Spring Thawing – Snow/Ice Build-Up on Roofs

A record-breaking snowfall for Minnesota in the month of February is no small deal! At this time of year, and the weather we have been having, is cause to pay attention to impacts to buildings and roofs. With more wet snow on the way, over the next few weeks, we urge you to take action now. Here are a few of the main maintenance tips we would like to share with you.

1. REMOVE EXCESS SNOW

Experts say that more than a foot of packed snow can cause damage to your roof and increase the risk of it collapsing. Snow drifting from the recent snowfalls and blowing snow may cause issues at hi/low building walls and roof parapets. Inspecting these areas for excessive snow amounts are key to avoiding water damming and potential roof and wall leaks due to thawing snow that usually occurs under these large drifts. Inspecting these areas can usually be done from the ground, or other flat fairly safe spot.

2. CHECK FOR ICE DAMS

Have you noticed icicles hanging from your gutters? This is usually a sign of ice dams. Ice dams can cause serious damage to your downspouts. Remove ice dams right away to avoid future costly repairs. Downspouts (particularly on the North sides of buildings) may experience freezing / ice due to thawing on roof and the fact that the water freezes as it descends the cooler (shaded) downspout on the building. Interior piped roof drains can experience the same issue. Heat tape / heat coils and/or salt blocks can help this situation.

3. CHECK YOUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM PRIOR TO THE NEXT SNOWFALL

Downspouts and roof drains can become plugged – due to freeze/thaw cycles or debris. Remove debris from your downspouts. Having clear roof drains will allow moving water to stay off your roof, which will reduce the possibility of damage occurring. Culverts and underground piping can also experience freeze up in the spring / fall periods. If this happens – typically it is best to steam the pipes open.

free snowNEXT STEPS:

Please do not hesitate to reach out to our team regarding this or any other question you may have about your building. We will help you in any way we can. Our main office number is (952) 469-2171, or click on the following links to contact our team via email:

{{cta(‘d9d2503f-e3cd-42a1-a6e7-bb4f183d8ac3’)}}

For more information on building maintenance, please request our Commercial Building Maintenance Checklist here:

{{cta(‘1b80315b-a9d1-4774-b853-485bb1cb569b’)}}

 Image sources: “Icicles” via State Farm on flickr and “Free snow” via Teresa Boardman on flickr .

Commercial Building Maintenance: Roofing

How to take care of your commercial building’s roof:

Commercial building maintenance of your roof is an extremely important part of your commercial or industrial building’s routine maintenance schedule. 

As a building owner or facilities manager, you know the importance of keeping your building consistently maintained. This is especially true of roof maintenance which can cause a lot of headaches if maintenance is not made a priority. According to our friends over at B.L. Dalsin Roofing, “All roofs are vulnerable to deficiencies that can lead to leaks. Extreme weather like heavy snow and seasonal freeze-thaw cycles can damage your roof.”  The team at APPRO Development speaks with building owners all the time who have questions about their roofs. This article covers the basics of roof maintenance. 

As we head into fall, now is the ideal time to inspect your building’s roof system. Here are two things you or your property/facility manager can do to be proactive in the maintenance of your roof:

Step 1.  Clean debris (leaves, cottonseed, etc)  from around roof drains to allow free flow of water off roof

Step 2.  Consider placing salt lick blocks on squares of ½ inch plywood near roof drains to encourage flow / minimize icing (during winter months)

Step 3.  Consider hiring a professional roofing company to assist with additional maintenance items

Each of these maintenance activities is important in the life of not just your roof, but the life of your building. By maintaining your roof, you will be able to avoid pooling of water on your roof, which can lead to more serious issues in your building. 

Additional services can be performed on your roof to include: a full roof inspection or cleaning debris out of hard to reach areas like interior drains and through-wall scuppers. If you should require these or other additional roof maintenance services, please contact our team for more information. 

Performing annual maintenance protects your roofing investment, and whether you do it yourself or hire it out, it is important that it gets done! 

Download our Commercial Property Maintenance Tips Sheet for some more ideas on keeping your commercial or industrial building well maintained.

{{cta(‘1b80315b-a9d1-4774-b853-485bb1cb569b’)}}

 

How To Maintain Your Building’s Roof

ROOF MAINTENANCE:

Roofing is at the top of most property owners’ and property managers’ lists of items to keep well maintained. And, rightly so, as this building feature can be one of the single highest replacement costs in building maintenance. Upon review of a recent article regarding roof maintenance, we summarized the key points of the article.

Of this list of six roof maintenance tips, we have included four of the following:

  • Stay involved – from the get-go
  • Quality roofing – a good system makes all the difference
  • Roof design matters – know all the factors
  • Inspections – are you doing the minimum?

ROOF MAINTENANCE TIPS:

In this article, “Six tips to extend your roof’s life” we chose to highlight four key aspects of the article.

The first is “Stay involved” and what that means is that as a building owner, you want to make sure that you do your homework. Work with your trusted and hired professionals, but also make sure that you are knowledgeable about your options.

