The Cash Trio

Before you get a commercial roofing quote, ask your roofing contractor these 7 questions:

1. Is this the best roofing system for this roof deck, my building, our climate? Defective design is responsible for almost 50% of roofing failures. Your roofing contract must consider things like drainage, puncture resistance, fire resistance, tensile strength and other performance factors. Your roofing system should be practical for your building type and location.

2. Is a complete roof tear-off required? Eliminating waste can help the environment and your budget when re-roofing. Several types of roofing systems can be installed over your existing roof.

3. Does the roof system moderate temperatures in summer and winter? Looking into eco friendly roofing options such as a vegetative roof can help control temperatures in the building and extend the life of the roof. Lower energy costs can help offset the costs of a new roof.

4. What is the length of the warranty? Ask your roofing contractor how long is the warranty. Does the warranty cover the entire roofing system, including installation defect?. Find out if there are any exclusions and/or fees in the warranty for issues such as ponding water and collateral damages.

5. Will this roofing system be Energy Star Complaint? A client can find the minimum requirements for reflectance and emittance at the government’s Energy Star Website. Initial reflectance must be at least 65%. After 3-years of exposure to weathering, it must have a minimum reflectance of 50%. Another resource for finding out ratings for solar reflectance is the website for the Cool Roof Rating Council. Do your research and you’ll know if your selected roofing system is an energy-efficient one.

6. Is my roofing system eligible for Federal tax deductions? It sure can if it meets the ASHRAE 90.1 standard. The minimum requirements for energy efficient building design (standard 90.1) were established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers. The federal government adopted this standard in 1994. At a minimum, solar reflectance should be 70% and solar emittance should be 75% for government facilities.

7. Does the roofing materials manufacturer have a recycling program? Some manufacturers do have recycling programs which collect the roofing material once a roof is ready to be replaced. The number of different types of products that much of this waste can be turned into continues to amaze us each day. You will discover that they will include flooring, park benches, roadway materials, even new roofing materials.