Miami Roofing Fort Lauderdale

Homeowner’s are often set back by the large number of documents that are required for the roofing permit application process. Although the applications vary by municipality, all roofing permits in Miami and Fort Lauderdale require the Section 1524 page. This page, also called the “Required Owners Notification For Roofing Considerations”, outlines several points that the Florida Building Code suggests should be discussed between the contractor and the owner and are NOT governed by the code. Section 15 of the Florida Building Code governs the minimum requirements and standards of the industry for roofing installations. Section 1524, as part of Chapter 15, outlines the “exclusions” not covered by the building code for roofing in Miami and roofing in Fort Lauderdale. The first item is “Aesthetics-workmanship”. This section explains that Chapter 15 of the FBC outlines the standards for roofing systems to meet wind resistance and water intrusion performance standards but subjective conditions such as aesthetics is not governed by the code and should be addressed as part of the agreement between the owner and the contractor. The second item on Section 1524 is called “Renailing wood decks” and states that the existing roof deck may need to be renailed to current code requirements if the existing nailing pattern of the deck is not up to current building code. The third item is “Common roofs” and states that if the roof of the house is attached to a neighbor, a “common roof”, the neighbor must be notified of the roof work to be performed. Townhomes in Miami and Ft Lauderdale typically have this type of roofing construction. The next section is “Exposed ceilings” and explains that exposed ceilings are conditions when the underside of the decking can be seen from inside the home when there is no dropped ceiling. In this scenario, the Section states that the owner may choose to preserve this appearance and nails protruding through the ceiling may not be acceptable. When installing new roofing in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, roof nails are 1 1/4″ long and always protrude through the decking and it is typically acceptable if the nails are visible only in the attic. If there is no attic, protruding nails are usually not acceptable. Other provisions such as ponding water, overflow scuppers, and ventilation are also covered in Section 1524 and will be discussed next month. For now good luck and stay dry!

Florida Power & Light is currently issuing cash incentives to homeowners and businesses that install a “cool roof” system on their roofing in Miami & Fort Lauderdale. Various roof types qualify for the incentive including tile, metal, shingle, and flat roofs. On their website, FPL has a list of approved “cool roof” products that may be used. The list can be found here: https://app.fpl.com/Approved_Products/getSearchFields.do?method=getSearchFields&progId=2003&label=Roof%20Replacement

Only products that are on the “FPL Approved Product List” qualify for the incentive program.  As per the FPL website, “the annual energy savings would be approximately $200 based on energy costs of 12cent/kilowatt hour”. In order to qualify for the incentive, the approved roof product must be installed by a certified FPL Participating Contractor and the roof must be registered in the FPL database prior to commencing the work. Current roof incentives are $325 for tile and metal roofs, and $.50/square foot for flat roofs. The most common flat roof products are white reflective roof coatings and granular surface cap sheets with a factory-applied white reflective coating. The most common of these cap sheets is GAF EnergyCap. When installing this roofing product, the asphalt bleeds on the overlaps of the felt must be painted with a white reflective roof coating, particularly GAF EnergyCoat, so that the final roofing will look completely white. Although the cost of the upgrade to GAF EnergyCap from the standard cap sheet is approximately the same dollar amount received for the incentive, the net gain to the homeowner is the yearly savings in energy costs. When replacing your roofing in Miami & Fort Lauderdale, consider going green with an energy efficient “cool-roof” and get paid by FPL while the program lasts.

The following roof maintenance procedures should be performed twice a year depending on the type of roof. On all roof types, debris should be removed and all leaves from overhanging trees should be broom swept off of the roof. Especially in Miami Roofing and Fort Lauderdale roofing, debris can cause many problems due to clogged drainage areas. Drainage areas are valleys, gutters, flashing, and other roof areas. If debris and vegetation clog these critical roof areas, water may pond and damage the roofing membrane. This is especially the case in high rain areas such as roofing Miami and roofing Fort Lauderdale. On shingle roofs, overhanging tree limbs can create excessive shade causing the shingles to curl and buckle. Direct sun on shingle roofs is necessary since shingles are made of asphalt and when asphalt heats up, it molds to the shape of the underlying roof deck causing a secure seal. In addition, there is an asphalt strip underneath the shingles that melts and seals the shingles together with time. Excessive shade can prevent this adhesion from taking place causing the roof to be more susceptible to damage under high wind conditions in Miami roofing and Fort Lauderdale roofing. Pressure cleaning on tile roofs is commonly necessary for concrete tiles. Concrete tiles are very porous so mold and mildew can build up in these pores. Although some transparent sealers are available, they are typically not recommended by roofing companies in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Clay tiles on the other hand have fewer pores and do not require pressure cleaning as often concrete tiles. Flat roofs are best maintained by applying a roof coating over the roof surface. Different types of roof coatings are available but the most common in Miami and Fort Lauderdale are white solar reflective coatings that also qualify for an FPL “cool roof” incentive. Aluminum color roof coatings were commonly used in South Florida a decade ago but are no longer the optimum solution for flat roof maintenance. Metal roofs require the least maintenance of all available roofing in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

