Commercial flat roofs are more likely to accumulate more snow and ice when it’s compared to pitched roofs. if the roof is designed with a high curb all around, it can be the main cause of the snow to park for long term rather than blow away with the wind.
Depending on the sqf of the flat roof, dept of the snow can be a real danger if you ask me. There is big difference in between powder snow and wet moist snow. It may be dry and powder right now but as soon as thaw starts the weight of the snow will multiply. We have seen in the past flat roofs collapsing due to extra weight added on by the wet snow.
It is very important to clear not all but most of it prior to thaw to avoid the structural stress and possibility of structural damage.
We offer commercial and industrial rooftop snow removal in Ottawa and region. Give us a call or send us an email regarding your questions or inquiries.
Most flat roofs in Ottawa Ontario are tar and gravel but there is a new trend that is going to change that. Any regular tar and gravel roof weights 3 times more than Torchon Roofing (modified bitumen) including the insulation and the metal.
During a flat roof replacement in Ottawa we kept records of the dump fees and the total waist that was removed from the existing tar&gravel flat roof to the landfill. When all the separate trips to the landfill was added at the end of the removal, we ended up with 15000 KG. New roof material was 5500kg including 2 inch insulation, 1/4 protection board,(proboard) 180FF Base membrane and 250 Cap membrane.
If all the flat roofs are light weight systems, it can avoid the possibility of the roof collapsing because of the extra weight of the snow and ice. There has been many incidents all around the world because of this issue and lives has been lost. Extra pressure from the snow and ice does cause stress to the structure and that is why the tar&gravel roof leaks are almost impossible to detect.
Many people rely on roofing companies when installing roof membranes or replacing the existing roof on their houses in Ottawa Ontario.
There are a variety of advantages that flat roofs can give your home.
A slanted roof is very difficult to clean and most of the time you will need to call a professional to do the job. It is very risky to climb on a pitched roof, and your only option is to call a maintenance company. Flat roofs are easy to clean and also have a coating that helps the water flow over the surface.
A flat roof helps homeowners reduce energy use, especially in summer. These facilitate cooling ceilings of the house, particularly if it has been coated roofing membranes reflective material that allows heat from the sun increases the temperature inside the house.
Currently growing homeowners are installing flat roofs and covered with roofing membranes or looking houses with roofs such as it is quite cheap compared to install angled ceilings. A smaller amount of material is used and labor costs are also reduced.
The mark of a good company is in the testimonies of their clients and if this information is available then you should check it online, on twitter, facebook and linkedin if the comments are positive you can be sure that the company is credible. The customers are the concrete proof of service of a first class contractor in Ottawa.
Read the entry here published on waterproofing of horizontal surfaces , flat roofs and terraces possible.
The flat roof is characteristic of the modern house . Although there are modern chalet style houses with sloping roofs, the change in architecture leading to flat roofs and its use was effective as modern house design and modern buildings in the twentieth century.
Actually, a flat roof is not strictly horizontal: if not, the water will not slip out. They are named for the average slope of a flat roof (between 1 and 3 inches per foot of horizontal development) is significantly lower than that of a tiled roof: it can range from 0.30 meters to at least one meter Ceiling horizontal development. It is therefore more likely to heavy rain water from collecting in a ceiling more than one inclined plane. And so, the chances of leaks. Especially if the ceiling is not well resolved encounters with wall’s insulation (babetas calls). Or if they were not well constructed seams or vents in the funnels through which the water will drain.
If it snows, the choice is one: in these cases the sloped ceiling is imposed. Even if possible, it is desirable that the ceiling as simple as possible. This prevents the breaks-called valleys, and hip lines-which are the weak points of a sloping roof.
We are a local roofing company in Ottawa Ontario offering roofing, siding, foundation repairs and snow removal services in Ottawa, Nepean, Barrhaven, Kanata, Stittsville, Manotick, Greely and Orleans Ontario. Call or email at anytime, if you need assistance or in need of consultation. We will be more than happy to assist you.
Many people who rely on the best companies when installing roofing membranes or replace the roof of their houses. There are a variety of advantages that flat roofs can give your home.
A slanted roof is very difficult to clean and most of the time you will need to call a professional to do the job. It is very risky to climb on a pitched roof, and your only option is to call a maintenance company. Flat roofs are easy to clean and also have a coating that helps the water flow over the surface.
A flat roof helps homeowners reduce energy use, especially in summer. These facilitate cooling ceilings of the house, particularly if it has been coated roofing membranes reflective material that allows heat from the sun increases the temperature inside the house.
Currently growing homeowners are installing flat roofs and covered with roofing membranes or looking houses…
English: This image shows a roofing contractor during the process of applying an American WeatherStar elastomeric roof coating to a commercial flat roof. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Frozen Flat Roofs (Photo credit: ‘S’)
Today we responded to an emergency flat roof problem in the east-end. Store manager was disappointed and tired of chasing the original roofing company who installed the roof. It was in the late afternoon and thunder-storm alert was issued.
We examined the water damage from inside to pin point the possible location of the leak but nothing added up. Original leak was coming in from the second story and working its way all the way to the main floor. We noticed the water dripping by the duct-work on the second story and went up on the roof. Roof drain was very close to the entry location so we were assuming the problem was the drain but it just didnt make sense how the water was going onto the duct-line. After inspecting the entire roof we did find some overlapping seems that did not have any bleed marks from the torch. Torch-down membrane must have a 1/4 inch bleed-out indicating that fusion is complete and it is now one piece. Found the location of the drain from inside the building and there was no signs of water or moisture. Because the building was all cut-up it was kind of confusing where everything was located on the roof. Once we figured out where everything was located on the roof, it was obvious that there was an issue with the A/C unit.
