South Florida Roof Repair

Flat Roofs – Your Options

Older methods of installation and shoddy workmanship can cause leaks that wind up costing you a lot of money in repair bills and replacement costs, but the new methods of flat roofing have improved greatly. The latest advancements in flat roofs have led to stronger and longer lasting results. Many of these roofs last up to sixty years.

A good flat roof can make your property look modern and nice. It also offers the added bonus of being able to be turned into an outdoor living area. A flat roof can be turned into a balcony, deck, or even a place to have a beautiful garden, while making the most of the space underneath it.

Positives

• Less expensive than roofs that are pitched
• Great use of space
• Stylish and up to date look
• Extra bonus of added outdoor living space
• Will last a long time thanks to new methods

Negatives

• Need to do maintenance to it regularly
• Can leak if not installed right
• Might look ugly next to a pitched roof
• Cheaper methods will not last long

Asphalt Roofs

One classic flat roofing option is asphalt. This method involves putting down tar that will help cause a long lifespan. Asphalt is a good choice for many people since it is durable and versatile. Its popularity has gone down since new techniques have appeared that do not require so much labor or cause possible harm to the installer due to high temperatures. Skilled installers are becoming scarce as less people are using this option.

Positives

• Seamless design and hardwearing
• Waterproof
• Lasts up to sixty years
• Can be put on any shape of roof
• recyclable

Negatives

• Needs high temperatures for installation
• Very intense and hard installation process
• Heavy
• Not many people use it anymore
• Hard to find installers

Felt Roofs

Another classic flat roof option where composite felts are asphalt sealed. These roofs are affordable, but will not last as long as other options. The worst negative to this type of roofing is that the seams can be damaged by the weather and water erosion.

Positives

• Affordable
• Widely available
• Can hold up to a lot of foot traffic
• Can withstand wind sheer and peel

Negatives

• Does not last as long as other options
• Needs a lot of upkeep
• Heavy
• Hard to recycle

Single Ply Roof Options

This is a great new choice to flat roofing. Synthetic polymer sheets are sealed to offer a great waterproofing barrier that does not need much upkeep. Single ply is fast and simple to install. It is great for environment too.

Positives

• Fast and simple to install
• Lightweight materials
• Holds up to all sorts of weather
• Good option for the environment
• Lasts thirty years or more

Negatives

• More expensive than felt
• Not the best option for foot traffic if untreated
• Should be installed only by a skilled professional
• Material standards are not as advanced as other choices

TROY, OHIO (July 19, 2:15 p.m. ET) — Sparta Polymers, a manufacturer that works with recycled resins, has reached a deal with Ridged Systems to sell its Top Notch Ridge Cap locking device for high-wind roofing applications.

Sparta, based in Troy, Ohio, announced the deal with Delray Beach, Fla.-based roofing company Ridged Systems, in a June 23 news release.

The Top Notch Ridge Cap locking device is a polyethylene composite extruded to a 10 foot length, Rick Sofia, a member of the sales staff at Sparta Polymers, said in a July 15 telephone interview.

Tim Graboski, president and CEO of Ridged Systems, said in a July 16 telephone interview that he developed the locking device in 2006 after Florida state building codes changed, and because of the challenges of building in high-wind areas.

Friends in the recycling business connected him with Sofia, Graboski said.

“The product is complicated to manufacture, and Rick’s expertise helped overcome challenges,” Graboski said.

The two companies began product testing in 2007, and it went to market in 2009. It is currently used in residential housing. The device is produced for both commercial and consumer use, Sofia said, but the majority of buyers are commercial.

Sofia said Sparta Polymers has been making the locking device for Ridged Systems for a number of years.

Now, in addition to being Ridgeway’s materials supplier and manufacturer of the locking device, Sparta will also be sharing in the sales responsibilities of the product.

Sofia said as of right now, Florida is the only state that uses the locking device, something he hopes to change as Sparta gets involved in sales.

He said the company wants to “broaden out to other areas,” including states he refers to as “high hurricane states,” like North and South Carolina.

Graboski added that he is working with the Texas Department of Insurance to get approval to use the locking device in that state.

He is also working with a naval base in Guam that wants to use the device. Testing is currently going on there, Graboski said, a process that has very stringent requirements because the device would be tested by winds that accompany a tsunami.

According to Sparta’s release, “traditional tile roofing cap[s] anchored by wood or aluminum can withstand 100 mile per hour winds.”

But the Top Notch Ridge Cap locking device can withstand winds of up to 250 mph because of its high-density polyethylene construction, Sofia said.

Because of this resistance, Sofia said, it is the only locking device officially approved by Miami-Dade County in Florida.

Graboski explained that getting the approval of Miami-Dade, referred to as the Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA), is very difficult, and that he did not want to launch the product until he received this approval.

Sofia said the state of Florida is currently working on legislation that would require all roofing caps be able to withstand winds between 150 to 200 mph. If such a law were to pass, Sofia said, the Top Notch Ridge Cap locking device would become the only approved cap on the market

Both Sofia and Graboski said over a million feet of the locking device was sold last year.

Graboski said the development of the Top Notch Ridge Cap locking device is “based on innovation and the market gap, and coming together and using innovative technology and products that are going to be more sustainable.”

Recently, a storm dumping snow from northern Georgia to the mid-Atlantic threatens damage across other areas of the South. Strong storms could cause damage in southern Florida, while high winds, generated around the storm, can also cause damage. These storms can damage roofs and sometimes the damage isn’t even noticed until a hard rain. If you think your roof has been damaged, contact us now for an inspection.