status as an Independent Distributor as “playing with house money.” If your business ends up failing, you risked very little in the process, and can resume your previous work. Conversely, if you end up succeeding, your business will grow at a considerable rate, and you’ll have access to resources that help you handle the increased demand and workload. Weighing risk vs. reward should help you arrive at the decision that best suits your vision.

A Roofing Community

Still not sold on the idea of becoming a Conklin Independent Distributor? If so, maybe a community of roofers will change your mind. By joining Roofer’s Guild, you will be part of a national group of roofing contractors that holds each other accountable, and assists its members in various tasks, including the process of becoming a Conklin ID. Learn from like-minded individuals, many of who were recently in your same position. There’s strength in numbers, and Roofer’s Guilds’ numbers keep increasing. Join our community today.

Aside from being a community, Roofer’s Guild is also a network. We have members from all across the United States who have come together for a common goal. With an understanding that the industry can be highly competitive, it’s encouraging to have a network of allies who can help you realize your vision. Since each member is working towards individual goals, the support created through membership allows roofers to compare and contrast their current situations, and offer insights that help one another thrive in their respective markets. Call (877) 532-3852 to join Roofer’s Guild today.