All roofing contractors are not alike. While some specialize in sustainable roofing, others specialize in hail restoration and storm repair. Others still focus on one type of roofing such as tile, slate, or metal. And just like roofing contractors, all roofs are not alike. So it pays to hire a roofing contractor that specializes in your type of roof. And this is especially the case if you have a steep slope roof.

Here is what you need to look for:

• Check the contractor?s license for the state you reside in. You can call your state licensing board for specific requirements.

• Check that that contractor belongs to national roofing contractors associations, such as the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), or any other state or regional associations.

• Call the Better Business Bureau (or go online) to check for any complaints that may have been filed.

• Ask for a list of references and completed projects. Satisfied clients will indicate a proven track record.

• Ask to see liability insurance coverage and workers compensation policy and make sure the coverages are in effect for the duration of your job.

• Have the contractor provide a start date, completion date, and quality control and safety procedures as well as the name of the person who will be supervising your job.

• Make sure all roofing warranties are carefully explained and carry no provisions that would void them.

• Lastly, beware of the lowest price and insist instead on quality workmanship and professionalism.

Your roof is arguably the largest investment in your home that you will make and by doing a little homework, you can ensure that the contractor you hire for your roof, will provide you with a quality roof that will last for years to come.

One of the biggest expenses a business will run into is the cost of energy.a In fact most businesses just assume that the cost of energy is an always present expense.a This idea is so prevalent that the IRS actually has it as an itemized deduction.a One interesting question posed on Reddit asked how much electricity would be created if major retailers used solar panels on their roofs.a Based on research provided by the federal government and current tax laws, it appears that going solar for businesses not only reduces long terms costs greatly, but can also provide an additional source of energy and revenue for the entire company.

Total Energy Collection Potential

Total Energy Collection PotentialIn order to determine whether or not going solar in Bryan roofing would be an economically prudent decision, we must first calculate the total possibility of energy yield.a Using Walmart as an example, around 1/3rd of the roof area can be used for the solar installation.a Obstacles such as skylights, beams, etc., will also influence the amount of surface area that can be used.a According to Walmart, over 4600 stores exist in the US today.a Different locations have different roof square areas.a So in order to deduce the total amount of usable surface area, we multiply the surface area of each location by the number of locations.a Then we add all of the square footage of all locations (location types) and multiply by 1/3rd.a

Each panel will generate around 250 watts (adjusted average)/20 square feet. Bryan roofing is right on average due to the geographic location of Bryan, TX.a The estimated power output would be around 5 GW.a Using this ration and equation, a simple multiplication deduces that approximately 6.25TWh/year will be generated.a This is enough energy to power over half a million homes, remove 625 billion cars off the road, or provide between .02-.55% of the total energy consumption in the US.

Of course there are other factors that affect the amount of energy collected like geographic location, angle of solar installation, total square footage available, energy production rates, and installation materials used.

Real World Example

It appears that some businesses do see the upside of investing in solar installations for their operations.a One firm out of Hawaii actually installation a solar installation on a Walmart there and was able install a system of 1800 panels.a The entire system eliminated a monthly energy bill of approximately $250,000.00 or $3 million/ year.a This completely offset the costs of the installation and original investment, quickly bringing a great ROI.

A Scalable Future

As technology continues to improve, the efficiency of solar installations will only increase, saving more money over time for new solar installations.aa Not only will the efficiencies allow for more energy to be produced, but also make it even more affordable for smaller businesses.a Returns on investment for small businesses take longer because they typically have smaller useable areas to mount solar panels.a Bryan roofing contractor.

Additionally, the tax benefits to small businesses for implementing an energy efficient solution can help offset early costs as they can be proportionately more important to the small business than the large ones.a Be sure to check with your municipalities, both Bryan, TX and College Station, TX, to find out what tax savings your business could also enjoy.a Schulte Roofing is a local Bryan roofing contractor with 18 years of expertise in residential, commercial, and solar roofing.

Identifying Composition Shingle Damage

As a homeowner, the roof is the most important part of your home. aDuring the winter, your roof is being hammered by snow and sometimes rain.a In the spring, your roof receives thunderstorms, hail storms and wind storms.a Through the many changes in weather, your roof needs to be check periodically for composition shingle damage. The composition shingle prevents water from leaking into your home and damaging the interior walls of the home. Having damaged composition shingle, may cause your ceilings to leak, mold and mildew in the walls. Damage composition shingle, need to be inspected and replaced immediately.a Within this article, I will discuss some common signs of composition shingle damage.

