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Why You Need to Plan Now for Commercial Roof Replacement

A new commercial roof is a sizable investment, so property owners often postpone a replacement in an effort to get every last bit of value from the existing asset. Rather than waiting until your roof has reached the end of its lifespan, is leaking badly or about to fail and leave you dealing with costly water damage, it’s more fiscally responsible to plan your roof replacement in advance. Planning ahead can also help make the project more successful and less stressful by allowing you ample time to:

  • Thoroughly investigate and compare different roofing options. Rather than simply replicating the existing roof system, you can seek the advice of a knowledgeable professional about the pros and cons of different materials and installation methods. Factors to consider when you’re looking at each option include its suitability for our Tampa climate, durability and expected service life, ease of installation and ongoing maintenance requirements.
  • Choose the best roofing company to complete the installation. Your choice of roofer plays a large role in how well your new roof performs and its longevity, so it’s beneficial to have the time necessary to thoroughly vet different companies. The best choice is a fully licensed and insured manufacturer-certified roofer with a track record of quality installation work who can also make skilled repairs and offers inspection, maintenance and emergency services.
  • Research the cost of replacement and budget for the expense. In addition to comparing the benefits of different roof materials and systems, you’ll have an opportunity to compare costs and use that information as one of the criteria in your decision making. Once you’ve chosen a type of roofing, your contractor can give you a detailed cost estimate for the replacement so you can budget for the expense, and/or look at your available financing options.
  • Develop an action plan for your replacement project. A re-roofing project can be messy, noisy, disruptive and even potentially dangerous to your tenants, employees or the public. Having ample time in advance of the project gives you a chance to work with your roofing contractor to put measures in place to mitigate the negative aspects of a roof installation that might disturb or endanger your customers, staff or tenants.

If you’d like to start planning ahead for a roof replacement on your Tampa-area commercial property and you’re in need of expert advice from a reputable, experienced commercial roofer, contact us at Aderhold Roofing.

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Big Benefits For Your Building With Roof Cleaning

Has the roof on your commercial property accumulated a layer of dirt and debris? This is unavoidable because over time, air-borne pollutants, mold, mildew, algae, moss and numerous other organisms and contaminants are bound to collect on a roof. Not only is a dirt buildup unsightly, it can cause deterioration and premature aging of your roofing material. The solution: scheduling annual professional roof cleaning.

What’s Involved in Commercial Roof Cleaning?

Cleaning a commercial roof is a task best left to an experienced professional who knows how to use the most effective cleaning solutions and equipment without harming your roof. The procedures a pro uses also differ depending on your type of roof:

  • Asphalt shingles need to be sprayed with an oxygen-based cleaner, followed by a “soft” rinse. Asphalt should not be pressure-washed at the risk of stripping off the granules and leaving the substrate vulnerable to deterioration.
  • Membrane roofs should have an eco-friendly, high-pH cleaning solution sprayed on to break down the layer of accumulated debris. Then, a pressure washer is used to remove the loosened material and restore the surface.
  • Standing seam metal needs a mild, biodegradable cleaning solution applied first, followed by low-pressure washing so there’s no danger of denting the metal.

Advantages of Having Your Commercial Roof Cleaned

Making cleaning a part of your roof maintenance plan offers some appreciable benefits:

  • Prolonged lifespan. It’s easier to identify degradation, wear and damage on a clean roof. This allows you to have needed roof repairs addressed promptly, which extends the roof’s expected lifespan and boosts your ROI on the asset.
  • Improved aesthetics. If your property has a steep slope roof that’s quite visible, you’ll make a much better first impression by presenting a clean, attractive roof to potential tenants or customers.
  • Warranty compliance. Manufacturers typically have a requirement for reasonable roof care and upkeep that must be met before they’ll honor a warranty claim.
  • Energy savings. If your commercial building has a membrane roof, having it cleaned can help lower the surface temperature. If you’ve had a reflective roof coating applied to limit heat transfer and reduce your cooling costs, keeping the membrane clean is essential to maximize its reflective qualities and maximize your savings.

To learn more about the benefits of our expert, professional cleaning services for your low or steep slope roof, or to schedule service for your Tampa-area property, contact us at Aderhold Roofing.

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Leave These Roof Repairs to the Professionals

In Hollywood, a particular niche of stunt actor performs high falls. These talented players train hard, work carefully ,and use all the right safety equipment, like air bags, decelerator wires, and body harnesses to make 100-foot falls look routine. You, as an owner or manager of a commercial property, are not a stunt player.

You need to consider what risks you take in walking the roof of your building and what roof repair challenges are better left to the professionals.