South Florida and in particular Miami-Dade County has the most stringent roofing codes in the country. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Miami-Dade adopted a new “high velocity wind” building code that substantially changed the way roofs were installed in Miami. In addition to the changes in roofing techniques, a new permitting and inspections procedure was implemented. Different types of roofs have different inspection schedules. Tile roofs for example have 5 inspections. The first inspection is the “Tin Cap” inspection, which is performed after the first layer of roofing felt is installed. During this inspection, the Miami roofing inspector checks the nailing pattern of the felt and the perimeter edge metal, and also verifies flashings are installed correctly and primed with asphalt primer. The second inspection on a tile roof installation is the “Mop In Progress” inspection, also known as the “In Progress” inspection or the “Paper” inspection. Unlike the Tin Cap inspection, which is performed after the first layer of felt is installed, the “Mop In Progress” inspection is performed during the installation of the second layer of roofing. During this inspection, the inspector verifies that the laps of the second layer of roofing are being mechanically fastened with ring shank nails and tin caps before they are concealed. The third inspection is performed during the installation of the roofing tile. In Miami and surrounding municipalities such as Coral Gables, Palmetto Bay, and Pinecrest, a fourth inspection is required called the “Uplift” inspection. Unlike the other inspections, this inspection is performed by a civil engineer, not a city inspector, and during the exam the bonding strength of the tile is tested to make sure the tile bond meets the strength required by the Florida Building Code. After the Uplift inspection report is complete, it is attached to the roofing permit and the final inspection is performed by the city roofing inspector.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MIAMI, FL (PR Web), December 9, 2011 –T&S Roofing Systems has received the Master Elite™ Roofing Contractor certification from GAF Materials Corp., North America’s largest roofing manufacturer. Only 3% of roofing contractors nationwide are certified Master Elite™ Roofing Contractors and of 1800 roofing contractors in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, only 14 roofing companies have been awarded the certification.

Master Elite™ roofing contractors can provide homeowners with 15-20 year warranties on new shingle, tile, and metal roofs backed by GAF Materials Corp. These warranties, The Golden Pledge and The Blue Diamond Warranty, cover workmanship, unlike any warranty offered by non-certified contractors. In addition to building department inspections, all roofs covered under these warranties undergo a 40-point inspection by a GAF inspector, and the required materials and installation methods go well beyond code requirements.

Louis Toledo, T&S Roofing Systems’ President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: “Our team has worked hard over the past year to attain this certification and we are excited to be able to offer our customers a service of much greater value. I feel the training we went through during the certification process has put our company at another level in terms of installation quality and customer service and I see this as the start of a new era for our company.”

About T&S Roofing Systems, Inc.:

T&S Roofing Systems is the leading residential Miami roofing contractor serving Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Established in 2004, the Miami roofing company services over 1,000 homes per year, more than any single roofing company in the Tri-County area, and proudly maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. For more information visit http://www.tsroofingsystems.com.

Contact Info:
T&S Roofing Systems, Inc.
Phone: 305-NEW-ROOF
Email: louis@tsroofingsystems.com

Source: T&S Roofing Systems, Inc.

Roof maintenance is a topic commonly overlooked by many homeowners and building owners. However, performing preventive roof maintenance is the single most important factor in assuring the roof system lasts its expected lifetime. Roof maintenance costs for a 2,000 square foot house range between $500 and $1,500 and for a 10,000 square foot warehouse they range between $2,500 and $3,000. Roof maintenance is especially important for flat roofs where clogged drains and scuppers can cause ponding water which rots the roof membrane. The Florida Building Code considers any roof that has standing water for more than 48 hours as having improper drainage. Ponding rainwater should be shallow enough to evaporate within this time. In addition to rotting the roofing material, ponding water also cause strain to the roof deck which can result in structural problems such as deck deflection which also worsens the ponding problem. Performing roof maintenance can spot and correct ponding areas before they create bigger (and more costly) problems. All manufacturers of roofing materials state on their warranty that if routine maintenance is not performed, the warranty will be void. So performing roof maintenance is not only necessary to prevent premature roof failure, but also to ensure you’re covered if there is a material defect that should be covered by the roofing material manufacturer.

After a strong storm many people discover leaks that they were previously unaware of. Stains appear on ceilings and walls which darken as they dry. When diagnosing the area that is causing the leak it is important to consider all possibilities. This includes not only the roof, but also windows, chimneys, AC equipment and other roof top equipment. The biggest culprit for roof leaks other than the roofing system is windows. With time, the sealant around windows wears and wind driven rain can make it to the inside of the house. This is usually the case when a two story house is leaking on the first floor. It is also the case when water marks appear on the walls inside the house but not on the ceiling. If the leaks are discovered after hard rains but not when it rains lightly, the problem is most probably something other than the roof. Tarping the section of the house where the leak appears is a good way to temporarily stop the leak but if AC equipment or other roof top equipment is also covered, the leak source will not be isolated. When tarping the house, keep AC units, chimney’s and other objects uncovered and if the leak still appears, its not the roof!

Mortar is used for the concrete finishes of tile roofs in the valleys, hips, ridges, hip heads and gable heads. It can be stained with oxide a variety of colors and there is a general misconception as to the color that is appropriate for different tile types and colors. Clay tiles all usually have a terracotta base and a terracotta oxide stain is typically used if the the tile is 100% terracotta. However, when clay tiles are blended with terracotta and darker shades, the best color to use is the standard grey cement. This is counterintuitive as people believe the cement should always match the color of the tile. However, a grey colored cement allows the roof to have more definition in the areas of hips, ridges and valleys. Concrete tiles are a different story. Since concrete tiles come in a variety of colors and many blends, the best color for the mortar is the base color of the tile. For example, if the concrete tile has an orange color with dark flashes, the mortar color should be orange. If this was the case with clay tile, the best mortar color would instead be grey. The reason grey cement looks best for blended clay tiles is because it gives the rustic appearance of spanish influence that is different from the american style concrete tiles. The best thing about mortar is that it can be stained in a variety of colors but it is always best to keep the color consistent throughout the roof.