Here's what you might see when you go up on your roof

Uplifting or splitting of the EPDM roofing membrane (the material that covers the roof) or decking on flat roofs. Punctures in the roof caused by debris hitting it.
Cracking or other age-related deterioration. This is typically most apparent on southern exposures, and especially on wood or composition shingles.

Damaged roof-mounted vents or air-conditioning equipment.
Stripped ridge tiles, or missing or broken tiles on concrete or clay roofs.

This can be caused by:

• Hail or from toxic substances in seedpods.
• Stripped or torn shingles on fiberglass, or cedar roofs
• Algae growth from poor drainage.
• Previous roof repairs.
• Rotted or rusted decking.
• Worn or rusted flashing.
• Wrinkled roofing membrane.
• Holes from missing shingles or other roofing materials.

Our Facebook

Using an EPDM Roof for a Maintenance-Free Building

One of the older roofing choices came in rolls and had to be coated over or re-applied within about eight years, and sometimes even sooner. There were even roofing choices known as “torch-down” roofing, but you’d have to rent a torch and it’s a dirty, unsafe job to apply this type of roof.

EPDM Roofing is Cost-Effective

A popular option now is EPDM roof membrane. It’s easy to install and quite durable. Single-ply EPDM rubber roofing has solid advantages over many other types of roofing options. The membrane is flexible even in extreme temperatures, and it won’t deteriorate quickly from the sun’s radiation, as some older roofing choices did.

EPDM rubber membrane for roofs is not cheap, but it lasts a lot longer than many other roofing options. It is available in black and white, and the black membrane is normally less expensive. However, the white membrane reflects the sun’s rays back and helps make cooling your building cheaper.

Pro Home Adviser suggests that the cover strips for EPDM roof surfaces are usually black, and many business owners opt to paint them white, so that the building will retain its energy-efficiency. More than one coat may be necessary in order to make sure that the entire roof surface remains white.

Warranted Roofs

EPDM roofing has an excellent warranty, which includes products for residential buildings, as well as commercial properties. Most business managers who have used the single-ply membrane feel that it will last a lot longer than the typical warranty period. As more people use this product, it is becoming easier to find in many local areas.

Installation Tips

EPDM roof membrane works best if installed when temperatures range from 40F to 80F. The glue that is used to secure the product does become aggressive if used during a time of high temperatures. There are special installation techniques used for high temperatures, though.

Benefits of Light-Colored Roofing

It has long been the goal of environmentally friendly businesses to supply their buildings with energy efficient and sustainable roofing systems. In fact, United States Energy Secretary Stephen Chu mentioned that all available roofs should be white, to make all buildings more energy-efficient.

Epdmroofs.org considers whether the comment was focused on making buildings easier to maintain or on helping the environment. His statement may have been rooted in issues related to climate change, but it still makes good fiscal sense to make commercial buildings less expensive to cool.
Dark roofs absorb more heat, especially during the sunniest days of the summer, and light colored EPDM roofing materials absorb a good deal less. In urban and commercial areas, any dark-colored area, including roadways and parking lots, creates increased temperatures. It has been demonstrated how much more comfortable it is to stand on a lighter colored surface when the days are hot and the sun is strong. This carries over to buildings, where a lighter surface makes for easier maintenance and cheaper cooling.



For product information or ordering Visit their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/liquidepdm or call them at 855-281-0940. 

The Most Common Commercial Roofs Types

The Most Common Commercial Roofs Types and Materials

Here, you can learn about the most common commercial roofs types and materials. There are three main types: flat, low-slope and sloped or pitched.  The sloped or pitched roof is most commonly seen in homes. Some modern office parks have this type as well. For warehouses and businesses, the flat or low slope roof is most common for several reasons.

A business’ buildings are usually larger than those used for housing. Installing a pitched roof on a large building can be more costly, and the lifespan of a large pitched roof could be significantly lower than that of a flat design. The interior spaces are often more open. This interior design lends itself to the flat roof.

A pitched roof limits the use of interior space. In homes, the small areas are often used for storage, like the attic. Businesses would rarely use attic space for long-term storage. Getting in and out of the attic space would be more time consuming than simply retrieving the items from a shelf in the warehouse.

Ease of maintenance, access to ventilation systems and other advantages are associated with the use of flat-roof designs. The main disadvantage is poor drainage. Only in arid desert environments is drainage a non-issue. Since flat roofs are the most common commercial roofs types, selecting appropriate materials has always been important. Waterproofing is considered essential. Slate and other types of shingles are generally not used on the flat roof design, which turns out to be another advantage, in that decorative shingles cost more and need to be replaced more often. Repairing a roof leaks is easier in most ways than repairing one that is pitched.