Safe Sight

You can safely assess your building’s need for roof repair from the walkways and access points of your roof. No need to put yourself at risk of a high fall (with no air bag below!) when you want to know if your roof needs repair work. Some roof signs that may make you suspicious are:

  • Clogged drains
  • Visible vegetation, like trees and grasses, growing on your roof
  • Granules, gravel, and debris at the bottoms of downspouts
  • Flashing found on the ground
  • Ponding
  • Black streaks, tears, raised laps, or open seams

Can-Do

Some roof repair preliminaries and maintenance are easily within your skill set. You should be maintaining accurate records to know:

Warranty status on the original roof and subsequent repairs Who has been on the roof, when, and for what purpose Repairs made in previous years The date of your last roof inspection by a professional commercial roofing contractor

In addition to recordkeeping, you have a role to play during an inspection, so that the roofer’s time on your property is well spent. Make a list of roofing concerns you have, areas that have given your company trouble, and spots where you have seen evidence of water infiltration.

Leave These Roof Repairs to Professionals

For major roof repair, leave these tasks to the professionals:

  • Reattaching open laps and seams, whether by adhesive or heat
  • Replacing loose or missing flashing
  • Rebuilding the roof deck around internal drains, replacing drain strainer,s and clearing clogged scuppers and internal drains
  • Repairing single-ply roofing
  • Waterproof coatings
  • Removing and replacing roof insulation

Aderhold Roofing stands ready to work with you to provide safe, prompt roof repairs to your commercial roof. Whether you have single-ply, built-up roofing, modified bitumen, or another roof type, we can perform the needed roof repair with no risk to you or your building. Our expert crews have the safety equipment, tools and training needed for any type of repair work. Contact Aderhold Roofing today.

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Fishhawk Ranch Project

Circa at FishHawk Ranch is the newest apartment home community in FishHawk. This apartment community features 13 brand new 3-story and 2-story apartment buildings, 6 garage buildings, one clubhouse, a pool pavilion, and several auxiliary buildings. The modern design of this apartment community utilizes both an upgraded architectural style shingle roofing system and a single-ply TPO roofing system.

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What To Look For in a Commercial Roofing Company

Choosing a commercial roofing contractor is one of the most important decisions you can make as a building owner or property manager. We’ve put together a list of key qualities to look for to help you choose wisely:

History and Reputation

The commercial roofer you hire should have a sizable project portfolio in the Tampa area and supply you with a number of references from satisfied customers. When you contact a reference, ask about the roofer’s overall performance, how any warranty issues were, and whether they’d use the company again in the future.

State Licensing

Before you hire a commercial roofing company, verify that they’re properly licensed through the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation. On the State website, you can also check whether any complaints have been filed against the company or any unlicensed activity has taken place.

Proper Insurance

A reputable roofer carries ample general liability and workers’ compensation insurance in case of property damage or injury claims from employees or the public due to roofers’ negligence. Here at Aderhold Roofing, we have full liability and workers’ compensation in place to protect our customers if an accident occurs.

Industry Certifications

Recognition from leading brand manufacturers tells you that a commercial roofer has demonstrated skill in working with their products and meets or exceeds their standards for installations and repairs. At Aderhold, we stay up to date on the latest products and applications from all the best material manufacturers. Additionally, we’re an Owens Corning Preferred Roofer, a Master Contractor for GAF and Firestone, and certified by our other manufacturing partners, including Gaco, CertainTeed and Carlisle.

Trade Affiliations

A roofer who is focused on providing top-notch workmanship and customers service over the long-term will be affiliated with national and area trade organizations such as Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association and the West Coast Roofing Contractors’ Association.

Installation Expertise

Your commercial roofer should have experience working with the type of material on your property’s roof, whether it’s single-ply, Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) membrane, shingles, tile or metal. A roofing company should also have the expertise to assess the condition of the deck during a tear off, check for adequate insulation and identify slope or structural problems that need to be dealt with.

If you need the services of a reputable commercial roofing company in the Tampa area, contact us today at Aderhold Roofing.

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How to Best Prepare for Your Commercial Roofing Maintenance Needs

Some commercial roofs are generally safe for property managers or facilities crews to work on: high parapets, low slopes, no unexpected changes in slope or commercial roofing materials. Other roofs are simply too treacherous for anyone but qualified roofers with proper safety gear to tread upon. How you assess your commercial roofing maintenance needs begins with safety, but leads to much more.

Safety First

Generally Aderhold Roofing does not recommend to our commercial clients that anyone other than our roofing crews walk on roofs. This is for everyone’s safety. The needs of a business are clearly different from those of our residential neighbors, but often the commercial roofing is similar. A storefront business may have a fiberglass-asphalt shingle roof for a homey look, for example. No matter the roof, your best choice is to ask Aderhold Roofing to do the walking. We have the trained crews and all the right safety harnesses to perform maintenance and inspection correctly.

