Category Archives: Commercial Roofing

Jun '21

8 Most Common Silicone Roof Coating Problems

Although silicone roof coatings are a smart choice for many reasons, silicone roofing problems are quite common.

On the bright side, silicone coatings possess very high solids content, so they don’t necessarily have to be applied in multiple layers to provide adequate protection.

This saves time and money, and even more so when they do not require a primer (which is often true).

Many commercial buildings have silicone coatings protecting their roofs for these and other reasons. However, silicone roof coatings are not perfect—no type of roof coating is. They have inherent flaws.

As a contractor, property manager, or business owner, you should be aware of how silicone roof coatings can fail and thoroughly understand their most common problems.

Common Silicone Roofing Problems

Incompatibility With Other Materials
Adverse to Foot Traffic
Compromised Reflectivity
Limited to Flat Roofs
Shorter Warranties
Vulnerability to tearing
More Expensive
Difficult installation

Below, Roofer’s Guild outlines eight silicone roofing problems to consider:

1) Not All Roof Materials Adhere to Silicone

When it comes to selecting the best roof coating, you must consider your circumstances. Right off the bat, this could be a big problem. Not all existing roof materials will adhere to silicone.

A lack of adhesion means you must remove the entire surface or opt for materials that will stick to silicone. Investing in adhesive materials can drive up your installation costs.

2) Not The Best for Heavy Foot Traffic

An ideal candidate for silicone roof coating is a roof that will not see much foot traffic. There are a couple of problems that can arise if a silicone roof coating is applied to a roof that gets a lot of foot traffic:

Silicone becomes more slippery than other roof coatings when it gets wet, presenting a safety hazard for people on your roof.
Frequent foot traffic can damage silicone, reducing its projected lifespan.

Foot traffic may not be an issue if your building’s roof rarely receives visitors. However, if you frequently need roof-top HVAC maintenance, have people working on skylights, or your roof requires a lot of care, this may be a problem.

3) Compromised Reflectivity

One of the main advantages of installing a silicone roof coating is that it can reflect a lot of UV light, saving you money on cooling costs.

However, this is not an infallible advantage. Silicone roof coatings attract dirt and dust more than other materials. Dirt and other build-ups will compromise its reflectivity and negate energy savings.

While investing in regular roof cleanings can negate many of these concerns, doing so adds more maintenance to your property.

4) Limited to Flat Roofs

A silicone roof coating will not work very well on pitched roofs. Very few homeowners are clamoring to install a silicone roof coating on their houses, but not all commercial roofs are flat.

Silicone will not hold up or perform as well as other roof coating systems if you have a pitched commercial roof.

5) Shorter Warranties

While some other types of roof coatings typically come with warranties that last up to 25 years, the warranty you are likely to get from a silicone roof coating is significantly shorter.

You can usually expect a warranty period of only ten years. While some manufacturers/contractors may offer you 15-year warranties for silicone roof coatings, you can also expect to pay more for them.

6) Prone to Tearing

Silicone roof coatings are inherently prone to tearing. They are not as durable as some other roof coatings and should not be installed in areas where hail, foot traffic, and abrasion are common.

Hail and debris whipped up by the wind could tear the coating and expose the substrate. When a tear occurs, the entire coating can become compromised.

Tears can occur in many ways, including hailstones, heavy tools hitting the surface, pest infestations, falling debris from trees, and more.

7) More Expensive

One of the most unattractive silicone roof coating problems is that it is typically more expensive to install than other materials.

For example, installing a silicone roof coating costs around $2 to $3.50 per square foot. On the other hand, the average price to install an acrylic roof coating is only about fifty cents to a dollar per square foot.

Silicone roof coatings are also more expensive than other coating options because they require more cleaning and are more prone to tears.

When it comes time to replace your silicone roof coating, you are likely to pay more because, depending on the replacement materials, the entire surface may have to be removed.

8) Difficult to Install

Many roofers dislike working with silicone because it is messy and difficult to apply correctly. As a result, most contractors offering silicone coating installation have undergone special training, which will again drive up the installation cost.

On the other hand, an inexperienced contractor installing a silicone roof coating could cause more problems. That’s because improperly installed silicone roof coatings can damage your roof.

Making Sense of Silicone Roofing Problems

Vetting the problems of any roofing material will yield concerns. The goal is not to dissuade you from choosing silicone as your next roofing material but to equip you with the knowledge to make a more informed decision.

While we’ve clearly outlined potential problems with this popular material, it’s worth noting that its popularity is based on many positive attributes.