The built-up roof, which is sometimes referred to as tar or tar and gravel, is a system that was popular in flat-roofed buildings. It is rarely recommended by roofing experts today because of the short lifespan, the heat gain within the building, the continuous maintenance necessary and the unpleasant appearance. Modified bitumen is one of the most common commercial roofs types. It is considered affordable and can last as long as 15 years if properly installed and maintained.

Metal roofing materials are not usually recommended for flat-roofed buildings because of water pooling and the corrosion it causes. Plastic polymers of many kinds are being used to repair, replace or install on new roofing materials. They provide the waterproofing and can last many years. EPDM, PVC and CPE are examples of this type of material. Those are the most common commercial roofs types today. You should consult a good roofing contractor to get a recommendation concerning the best choice for your building.

Flat Roof Repair and Roof Sealing with Elastomeric Coatings

For flat roof repair and roof sealing, Elastomeric Roof Coatings are the most popular choice today. Asphalt type coatings and built-up roofs are still around, but many of them are being replaced or “covered up” with the new liquid synthetic rubbers.

Most people find that the elastomeric coatings are easier to apply than the rubberized sheets that are also used for waterproofing. If you are repairing a very small section, the sheets may be the best choice. For large jobs, the liquid rubber is less labor intensive.

The liquids are applied like paints and other sealants. Most manufacturers recommend a squeegee for initially spreading the liquid. Then rollers or brushes are used to give you a smooth surface and a uniform thickness. The job is easier if you have two people; one to pour and use the squeegee and another to follow up with the rollers or brushes.

The brushes are for hard to reach areas that you can’t get to with the roller. The better manufacturers provide complete directions including how thick the roller pad should be and the kind of nap that works best.

Before you can use liquid rubber for flat roof repair and roof sealing, you need to find out if the roofing material currently in place will bond with the material. For example, the EPDM rubbers do not bond with asphalt-based materials. A catalyst coating must be applied first.

Silicone-based caulking needs to be removed and replaced with a non-silicone based material. EPDM and other liquid rubbers do not bond with silicone-based materials. Other than asphalt and silicone, most other materials will bond with the coatings.

Temperature extremes can make the coatings a poor choice. If the weather is too hot or too cold, the curing process may not take place. The coating will eventually cure, but it may take longer. Bubbling can occur if it rains before the cure process is completed.

Liquid rubber is not the only solution for flat roof leaks and roof sealing. Even if you decide to use the coatings, you may still need to do some repair-work. The material used to make the repairs need not be waterproof if you do decide to use coatings. Their original use was for waterproofing. They are becoming more popular today for other reasons, including reduced heat and noise transfer.

Inspecting and preparing the surface is the first step for all flat roof repair and roof sealing. Doing the preparation properly helps to guarantee your satisfaction with the overall job.

EPDM Give Outstanding Surface Wetting Properties

Roofs are possibly the most important part of a home and often the most ignored one. In addition, the most important job that it plays is of providing protection to the building and its residents. But at the same time it is the most neglected area of the house because as heard often “out of sight-out of mind”, the roof is also generally out of sight. One would not want to go over the roof and examine it for no reason. That’s why, until and unless it starts leaking, no one pays any attention to the roof or its maintenance.

EPDM rubber is a very flexible and long-lasting material that has a huge range of different purposes and applications. EPDM stands for Ethylene Propylene Diene M, in which the M refers to a class of rubbers that contain a saturated chain of the polymethylene type. What that means in simple terms is that EPDM rubber has fantastic heat, ozone, and weather resistance. It is also a great electrical insulator.

EPDM rubber sheets are often used as a liner for back yard water ponds and other man-made water features. The rubber does not leach chemicals, and so would not harm any fish living in these ponds. EPDM roofing material is one of the most common applications of this rubber product, although it can be used in garden hoses, washers, belts, electrical insulation, seals and speaker cone surrounds.

EPDM rubber is also often the main substance used in the weather seals of vehicles, such as door seals, window seals, and hood seals. This is due to the great weatherproof properties of this type of rubber.

EPDM Coatings a solution for your roof repair

Roof is the greatest source of protection from any type of whether condition for the world. But they have to spend more for its repairing and remodeling almost every year especially after rainy and summer season. Roof Leaks are mainly the cause of improper installation and ineffective flashing of roofs at the time of its construction. Roof Leak may occur about any place of the roof buy they found more near the chimney, step, apron, pipes, and points at which two roofs meets. Roof leaks may also occur when your roof shingles installed improperly. If you ignore it for a long time, then they may become a cause of major damage for of the roof.