Prevention

A simple task any facilities manager can perform is to develop a habit of roof awareness. Without venturing into a dangerous position, do a visual scan of the roof after every major weather event. Wind-borne debris, such as loose branches or human-made litter, can tear gashes in single-ply membranes. Wind shear can uplift mechanical fasteners and flashing. Heavy downpours can clog interior drains and scuppers.

Preventing lasting damage, or identifying roof leaks early, comes from active roof management. Aderhold Roofing is your partner in not only repairing minor issues but adding years of useful life to commercial roofing materials. We can come out and clean your roof, inspect it safely and identify problem areas to monitor.

Maintenance

Prepare for annual or semiannual maintenance visits from Aderhold Roofing’s trained professionals by maintaining accurate records, communicating suspected trouble spots to us, and setting time aside to allow easy access to your business’s roof. This may include clearing a few parking spaces or scheduling the inspections after customer hours.

Our expert crews will verify that your commercial roofing is:

  • Code compliant
  • Inspected foot by foot
  • Thoroughly documented
  • Repaired for minor issues immediately
  • Scheduled for more extensive repairs

Routine inspections and regular roofing maintenance sets your commercial roof apart from most residential roofs. You have a lot tucked under that roof—your business, your dreams, your employees and valued customers. Turn to Aderhold Roofing today to protect the roof that protects your future.

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Industrial Roofing Considerations in the Tampa Area

Tampa is a beautiful city. It is a great city to do business in, as many of our commercial customers know. The robust industries of Tampa need industrial roofing, and this city’s unique demands on industrial roofing, highlight the value of working with a professional, commercial roofer familiar with the area.

Weather

Tampa lies largely in the 140 mph wind-borne debris region as outlined by the City of Tampa. This means industrial roofing and buildings must withstand hurricane-force wind gusts of up to three seconds. You may feel three seconds is not very long, but entire rooftops of industrial roofing can be sheared away in that time.

At Aderhold Roofing we are completely versed in the special conditions Tampa-area industrial roofing must withstand. We can work with you to ensure your commercial property will meet every expectation in high winds, hurricanes and strong tropical storms.

Solar Issues

In many ways Tampa’s glorious sunshine is equally damaging to commercial roofing as wind-borne debris. Ultraviolet radiation from the strong, semi-tropical sun does damage to the chemicals that make up single-ply, built-up and other roofing materials.

Aderhold Roofing can work with you to develop a regular schedule of roof maintenance and preservation. Our annual inspections can pinpoint key areas where degradation of chemicals from strong exposure to sunlight can lead to water leaks.

One way to combat ultraviolet damage is with protective coatings that reflect sunlight. This added layer of protection not only returns heat away from your building, it adds waterproofing as well.

Rules and Regs

Tampa provides detailed rules and regulations for construction, including replacement of existing industrial roofing or installation of entirely new roofing systems. Aderhold Roofing knows both the Florida Building Code and the unique Tampa Building Code. Our firm understands the permitting process. We can perform our work efficiently, leaving you with confidence not only in our work but our code compliance.

Why take a chance with having roofing work done on your business property by an inexperienced roofer whose work cannot pass inspection? The financial and commercial risks are just too great. The old expression, “Better to ask for forgiveness than permission,” definitely does not apply when dealing with city officials and their power to shutter your business for code violations.

When you need to deal with the unique commercial roofing considerations of the Tampa area, turn to Aderhold Roofing for professional, knowledgeable help. Contact us today!

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Do Repairs Quickly to Protect Your Commercial Roof

The extreme heat, hurricane-force winds, and high humidity we experience in the Tampa area can cause premature deterioration of the roof on your commercial building if you don’t address needed repairs in a timely manner. In order to maximize the lifespan of this costly asset and safeguard the building’s structure and contents from damage, you need to take a proactive approach to roof repair.

Know the Warning Signs of Necessary Roof Repair

To avert more costly extensive repairs, to prevent a premature roof replacement, and to protect your bottom line, it’s vital to stay aware of the condition of your building’s roof so that any needed repairs can be taken care of as soon as possible. Here are some of the most common signs that your roof needs prompt professional attention:

  • Interior evidence of water infiltration. Even a minor roof leak that’s not addressed can cause staining on the ceilings or walls, deterioration of the insulation or drywall, patches of mold growth, musty odors, and a decline in indoor air quality.
  • Pooling water on the roof. Areas of “ponding” that don’t drain away quickly after a rainfall can cause rusting of a steel roof or degradation of the roof cover and eventual decay of the underlying decking. The added weight can also weaken the structure over time and lead to a collapse.
  • Bubbling of the roof cover. Bubbles are an indication of trapped moisture or gasses from degraded insulation in or below the roof cover. These underlying issues can compromise the roof’s performance in a rain or wind storm and lead to decking damage and/or interior leaks.
  • Issues with the flashing. If there are gaps or areas of missing flashing around the perimeter, structural components, or equipment installed on the roof, water can’t be deflected away properly during a rainstorm. This leaves the roof more susceptible to damage from high winds, water intrusions, and mold growth.
  • Cracked seams or tears in the roofing material. Whether this type of damage is due to aging, debris like fallen tree branches, or wind and rain, it leaves the roof vulnerable to water infiltration beneath the cover.