Ultimately, your choice of silicone roofing will likely be positive for your property.

Nevertheless, gaining awareness of silicone roofing problems is essential before investing time and money.

Feb '20

How Much Weight Can a Concrete Roof Support?

When considering roofing materials, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration. Durability, cost, and a litany of other things can impact which material you go with for your residential or commercial roof. But weight capacity is another important one.

Some mistakenly believe that concrete roofs are endlessly sturdy, regardless of contributing factors. That is not the case. In the following article, Roofer’s Guild explores the nuances of this topic.

How Much Weight Can a Concrete Roof Support (Cover)

Key Takeaway

A concrete roof can support about 1,200 pounds per square foot. However, variables like thickness, reinforcements, and installation quality all contribute to its maximum capacity.

How Much Weight Can a Concrete Roof Hold Per Square Foot?

While the answer to this question can vary greatly on several factors within the concrete itself, a good rule of thumb is around 1,200 pounds per square foot, depending on the thickness of the concrete and whether or not it has any reinforcements.

A common mistake is that amateur roofers just assume that concrete is impossibly strong, but it has weight restrictions just like any other material.

Reinforcing the Roof

With newer installations, this is likely a common practice performed by the roofer doing the job. But in older homes, the question of weight support becomes irrelevant if it is quite old or has experienced a lot of damage.

While a complete replacement is the most ideal of scenarios, the cost of a new roof is often not so realistic.

That is where reinforcing the roof can help get a longer life out of your roof while implementing a fast, quick repair and reinforcement that will keep the structural integrity of the roof sound for some time.

Again, it is highly recommended that you get a new roof wherever you can. Still, there are a couple of ways to reinforce your roof to give it a little boost in terms of life span.

Addressing Repairs with Patching

If the deterioration or damage to your concrete roof isn’t terribly bad, it can be patched to extend its life a little longer.

But if you are implementing extensive patchwork, it is important to note that you should not assume that it can take on a proper load and will never be able to handle the maximum weight.

The condition and age of the roof are essential factors for determining the amount of weight it can support so that you or a roofing contractor can safely traverse the roof.

Strengthening Existing Trusses

This is a way to add durability to your roof. By using 2×4s, you simply combine them with any existing trusses that may be in place from one end of the structure to the next. This can allow for extra stability.

However, this is not meant to be a long-term solution if the roof is showing signs of wear and deterioration.

Exercise caution whenever getting on the roof and understand that this is just prolonging the eventual replacement of the roof entirely.

Signs That the Roof is Failing

While not every roofing structure will provide clear warning signs, the question of weight support becomes moot once the damage is obvious.

Existing damage makes traversing the roof unsafe and a serious hazard.

There are definitely a few things to keep an eye out for regarding the condition of your roof and whether or not there may be issues currently occurring.

Leaks

The biggest issue plaguing roofing systems, concrete roofs, too, is in the form of leaks. If you see multiple wet spots in your ceiling or moisture retained on the roof, it is a strong sign that the roof has a weak spot that can lead to bigger issues.

Leaks are a huge issue not only for the roofing system itself but for the structural integrity of the rest of the building.

If that water is allowed to persist, it has the chance to rot and decay wood that could provide structural support and lead to mold growth, making it a hazard to the air quality in the building.

Cracks

Cracks are a clear indication that there may be problems with your roof. This can mean that stress is being implemented onto the roof and spreading outward in other directions.

This can lead to serious problems with your concrete roof, making it structurally vulnerable and making it unsafe to be near.

Small cracks are not a terribly big idea, but calling in a proper roofing contractor to survey the scene and understand the situation will allow you to stay ahead of any potentially disastrous situations.

It is always better to exercise caution in scenarios such as these.

Other Weight Considerations for Concrete Roofs

So many factors determine “how much weight can a concrete roof support” that it isn’t a black-and-white question.

A concrete roof can safely support around 1,200 pounds (0.54 t) per square foot when completely healthy and showing no signs of wear and tear.

But that figure can drop exponentially when leaks, cracking, chipping, and other damage rears their ugly head. If you see areas of your concrete roof that look concerning, the safest bet is to avoid stepping in those areas and leave it to the professionals.

Your concrete roof can stand up to a lot and prove to be a durable choice in roofing material, but it is certainly not immune to its own issues. You can consult this roof load calculator if you are worried about snow.