It is important to ensure that your roof is equipped with building materials that are appropriate to the weather conditions of the area that you live in. Choosing cheap, low-quality materials that do not handle well in certain weather conditions can prove to be a very expensive mistake. This type of mistake especially at the time of construction leads to bear heavy cost of repairing near about each year or in every season.

You can minimize the problem by selecting the material that is more suitable and having great resistance for all type of weather condition like EPDM and Liquid Rubber products are designed especially for it. Elastomeric roof coatings and liquid rubber are also designed for roof leak due to draining water in rain; provide great resistance for water in rainy season. Similarly epdm is the best product for summer sun that can easily control the temperature by providing complete protection to the roof from sunlight.

Why Liquid EPDM (Rubber) your best choice?

• Liquid Roof is nearly identical chemically to sheet EPDM but with the distinct advantage of being a liquid. It is self-adhering and seamless
• Takes Temperatures from -40 to 300F
• One Coat application, No Primer, top coat or multiple coats needed
• Easy Application- A true do-it-yourself product
• Waterproofs immediately upon application and will take ponding water 365 days a year
• It will seal leaks, reduce heat build-up and rain noise and considerably extend the service life
• Liquid EPDM has proven itself superior to Acrylics, Urethanes and other elastomers for up to 3 times longer
• Goes on virtually all surfaces Click here for applicable uses
• As a liquid it can conform to any shape of roof, flashing, or protrusion both vertical and horizontal. It cures by chemical reaction to form a self adhering seamless membrane
• Liquid EPDM forms 100% seamless membrane
• The unique properties of EPDM rubber make it a versatile maintenance and repair product and its uses are limitless

Difference Between Liquid EPDM and other Materials.
• Identical to sheet EPDM but a liquid
• Easy Application
• Goes on virtually all surfaces
• Can be applied 6 times thicker than the standard elastomeric
• Single coat application
• Forms a seamless membrane
• Takes Temperatures from -40 to 300F

Features and Benefits of Liquid Rubber
• Easy to apply single coat system
• Instant set - Reduces project time
• Spray, Brush or Roller applied
• Easy to apply single coat system
• Water based – No harmful vapour
• Extremely flexible – Allows for substrate movement
• Odourless
• Seamless – No laps or joints
• High puncture resistance
• Strongly bonded to substrate
• Allows freedom of architectural design

Life Expectancy of Roofs

How long should your roof last? The American Society of Home Inspectors provides the following estimates for the life expectancy of different roofing materials:

• Asphalt shingles: 15-30 years
• Wood shakes-shingles: 10-40 years
• Clay-cement tiles: 20+ years
• Slate: 30-100 years
• Metal roofs: 15-40+ years.

Rain isn't an ally either. Water will naturally take the path of least resistance. For this reason, minor roof leaks can result in extensive damage in various locations throughout a home. Aside from the obvious water-stained sagging ceiling, prolonged leakage will likely result in rot to framing members in the roof, ceiling, walls and floor.

High winds can lift the edges of shingles and force wind-driven rain and debris beneath them. Extremely high winds can tear random shingles from the roof, leaving the roof spotty or even bare in some locations. Properly anchored shingles will minimize this damage.

Snow, ice and hail also do their share to shorten the roof's life. Melting snow often will freeze over the roof's overhang where the surface is cooler creating an "ice dam" which blocks drainage to the gutter, and results in water backing up under the roofing material.

Gutters and downspouts also can freeze, preventing proper drainage. Eave-heating devices can prevent ice buildup. Check with your local hardware store or home center for the one that will work best for you.

Mildew, moss and lichen can accumulate on roofing materials if they remain damp as a result of poor drainage or little sunlight. Once it grows, moss holds moisture to the roof surface causing rot or poor watershed.

One of the best ways to rid the roof of moss and fungus is with a good power washing. (This may be best left to a roofing contractor or roof care professional.) Another way is to apply a solution of one quart of liquid chlorine bleach in a gallon of hot water to the affected areas, using a stiff nylon brush.

Prevent minor problems from becoming major repairs by inspecting your roof in the late fall and early spring. Using binoculars will give you a good view of the roof while keeping traffic on the roof to a minimum. Look for loose shingles or shakes, or, if you have a tile or slate roof, cracked or missing tile. On shingle roofs, look for curling, fraying and tears at the edges.