The best way to inspect composition shingle damage is climbing up a ladder. Homeowner can perform a visibility check by walking around the outside of the home. aWhen performing a visibility check, homeowners can start looking for missing, cracked or loose composition shingles. If a composition shingle is missing or loose, usually the damage is visible from the ground. Also, when performing a walking visible check, homeowners may want to check for scrapes or gouge on composition shingles. Gouge or scrapes on composition shingle is signs of damage below the surface. aIf you see gouge or scrapers, it is time to call a contractor and claims adjustor. Walking on the roof is unsafe with these damages present.a Other composition shingle damage includes:

• Missing Composition Shingle
• Hail Damage composition Shingle
• Brittle composition shingle
• Tree Damage
• Minor heat cracks
• Major heat cracks
• Curling composition shingle
• Manufacture defect composition shingle

Perhaps, the best way to check for damage composition shingle is actually climbing on the roof. Some homeowners have a fear of heights or being injured, this is when you call a claims adjustor or contractor.a Claims adjustor or contractors can take a closer look at damages. In some cases, an on the roof inspection may be best to determine the extent of damages.a When on the roof, contractors or claims adjustors can see the extent of the damage composition shingle, seen by the owner from ground level. Many problems cannot be seen from ground level.

As a homeowner, your most valued asset is your home. Just like with any asset, you just cannot trust your home to anyone.a If you do not have the necessary knowledge to repair or inspect your home, then you should leave the inspection and repair to a professional. A homeowner may attempt to repair something in their home and damage their home.a Now, the homeowner has to pay out hundreds or even thousands of dollars repairing damages. So, before you decide to take matters into your own hands, assess your skills with repairing similar damages. In my opinion, if you believe damages to your roof may extend further than surface damage, call a professional contractor or claims adjustor. Climbing on top of the roof to inspect, with extensive surface damage, can be a very dangerous task.

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Selecting the right underlayments for a lifetime metal roof should be a primary concern for anyone thinking about specifying or choosing to install a metal roof on their home. The quality and type of underlayments used on the project in the long term will affect the overall performance of the roof.

Taking Care of Your Building Envelope

The roof is an important element of the Building Envelope. A Building Envelope is the physical separator between the conditioned and unconditioned environment of a building including the resistance to air, water, heat, light, and noise transfer. It needs to be addressed with the utmost care and consideration. Be sure that the contractor you choose is trained in the best methods of installation. Having the ?Right Stuff? and not having the skill to do the installation nullifies the benefits of its use.

First Two Underlayment Layers

On most projects, there are two types of underlayments needed. The first on the list would be the ice and water shield. This is a roof membrane underlayment made up of either a rubberized-asphalt or butyl-based adhesive with a polyethylene carrier sheet. It has an adhesive backing with a peel and stick feature. This membrane should be labeled ?high temperature? to withstand the surface temperature of the roof on a hot summer day. The heat in hot areas of the country, even here in New England, can exceed the melting point of some of these products. The product should be a premium, high temperature ice and water shield for use with tile, metal, and other roofs with scrim reinforced top surface. It self-seals around nails and provides protection for roof areas prone to ice and water intrusion.

The product needs to be installed on the eave edges up the roof at least two feet inside the face of any exterior wall. The rakes on gable roofs also need treatment to the same standard. All valleys and hips need to be covered. Penetrations such as chimneys, skylights, solar tubes, and vent pipes need to be surrounded with ice and water shield, as well.

If the roof slope is below 3/12 pitch (see our previous post on how to determine a roof?s pitch), the entire roof should be covered, but only if the roof is conventionally vented (cold roof construction).

Once the high temperature ice and water shield has been laid down, you can now add the second underlayment layer. This underlayment layer should be of the highest quality. If the roof is designed to last a lifetime, why would anyone want anything but the best? We recommend a polypropylene scrim reinforced underlayment made up of multiple layers. This type of underlayment is critical to a quality roof installation. It serves as a moisture barrier, as well as a slip sheet. Make sure the product is designed to be used under metal. Once again, this is used on cold roof construction.

When hot roof construction is done ? a roof with no ventilation ? a breathable underlayment is recommended. This allows moisture that can become trapped in the roof deck to evaporate and escape. This will prevent damage to the deck, stemming from rot and mold, over the long term life of the structure.

Third Underlayment Layer

There is a third product that is sometimes used and specified in new construction: That product is a mesh that would go on top of and over the other underlayment used. It is akin to cedar breather. It provides trapped moisture from under the roof in low slope applications a path to drain. It also creates a thermal break to minimize heat transfer from the roof surface to the structure. This thermal break promotes energy efficiency by stopping conductive heat transfer much like the air space between multiple panes of glass in a thermal pane window. This same break also provides sound attenuation by disrupting sound waves into the structure when rain hits the roof surface. The end result is a cooler, quieter, and healthier building. This product is generally used in hot roof low slope applications with aluminum roofing. See the image below.

To learn more about installing the correct underlayments for your metal roof project or to get a quote, feel free to contact us here.