Final Thoughts

A concrete roof can typically support about 1,200 pounds per square foot. However, variables like thickness, reinforcements, and the quality of installation can all alter that general threshold.

Roofing contractors and property owners can both take measures to maximize the concrete roof’s weight capacity, including performing repairs, adding reinforcements, and strengthening the trusses.

Nov '19

Common Causes of a Loud Banging Noise on The Roof

Loud banging noises from the roof are unsettling, especially at night. It’s easy for your mind to wander to the worst-case scenarios, such as severe structural issues. However, in most cases, the source of the noise is actually less severe.

Either way, it’s worth diagnosing the culprit for your peace of mind and to ensure your roof’s functionality today and into the future. In the following post, Roofer’s Guild will outline some of the common causes of a loud banging noise on the roof.

Key Takeaways

The loud banging noise on the roof is typically caused by thermal shock, which is most common during winter when rapid temperature fluctuations cause a sudden release of tension in the roofing materials.

The noise is not always a cause for alarm. However, a professional roof inspection can diagnose a potentially dangerous cause, such as snow buildup or ice dams.

1) Thermal Shock

The winter months cause tension between your warm attic and the cold air. Meanwhile, various roofing materials (wood, metal, plywood, etc.) expand and contract at different rates, leading to thermal shock.

The popping sound itself normally comes from nails slipping under shifting wood members when they can no longer hold the tension. The attic amplifies this slip into a loud bang.

2) Loose Gutters

If the loud noise occurs during windstorms, the culprit is most likely to be a mechanical issue, likely with your gutters. This is especially true if the noise is louder near the corners of your property.

For example, a loose gutter bracket empowers the wind to lift the gutter and slam it back against the fascia board, generating a hollow thud that can echo through the rafters.

3) Tree Branches

Extended tree branches can reach the roof deck during windstorms, even if they don’t appear close enough during calm weather days.

The sound of an oak tree or a pine branch hitting your roof deck is extremely loud, like a sledgehammer. When trees are the cause, it’s best to contact a professional tree trimmer or arborist.

4) Animals

If the banging sound is rhythmic or is followed by a scratching noise, the culprit is most likely an animal, such as a squirrel, opossum, or raccoon.

Squirrels can also generate this sound by dropping walnuts or pine cones onto your roof from overhanging branches.

5) Ductwork

Properties with an attic furnace or rooftop AC unit have another possible suspect for the loud banging noise, as duct walls can expand and contract, generating a metallic pop or bang loud enough to wake a deep sleeper.

This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as oil canning and is normally resolved by a professional adding V-crimps to the flat side of the duct or attaching angled metal across the flat span.

Investigating The Cause of a Roof Banging Noise

While you should never go onto your roof because of the grave danger it presents, there are ways you can investigate the noise without putting yourself at risk.

Weather Monitoring

Identify the weather conditions that overlap with the noise, if one exists. It’s often windstorms that foster these sounds, but there are also cases where they occur only with sunlight or at night.

Attic Test

If you are comfortable going up to your attic, bring a flashlight. You are looking for any rays of sunlight peeking into your attic, which indicates the presence of holes.

The attic is also a place where you will notice evidence of animal activity, such as finding nests.

Shiner Check

Observe your roof from the ground and look for any exposed silver nails, called shiners. You can also keep an eye out for loose shingles.

Depiction of Roof Expansion and Contraction During Winter

Next Steps if You Can’t Diagnose Loud Banging Noises from Roof

While the banging noise might be alarming or frustrating, it is fairly common in colder regions of the country, especially with asphalt shingle or metal roofs.

If you cannot identify the culprit of the loud banging noise, it’s best to contact a professional roofing company for an inspection.

In many cases, it will not require a roof replacement or an expensive repair. However, there are less common cases in which snow or an ice dam is causing consistent creaking noises on your roof.

Snow or ice dams can put your roof, your property, and its occupants in danger and would qualify as an emergency roof repair situation.

Nov '19

Hail Size Roof Damage Chart

When a storm rolls through your town, there are a lot of things that can do damage. Heavy winds are the usual culprit, but hail is another type of storm that can do significant damage. The most recent annual data estimates over 3,700 hail storms in the United States.

After these storms, it’s handy to have a hail size roof damage chart at your disposal, like the one below:

Key Takeaway

Any hail larger than a ½ inch can damage a roof, meaning ¾-inch to 1-inch hail (quarter size) and 1 ¾-inch to 4 ½-inch hail (golf ball size) should prompt a call to your insurance company.