Here's what you might see when you go up on your roof:

• Uplifting or splitting of the roofing membrane (the material that covers the roof) or decking on flat roofs.
• Punctures in the roof caused by debris hitting it.
• Cracking or other age-related deterioration. This is typically most apparent on southern exposures, and especially on wood or composition shingles.
• Damaged roof-mounted vents or air-conditioning equipment.
• Stripped ridge tiles, or missing or broken tiles on concrete or clay roofs.
• Pitting or pock marking on asphalt shingles or membranes. This can be caused by hail or from toxic substances in seedpods.
• Stripped or torn shingles on asphalt, fiberglass, or cedar roofs.
• Algae growth from poor drainage.
• Previous roof repairs.
• Rotted or rusted decking.
• Worn or rusted flashing.
• Wrinkled roofing membrane.
• Holes from missing shingles or other roofing materials.

Roof Colour Selection

The roof is the ceiling of the house. It really needs to be considered when you’re making color decisions. If you’re due for a new roof, congratulations! You now have a chance to select your roof color from the myriad choices that are available. Here are a few guidelines and considerations:

Suggestion 1; Involves selecting colors within the same family, such as warm tones (browns, beige’s, creams, golds and reds) used together with warm accents, trim etc.

Suggestion 2; Consists of contrasting light and dark colors out of different color families for an eye-catching effect.

Suggestion 3; Contrasting cool (blues, grays, black, white) and warm colors is harder to achieve, but if one of the contrasting colors is a neutral, it will be easier to accomplish. For instance, try using a warm color like cream or ivory with a cool neutral such as a gray or black ridge cap and drip edge.

Once you have chosen the method to create the look or effect you desire, you may want to take the following steps to help make your final color selection:

Gather; samples that represent the outside permanent colors of your home (brick, siding, etc.) You can use paper or fabric or whatever other sample you can find that is very close to the home exterior.

Consider your surroundings; Consider the environment and your neighborhood. Coordinating with your neighbors home should not be a prime consideration, but duplicating your neighbors home would not be ideal either.

Select Similar Colors; Select colors in the same family as the existing permanent elements (i.e. brick or stone) to produce a simple scheme which will make a small home appear larger. For example, a light brown shade of shingle on a tan colored brick home.

Select High Contrast; Select high-contrast colors to produce a bold, striking effect. These highlight architectural detail and design. Low-contrast colors hide details which may be desirable in some cases.

Using Color to Balance; Use color to balance the proportion and design of a home. Light colors make homes appear larger, dark colors make homes look smaller. Dark colors outline architectural details against light backgrounds while light colors create the opposite effect.

Traditional Shingle Roofs

• Gray or blue house. Stay with a traditional roof color like dark gray or black. That way your roof will blend with your house and make the whole structure seem bigger.
• Cream, tan, or light brown house. Consider the many brown roof options, some of them with a mixture of browns that really make the house look updated and terrific. A brown roof will blend with the cream or tan and make the house look bigger. Black and gray roofs just look ordinary.
• White house. Stick with a dark gray or black roof. It’s traditional, but it works.
• Red, green, or yellow house. You can go either way, a brown or a gray/black roof. I prefer a brown roof for red and green house colors and a black roof for a yellow house.

Nontraditional Roofs

What about metal roofs? They’re all over Colorado, Upstate New York, and other areas of the world where snow on the roof is a major factor in the winter. Metal roofs come in a rainbow of colors, from red to green to brown to purple. If you have a metal roof, you are making a design statement (whether you meant to or not, of course) and you can treat it as an accent color, kind of like picking a front-door color.

What about terracotta roofs? These are traditionally seen on Mediterranean style homes and are a definite design feature. Keep the house color neutral to highlight the beautiful roof and the other architectural elements that are undoubtedly present.

Other Nontraditional roof materials. Just like a thatched roof on an English cottage, a nontraditional roof is a design feature of the home. Hopefully, you want it that way. Choose a house color that makes the roof look like you planned it as a feature. Regardless of what kind of roof you have, make sure you consider it when you’re making house color decisions.

Roof Types

Different types of roof have different slopes within the same building. Many traditional buildings incorporate different types of roof within a single composition. For example, a building with the primary mass under a hip may have a central projecting bay with a gable end and a front portico with a pediment. The type and shape of the roof on your home can help determine how well it will perform during a severe windstorm. Don't use the same pitch for each roof! Each type has its own characteristics and should have different slopes:

Gable Roof:

The gable roof is a very popular type of roof. The gable roof is easy to build, sheds water well, provides for ventilation, and is applicable to a variety of house shapes and designs. A gabled roof has two slopes that come together to form a ridge or a peak at the top, each end looks like the letter A. Homes with gabled roofs are more likely to suffer greater damage, such as collapse of the end wall from high winds because they are often not braced properly during construction.