Second, is to choose “quality roofing” as a good system makes all the difference in maintenance down the road. When you are working with our team at APPRO, we have a handful of trusted roofing subcontractors who are knowledgeable and professional and understand the best options for your building type.

Third, make sure that your roof is properly designed. You want to work with your design team to consider: slope, drainage, penetrations, flashing, walkways, and (if membrane) membrane thickness.

Fourth, you MUST conduct regular building inspections. Did you know that a minimum of two times a year is the recommended average frequency to inspect your building’s roof? 

 

To read the full article with all six tips, you may click on the following LINK.

NEED MORE HELP:

Our team wants you to enjoy the buildings you build with us for a very long time. Maintenance is one factor that helps make that possible. Be sure to inspect your roof regularly. If building new, ask our team about your options. And, if you would like a recommendation of a reputable, qualified roofing contractor, please be sure to contact our team – we would be happy to help!

{{cta(‘b915023d-2924-4fed-980a-a9ac94b7af0b’)}}

 

 Interested in more  information on maintaining your commercial or industrial building? Here are some recent articles…

Suggested Maintenance Checklist

Commercial Building Maintenance: Roofing 

Cool Roofs…For Minnesota’s Climate

 

ISNetworld: APPRO Receives a Grade of “A”!

ISNetworld Contractor Grading System used by International Food Manufacturer to Grade APPRO Development, Inc.’s Construction Safety Program and Insurance Compliance

ISNetworld member contractor logo - APPRO Development receives grade of AISNetworld “brings together Hiring Clients and contractors, creating safer work environments and lasting partnerships” according to the ISNetworld website page. “APPRO became a member of ISNetworld, after an international food manufacturing client requested we use ISNetworld to provide them with access to our safety and insurance information. As a result, we are very proud to have earned a grade of ‘A’,” according to Kathy Morse, Vice President for APPRO Development.

“We are thrilled to receive this grade and I look forward to continuing to work with a great company which places such a high value on safety; we will continue to work hard to maintain an ‘A’ rating” stated Patrick Simpkins, Project Manager for APPRO Development.

“Our goal throughout this process was to continue to provide our client with the quality construction they have come to expect from our general contracting firm, while adhering to our client’s strict standards. Our policies and procedures have been strengthened due to the ongoing review and verification services offered through ISNetworld, our company staff and our clients’ safety departments,” said Morse. “ISNetworld provided us the tools to ensure our safety standards were all-encompassing and meeting or exceeding industry standards. Our clients can utilize ISNetworld to ensure our safety program meets their standards and our insurance policies meet their requirements,” Morse concluded.

According to Jack Matasosky, President and CEO of APPRO Development, Inc., “Our hope is to provide a continued high level of service to not only this client, but to offer the same level of service and quality construction to other clients utilizing superior safety and insurance policies, as confirmed by ISNetworld.”

Interested in working with with an ISNetworld member contractor? Check us out at: ISNetworld or complete the form below in order to start a conversation.

Tell us a little more about you and your company, and how we might be of service to you…

ISNetworld: APPRO Receives a Grade of “A”!

ISNetworld Contractor Grading System used by International Food Manufacturer to Grade APPRO Development, Inc.’s Construction Safety Program and Insurance Compliance

ISNetworld member contractor logo - APPRO Development receives grade of AISNetworld “brings together Hiring Clients and contractors, creating safer work environments and lasting partnerships” according to the ISNetworld website page. “APPRO became a member of ISNetworld, after an international food manufacturing client requested we use ISNetworld to provide them with access to our safety and insurance information. As a result, we are very proud to have earned a grade of ‘A’,” according to Kathy Morse, Vice President for APPRO Development.

“We are thrilled to receive this grade and I look forward to continuing to work with a great company which places such a high value on safety; we will continue to work hard to maintain an ‘A’ rating” stated Patrick Simpkins, Project Manager for APPRO Development.

“Our goal throughout this process was to continue to provide our client with the quality construction they have come to expect from our general contracting firm, while adhering to our client’s strict standards. Our policies and procedures have been strengthened due to the ongoing review and verification services offered through ISNetworld, our company staff and our clients’ safety departments,” said Morse. “ISNetworld provided us the tools to ensure our safety standards were all-encompassing and meeting or exceeding industry standards. Our clients can utilize ISNetworld to ensure our safety program meets their standards and our insurance policies meet their requirements,” Morse concluded.

According to Jack Matasosky, President and CEO of APPRO Development, Inc., “Our hope is to provide a continued high level of service to not only this client, but to offer the same level of service and quality construction to other clients utilizing superior safety and insurance policies, as confirmed by ISNetworld.”

Interested in working with with an ISNetworld member contractor?

Tell us a little more about you and your company, and how we might be of service to you…

Commercial Building – Suggested Maintenance Checklist

Commercial Building – Suggested Building Maintenance List

Commercial Building Maintenance - Lakeville Driveway Project 09122013 (1)Commercial building ownership comes with a long list of maintenance items to keep your building in the best possible condition. We understand you are proud of your investment. So, the team at APPRO Development created a “Suggested Maintenance / Service Letter.” We provide this letter to each of our building owners upon the completion of the construction of their building, addition or expansion project. We hope this will serve as a starting point to keep new buildings in optimum condition.