Assessing Roof Hail Damage by Size

When hail grows in size, you can be concerned about things like your car or, even worse, your roof. The costs can be heavy when there is damage to your roof. Even minor damage can cost thousands of dollars, and most of us do not have that kind of money lying around.

They say they are there for us when disaster strikes, but most insurance companies will find any reason not to pay out a claim. After all, it is how they strengthen their bottom line.

When hail becomes a concern, it can help to know what size hail can damage your roof. Again, not all hail is worth worrying about, but when those bigger chunks begin to hit, you can wonder what to do. Inspecting your own roof is dangerous, and you may not know what to look for.

Most people won’t be able to manually measure hail during a storm, so you can estimate using common identifiers like “golf ball size” and “marble size.”

Understanding which hail sizes can damage your roof gives you a good idea of when to call in an inspector to check for damage on your roof. Here are a few of the most common hail sizes that damage roofs nationwide.

¼-inch Hail (Pea-sized Hail)

Milder hailstorms generally produce this size of hail, but only for a few minutes at a time before it shifts over to steadier rainfall. When dealing with this size of hail, a roof can often fair pretty well.

Use some common sense and judgment before jumping to any conclusions.If you have an older roof with existing damage, pea-sized hail could exacerbate the present damage. Be aware of the condition of your roof before judging whether it needs an inspection after a hailstorm.

½-inch Hail (Marble-sized Hail)

Marble-sized hail can also fall into the safe zone when it comes to hail, meaning it generally doesn’t cause damage to roofs that don’t already have substantial damage.

Remember that hail is produced by updrafts of wind that shoot raindrops higher into the atmosphere. It freezes when it gets higher into the atmosphere and then falls back to Earth.

When you have more extreme winds, the hailstones will generally be larger. While the quarter-inch-sized hailstones might not be of much concern, exercise caution and common sense again.

If you have any thoughts that there might be damage to your roof, call in an inspector immediately.

¾-inch to 1-inch Hail (Dime to Quarter-sized Hail)

You should call an inspector immediately when you see hailstones larger than the ½-inch described above. Finding a reputable local roofer is a great place to start, and you also need to make sure that you place a call to your insurance agent.

Hail this size generally damages roofs in the form of dents and cracks, though in some cases, it can definitely cause greater damage.

Do not leave this unaddressed. As expensive as it can be, if you leave the damage unaddressed, it could become a more expensive, extensive, and potentially dangerous condition to live in.

In any event, you must talk to your insurance agent immediately. Knowing what your policy covers and what might be paid for can help you determine your budget and which contractor to use.

Part of the headache of dealing with damage to your roof is dealing with the insurance company; try to get that duck in a row as soon as possible.

Once hail size approaches 1 inch, you will most certainly have roofing damage of some form. It’s important to contact your insurance company as soon as possible.

1 ¾-inch to 4 ½-inch Hail (Golf Ball-sized Hail)

While not an uncommon hail-size range, golf ball-sized hail can still substantially damage your roof, car, and home. Like with dime-size hail, you should contact your insurance agent by phone to discuss your options.

Agents might send a roofer to determine the overall damage before proceeding. Your policy may cover a portion of the damage your roof sustained.

Hail can be a nasty beast, even if it only occasionally rears its ugly head. Whenever there is hail in your area, you must assess the size of the hailstones first and foremost. Under ¾-inch, you are probably fine unless your roof already has substantial damage and age.

Anything larger than 1/2 inch should prompt you to discuss the next step with your insurance agent and find a roofing contractor to inspect your roof.

The Bottom Line for Roofs With Hail Damage

Being calm and knowing the steps to take when a hailstorm hits your area can make all the difference in the world when trying to get the necessary repairs done.

The key is not to panic and not jump to conclusions. Make sure that you take all of the proper steps so that you can not only get your roof repaired but get it done in a cost-effective way.

Because hail damage leads are often hot items for roofers, cities recently hit by storms will be ripe with them. Be aware of whom you’re dealing with.

If you are unsure whether or not your roof was damaged by a hail storm, getting an inspection is the best option. Even if the hail is around 1/2 inch in size, it can exacerbate existing problems with the roofing system.

When hail is larger than 1/2 inch, including quarter and golf ball size, your roof is almost certainly in danger. The more quickly you address damage from hail storms, the less future complications arise.

Sep '19

Roof Coating vs. Replacement: What’s The Practical Choice?

Key Takeaway

Roof coatings are frequently a superior choice to replacements because of affordability, energy efficiency, and extended longevity.