Hip Roof:

The hip roof is slightly more difficult to build than a gable roof, but is still a popular choice. A hipped roof is one that slopes upward from all sides of the building. Because of its aerodynamic properties and construction techniques, most hipped roofs will perform better in windstorms than the second roof type: a gabled roof. It does not provide for ventilation as well as some other roof designs and increases the chance for leakage due to the hips and valleys.

A-frame Roof:

The A-frame provides not only a roof but the walls as well. Originally, it was used for cottages, but in recent years has been applied to homes, churches, and other structures.

Flat Roof:

A flat roof is the most economical roof to build, but does not add much to the design of most houses. It requires a "built-up roof covering rather than conventional shingles. A built-up roof consists of layers of roofing, felt, tar topped with gravel. Actually, most so-called flat roofs are pitched 1/8 to 1/2 in per foot to aid in drainage. The flat roof is popular in warmer areas of the country where wide overhangs are desirable for shade and where little or no snow falls.

Roof Coatings And Their Benefits

A monolithic and fully adhered liquid that is applied over the roofs is called roof coating. It is applied over the regular roof system. That is why it acts as a covering or a top layer over the traditional roof. This asks for many features that a roof coating must possess. As it is the outermost layer therefore it is also the most exposed layer.

That is why, it is manufactured in such a way that it is able to tolerate a lot of environmental factors like UV and infrared, temperature extremities like rain, hail and the physical damage caused due to these factors. It is very elastic in nature which enables it to endure the temperature extremities without cracking. Hence roof coatings if applied properly over the roofs can provide maximal protection to the roof from these deteriorating factors, ultimately extending the life of the roof.

The advantages that roof coatings deliver cannot be ignored. The foremost benefit is repairing roof leaks. In this way it reduces the cost of re roofing. In addition the reflective nature of roof coatings greatly reduces the cooling cost because these coatings reflect the heat and sun rays, generating a cooling effect. Also these coatings are sometimes used ornamentally. Where roofs are exposed and visible, the roof coatings results in providing a cosmetic effect.

Among many types of roof coatings which are available, the most common ones are polymer-modified acrylic elastomers and polyureas, asphalt cutbacks and emulsions, silicones, SPF and high-performance urethanes. White roof coatings, tinted roof coatings, elastomeric, aluminum and metal roof coatings are also few broad categories of roof coatings.

Elastomeric roof coatings are very versatile and can be applied on a large variety of roofs such as single-ply, metal, asphalt, polyurethane foam or concrete roofs (CSPE, EPDM, TPO, PVC). This compatibility feature is very useful and makes it prominent among other roof coatings. An elastomeric roof coating creates a uniform, seamless and durable surface that remains flexible even at low temperatures. It is very adhesive in nature and provides excellent UV protection for polyurethane foam. Its highly reflective nature not only reduces the cooling costs but also prevents premature degradation. Elastomeric coatings can be employed both in construction phase and the maintenance phase.

Waterproofing Fish Ponds, Fountains With Liquid Roof

Liquid roof or Liquid rubber, being Liquid EPDM, has a wide range of application areas due to its extensive features. Its reflective nature results in delivering cooling effect. It is UV and ozone layer stable, highly chemical resistant, can tolerate a very broad temperature range and is compatible with a variety of surfaces like rubber, fiberglass, concrete, metal, foam, wood and fabric. It is the best solution for roof leaks repair. But besides all these features, one characteristic of epdm that is very important and must be mentioned is its water proofing nature. Due to this, it is extensively used to waterproof fountains and fish ponds.

The fountains and fish ponds have concrete surfaces. When special additives for water resistance are not added to a concrete surface, a need for an impervious coating becomes very essential. Because if such a coating is not applied, then it may lead to leaching out of soluble constituents and this is something very dangerous. These factors demand that the ponds and fountains must be glazed with a coating that is nontoxic and safe for the fishes and offers maximum water resistance. Liquid EPDM rubber, no doubt is the best. It provides protection to the surface both against the fresh and salt water.

Besides providing the water proofing feature, it also provides a solution to the roof leaks problem. The pond surface is usually plastic, concrete or rubber lined. When leaks are encountered in concrete surfaces, rubber liners are usually installed. But this process is very tricky and complicated. Also plastic pond liners generally get cracked. They can be repaired with products like caulks and tapes but they eventually get wear out. So for fixing leaks on both plastic and concrete surfaces, liquid roof is the most recommended product. It is both long lasting and easy to install.

Surface preparation for application of Liquid roof to ponds and fountains etc should be done carefully. The surface should be cleaned properly before application. If an alga is present treat with an algaecide or 25% solution of bleach, let stand for one hour and rise well. In fish ponds polishing the surface with a wire brush or a high pressure water spray might be needed. A rain free one week is needed for the surface to dry out.