You may see the checklist by going to our “Resources Page” or clicking on the link HERE (the Building Maintenance Form can be found under “Resources for Building Owners”).

You have made a significant investment in the construction of your building, addition, or expansion project. We want to make sure you keep it the best it can be.

If you have found you need assistance with your building maintenance, feel free to give our team a call. Our expert project managers will walk you through a possible solution. If necessary, we would be happy to refer you to a trusted resource to continue the conversation – we work with only the best subcontractors in the commercial building industry. We are easily reached online, in person, or by phone.

Spring Rains and Roof Maintenance Time

Roof Maintenance: These April Showers bringing May Flowers also usher in a time to check the health of your roof!

Spring rains and the impending storm season are an ideal time to conduct some roof maintenance. According to a recent E-Newsletter by one of our roofing subcontractors, BL Dalsin Roofing, “All roofs are vulnerable to deficiencies that lead to leaks. Extreme weather and seasonal freeze thaw cycles can damage your roof…’Corrective Roof Maintenance’ should happen when existing critical defects could lead to a threat to your building interior, such as water damage. By proactively performing maintenance on your roof you are managing your ‘Roof Asset’ preventing potential problems that can turn into critical defects and possible water intrusion.”

Some of the roof maintenance activities you should consider, according to the same E-Newsletter, includes:

• Roof Inspection: Conduct a visual survey of the exterior condition of your roof system and related sheet metal work. Look for deterioration or damage that has occurred between [roof reviews].

• General Upkeep: Clear debris from the roof surface, gutters, interior drains and through-wall scuppers. Debris can cause water to pond, which causes premature aging of the roof and could cause significant damage to the roof system.

• Roof Maintenance: Maintenance…can include replacing deteriorated sealant on metal flashing, refilling pitch pans, re-sealing suspect flashing at equipment curbs and perimeters, and securing drain clamps and rain collars at pipe penetrations.

Please contact our team to discuss any concerns you may have about your roof and if required, connect you to a qualified roofing company.

Cool Roofs for Commercial and Industrial Buildings in Minnesota’s Climate

Roofs for Commercial and Industrial Buildings – An Overview

roofs for commercial and industrial buildings by APPRO Development I Image Source: CRRC (http://coolroofs.org/resources/home-building-owners)

Roofs for commercial and industrial buildings are an important consideration for all building owners, and at APPRO, we are seeing a lot of discussion about, and implementation of cool roofs. The Department of energy has published a guideline for selecting environmentally friendly cool roofs aptly labeled “Guidelines for Selecting Cool Roofs” (click on the title for the link to the document) prepared by a sustainable energy consultant. The 23-page report goes into a broad overview of defining what a cool roof is and what the benefits are.

We’ve installed a variety of cool roof types as of late. From purely white roofs made of thermoplastic polyolefin or TPO to roof materials that have a color to them but still have a high reflectively rating (white isn’t the only cool roof color). The key to these we feel is not only what you see on top but the roof assembly as a whole.

The roofing material we at APPRO recommend is catered to you from careful consideration of what your space is being used for, how it is being built, the project budget, and longevity and warranty of the product being considered. New style materials with the “cool roof” label are here to stay. Those can add benefit to your building. But don’t look past the more traditional materials with a longer history and modifications that also make them cooler. For instance, a traditional asphalt built-up roofing system with a crushed white limestone rock in lieu of the standard gravel.

Contact our team for more ideas and help in choosing a roof for your commercial and/or industrial building(s). We have the proven experience and expertise to make your next project an informed and worry-free process.

Roof Alert! Avoid Roof Collapse

Roof Alert! Avoid Roof Collapse

Avoid roof Collapse Image Source: by jnaithani via flickr (orignal, no alterations made)

How to avoid roof collapse is an all too serious consideration for commercial property owners. At this time of year – it is important to observe the amount of snow on your facility’s roof. The snow we currently get is very wet and heavy in nature, and can sometimes pile up and exceed the designed structural capacity of the roof system.

This is especially true where “high / low” roof conditions exist – allowing snow to fill in the space next to the wall separating the two heights. The snow tends to melt from the bottom up, refreezing in the form of ice, and not visible due to the snow above. It is not unheard of – to find the lower third of the snow drift is in fact – solid ice.

It is also very important to keep roof drains and downspouts open – as they continuously go through a “freeze / thaw “ process.

A salt lick, purchased from the local hardware or feed store can help drastically. Place the block (s) on a small piece of wood or plywood, near the roof drainage points on your roof.

Watch closely, from the inside of the building for deflection ( sag ) of the roof structure , and observe the roof from above for pooling of water and ice .

If you have any questions or concerns – please call us – and our team at APPRO Development can refer you to competent help with these or any building issues.

<a title="Image Source License" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode" target="_blank"><em>Image Source License Information</em></a>