A roof coating vs. replacement, What’s the more practical choice in 2023?

It’s one of the most frustrating situations to find yourself needing an early roof replacement for your building. The unforeseen expense can send budgets flying out of control! Of course, this sort of project also creates interruptions that many businesses simply can’t afford.

What if you could skip all this hassle?

In the following post, Roofer’s Guild discusses the enormous savings potential of commercial roof coatings. The restoration process offers a more convenient way to handle long-term degradation and extend the life of your current system.

If your business is facing commercial roof replacement soon, be sure to read through the post.

Helpful Tips for Building Owners

A coating (i.e., roof restoration) is generally much cheaper than a complete replacement.
Coatings provide a lucrative means of saving electricity in your building.
The added protection also extends the life of your roof and reduces maintenance requirements.

What are Commercial Roof Coatings?

While relatively new to the industry, commercial roof coatings have slowly become a favorite solution among businesses throughout the United States. Available in both brush-applied and sprayed forms, they cover the rooftop’s surface to create a seamless layer of protection against the elements.

Rooftop coatings were designed to address a rising tide of premature roof failures, especially among flat systems. While they had a rocky start with mixed results, commercial roof coatings matured and became a dependable solution.

Now thousands of business owners and building managers depend on these restorative coatings to preserve their rooftops.

Why Choose a Roof Coating?

Let’s say a building relies on a fairly dependable but aging TPO rooftop. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light, wind, and ponding water leaves the membrane cracked and scarred. You know what happens next! Leaks slowly develop in the seams and damaged areas, and moisture seeps into the building below. The building owner and/or manager face a serious dilemma:

Should the roof be repaired or replaced?

Repairs cost less but generally leave the building vulnerable to problems a few years later. Then again, an early replacement is an even less attractive option. Who wants to spend tens of thousands of dollars to replace a roof long before its projected end of life? This leads us to a middle-ground solution that takes a more aggressive path than repairs but costs far less than replacement.

Benefits of Roof Coatings

One of the most underrated benefits of coatings is their rejuvenating properties for your roofing system. The fluid carefully slips into cracks and marred areas of the rooftop surface, sealing them against further moisture invasion.

While there are limits to the number of damage coatings can mend, they do a fantastic job of fixing minor degradation on the rooftop! You don’t have to wait until long-term damage puts your roof on the brink. A solid, seamless coating also benefits newer rooftops.

Restoration Falls on the Repair Side of the Repair vs Replacement Spectrum

If your current system was installed with many seams, a thick new top layer would preserve those seams against leaks.

Coatings and Energy Efficiency

Cool roofing refers to any roofing system or solution that reduces the surface temperature of a building’s rooftop, preventing heat gain during peak sunlight hours. By incorporating highly reflective commercial roof coatings, business owners can transform a heat-sponging flat roof solution (such as EPDM) into a highly energy-efficient system. What does that mean for companies in the real world?

A cool roof coating saves hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars in air conditioning costs each year.

Whether you depend on a black-top roof or a fading lighter color, commercial roof coatings offer a fantastic defense against preventable heat gain. For those looking to reap the maximum energy benefits from the restoration process, both polyurethane and urethane-modified acrylics offer impressive benefits for your roof’s solar reflectance rating!

Chemical Resistance for Your Rooftop

Corrosion claims countless rooftops every year. Rainwater naturally causes rust in some metal systems, gradually eating away at their lifespan. Not only does the right coating cover this unsightly corrosion, but it also protects the rooftop from further decay. Industry specialists almost always recommend protective coatings for new commercial metal roofs.

Not every chemical threat comes from a natural source. Industrial companies sometimes vent byproducts harmful to their roofing system. Many turn to flexible, elastomeric coatings to shield their expansive rooftops from the synthetic corrosion and warping that would otherwise damage each system.

As an added bonus, some commercial roof coatings (such as polyurethane) provide additional protection against mechanical trauma from foot traffic and scraping hardware.

Equipment Edges Protected by Commercial Roof Coatings

Coatings offer great protection for areas traditionally vulnerable to leaks. As a result, leak protection is a major consideration when it comes to roof coating vs. replacement.

Find Your Commercial Coating Expert

Whether you choose coating or replacement, hiring the best roofing contractor is critical. Take your time finding the best roofing company in your area, especially one specializing in commercial roof coatings.

Check their reviews on Google Business Profile, Yelp, and other trusted reputation platforms. Furthermore, check out their company website for any images from previous commercial roof coatings.