The best way to protect your commercial building against premature deterioration is to develop a roof maintenance plan that includes regularly-scheduled inspections and damage assessments after severe weather events. For expert assistance with your commercial roofing maintenance needs in the Tampa area, contact us at Aderhold Roofing.

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How to Find Leaks & Prevent Damage to Your Commercial Roof

Roof leaks can wreak havoc on the interior of your commercial building. Not only do water intrusions deteriorate the structure itself, they can damage contents like equipment, inventory, merchandise, or tenants’ property. You’ll know that you need commercial roof repair if a sudden, catastrophic water leak occurs during a severe storm or hurricane, but you may not even realize there’s a problem with the roof if leaks are developing slowly due to deferred maintenance or aging.

Indicators of Roof Leaks and Potential Need for Roof Repair

If you’re experiencing any of the following problems related to roof leaks, it’s time to schedule a professional inspection and get advice on what repairs are needed to prevent more extensive damage.

  • Water drips or puddles. Water dripping down from above is an unmistakable sign of a leaking roof, but you may find it impossible to trace the source of the leak, since water can travel a good distance along structural components before it falls. Even a puddle on the floor can originate from a roof leak if the water has run down the wall framing.
  • Stained or sagging ceilings. Leaks that allow moisture to accumulate in the area between the roof and a dropped ceiling can cause sagging or discoloration of the tiles. That trapped moisture and humidity can also damage or corrode ducting or mechanical/electrical equipment that’s housed in the space.
  • Mold growth and musty odors. In our humid climate, it doesn’t take much absorbed moisture in a building’s framing or drywall to give mold a chance to gain a foothold. If you get complaints about musty odors or see patches of mold growth in the building’s interior and it’s related to water infiltration through the roof, locating and repairing the leaks is the only way to get the problem under control and avoid a recurrence.
  • An increase in cooling costs. If the energy consumption for the building is rising, you might not suspect that water intrusions through the roof are the culprit. As water seeps in through leaks in the roof and the insulation gets wet, its R-value declines and it’s less effective at reducing heat transfer into the building’s interior. As a result, the HVAC equipment has to work harder to keep the building cool and your energy costs rise.

If your property in the Tampa area is in need of expert commercial roof repair, contact us at Aderhold Roofing.

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3 Questions to Ask Your Tampa Roofer Before Storm Season

No Tampa roofing contractor can work in this area without encountering the effects of our local storm season. From June through November, our region is exposed to the Atlantic Ocean’s harshest hurricanes, but in between the heavy weather we also face thunderstorms, sudden showers, and rainy days. The Tampa Bay Times predicts a strong 2018 hurricane season just one year after “one of the most devastating seasons on record.” All that precipitation combines with high winds to wreak havoc on a commercial roof.

Local Experience

The first question to ask any Tampa roofing contractor before allowing them onto your commercial property’s roof is about their local experience. Have they been around long enough to experience a Tampa hurricane season? Do they know, first-hand, the awesome power of hurricane winds and the deluge of water that accompanies storms like Irma or Maria?

Without earned knowledge about a hurricane’s damage to a roof, that Tampa roofing contractor may underestimate the need for spot repairs, overlook flashing damage, or discount depressions that invite ponding.

Inspect and Protect

During the inspection, be sure to ask your Tampa roofing contractor for specific information about weak spots on your roof:

  • Depressed insulation — This leads to ponding, which worsens over time
  • Seams
  • Flashing
  • Mechanical fasteners
  • Plant growth — Where algae or rooted plants grow, water sits; where water sits, leaks occur

Ask the roofer for specific strategies to protect these soft spots. How will the contractor address open seams, oblong holes around mechanical fasteners, or punctured flashing?

What About Wind?

Water infiltration is always bad, so expect a roofing contractor to talk a lot about preventing that. Yet in storm season, Tampa commercial roofs suffer from wind damage, too. Experts at Facilities Net remind us that wind moves everyday objects at such speeds, they become missiles. This wind-tossed debris scours and tears away at a roof, whether it is a membrane or ballasted BUR. Questions to ask your Tampa roofing contractor during the inspection:

  1. How will you protect against wind damage?
  2. How can we minimize potential wind damage?
  3. What cleaning regimen prevent loose material from building up on the roof?

Long before the worst storms hit our area, please contact us at Aderhold Roofing. We have been your local, trustworthy Tampa roofing contractor for many years. We know how to handle storm damage. For storm readiness to annual roof inspection to quality re-roofing, rely on Aderhold Roofing.