Have you ever driven past a restaurant and become hungry because the smell of fried chicken is in the air? Well, that smell from the restaurant is likely coming from the roof. Ventilation and exhaust for the building are typically provided by HVAC equipment on the roof.  That exhaust vent for the kitchen is probably providing the source of that delicious smell. However,  that smell comes with some dangers for your roof. Many roofing membranes do not like animal fats, oils, or greases; unfortunately, that fried chicken comes with many greases. There are grease traps that catch the fats and oils, but often, they are not well-maintained. When the grease trap is full or damaged (or non-existent), the fats and oils have nowhere to go but on the roof. When that happens, the fats and oils may wear down the membrane. Regular cleaning and maintenance of exhaust vents are important to preserve the life of your roof.

Reflective roofs are definitely en vogue nowadays, but do you know why? Lighter color roofs, typically white, are often called reflective roofs and offer more than just squinty eyes when walking across the roof on a sunny day. In the Mid-Atlantic, we typically see more cooling days than heating days, and a reflective roof will actually keep the roof cooler which helps the HVAC units to run more efficiently. But why is the roof cooler with a reflective roof? It all comes down to the sun and solar radiation. Lighter colors reflect the radiation, whereas darker colors absorb the radiation. During hot summer months, it is not uncommon to see a 20-degree difference between white and black roofs. Something to keep in mind is darker roofs contribute to urban heat island effects, which, simply put, means a warmer roof contributes to hotter temperatures within the city. So, next time you have a roofing project, consider a reflective roof!

Contact Cole Roofing today to assist you with designing your next roofing project, and if we install a reflective roof on your building, don’t forget the sunglasses!

You probably know where this topic is heading if you have any ladders going up to the roof or connecting roof areas. Many times in my career, I’ve had to refuse to use a fixed ladder because they are “questionable”. Safety is the highest priority, but it’s difficult to be safe when the ladder is too short, rungs are broken, and bolts are pulling out of the wall. Consider replacing those old ladders, cages, hatches, and railings with new, OSHA-compliant components.

Cole Roofing is 100% OSHA-compliant, and we are serious about safety. Cole Roofing partners with many different suppliers, so a new replacement ladder may not be as much as you think!

Roof replacements can be messy. Disruption of the facility and the people inside the building is a legitimate concern and can delay a roofing project until the “right” time. Roof replacement budgets can also delay a project. What to do?

Consider a roof coating restoration instead of tearing off that old roof. The roof coatings available today are not just painted. They are waterproofing membranes (acrylic, urethane, or silicone) applied directly to the existing roof system and come with standard warranties of up to 20 years. Coatings will also lessen the impact on the wallet. Most importantly, if a roof is required sooner rather than later, most coatings are readily available; other materials still have extremely long lead times.