I have seen this happen before where the ac unit bleeder gets clogged and water works its way in the building. As soon as i removed the pvc bleeder water was gushing out of the ac unit. This pvc pipe is designed to build pressure for the pump to force all the condensation and water out of the unit. Trap was clogged from all dirt and debris and water pooled up inside the ac unit and started to leak inside. We cleaned the trap and installed it back i its place. It took almost 5 minutes to leak to stop. Knowing that there was 5 ac units were up on the roof, we cleaned all 5 traps and installed it back in its place.
Poor maintenance of your roof and anything that is located on your roof is a potential cause for leaks. Always replace the ac filters regularly and clean out the pvc traps to avoid similar problems. Check all drains to make sure it is not clogged from dirt and debris. Always hire a professional to do the job.
After a rough winter the condition of your roof is determined by the amount of problems you’ve experienced during those cold winter days. It can be multiple reasons why you need to replace or repair your roof.
Typical problems during winter can be water damage, heat loss, condensation and many other reasons. It is always in your best interest to hire an honest roofing company to inspect your roof and repair if necessary. If water found a way thru your pitched and/or flat roof, you have few options; inspect the roof yourself, research on the web or request 3 quotes from local roofing companies. Be sure to understand the difference between a contractor and company. Anyone can be a contractor but it requires more than an individual to operate a registered company. It may sound to you the same thing but actually it is totally two different things. If your heating bill was extremely abnormal, this is caused by heat loss. It can be caused by all the doors and windows, insufficient amount of insulation or roof is too old. It is always in your best interest to get an opinion from a local roofing company.
Never wait for the last-minute, always be ahead of the necessary maintenance and repairs that maybe needed for your residential or commercial roof. Choosing the right roofing company is a key. You may end-up paying 10 to 20% more to a company that has too much overhead expense. As long as company is willing to provide all the necessary warranty and documentation to you on its own, you are in good hands.
Request your residential and commercial roofing quotes and estimates by phone @613-255-2323 or by email 613roofing@gmail.com we will be more than happy to assist you. All estimates are free and we will work with your schedule to serve you better.
A flat roof under construction. Note the drainage pipes which that still need to be hooked up in the openings made for them. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Flat roofs have puddles (Photo credit: gregwake)
Frozen Flat Roofs (Photo credit: ‘S’)
Have you ever wondered why all the commercial buildings have flat roofs? The answer is easy; an average home is very small when you compare it to a flat roof, it is possible to fabricate custom roof trusses for a house but when it comes to a flat roof it is impossible. Flat roofs are designed with steel frames and support beams and the houses are made out of 2×4’s and osb/chipboards. When the flat roofs are being constructed the builder can install drainage or scuppers to get rid of the water. Some flat roofs are designed with slope so water will always drain on its own.
There are many different types of flat roofing system that require gluing, steaming, mopping or torching. If the existing roof was tar and gravel and now it is being converted to a torch-down roofing system, the slope, drainage or scuppers must be installed or addressed to eliminate water damage that could lead to a disaster. It is normal for a flat roof to have some water pooling but not a lot. During summer months water will evaporate eventually but if it rains again back to square one.
My personal recommendation would be to re-frame a new slope for water to run off or install drainage or install scuppers. To extend the life of your flat roof you must maintain it. Clean all the drain filters, remove all the leaves and debris away from the drainage and scuppers to get water moving, remove heavy wet snow to eliminate structural damage that can be fatal.
We are a fully insured and registered flat roofing company in OttawaOntario offering residential, commercial and industrial flat roofing, flat roof repairs, flat roof replacements and flat roof snow and ice removal services.
If you have a question or concern about a flat roof, you can contact us by phone @613-255-2323 or by e-mail ottawaflatroofing@gmail.com and we will be more than happy to assist you. We can also provide you with a free flat roofingquote or an estimate.
If you live in Ottawa and the valley you must have seen the layers of snow and freezing rain combination. Sometimes you may think there is a problem with your roof but actually it’s the unpredictable weather that we are having.
If your house is a bungalow and has more than average number of valleys on your roof, get prepared for the snow and ice build up during winter. Any house or building can have ice dams or more than average snow build up.
If you ask what causes ice dams i can explain it briefly. There are many reasons behind ice dams and it changes from house to house. If there is not enough fresh air in your attic, it can build condensation and turn into ice dams. If your vents are covered with snow and attic air is not venting out, it will help ice dams to form. If you have poor ventilation it will definitely form ice dams. Number of vents and amount of vented soffits must be balanced, if your attic is not same or close to temperature outside, it will help the ice dam. If you are not sure what it is or need an advise from a professional, contact your local Ottawa Roofers and they will be more than happy to consult you about your needs.
It is always in your best interest to maintain whats yours. You may have to do roof inspection once a year to be on the safe side. Your roof protects you and you should do the same in return and maintain it. Hire a roofing contractor to remove all the snow and ice dam off your roof before spring or you may be facing a bigger issue if there isn’t any ice and water shield or felt paper. Now days builders are saving nickles and dimes. I have not seen one house yet with ice and water shield or felt paper all around. But that’s where i take over and do it right.
Flat roofs are expensive to replace and maintain. There are few simple steps owners that can take the eliminate possible roof leaks in the future.
1: Before winter inspect your roof and clean all the drain caps and make sure nothing will block the drain screens.
2: If it snows more than average during winter remove the snow off your roof yourself or hire a local roofing contractor in your are.
3: Once the spring is around the corner and it starts to rain, extra weight will be on your roof and it can cause major damage. Remove all the wet snow off your roof to eliminate structural issues.
3: If it’s start to rain on regular basis in spring be sure to inspect your roof and make sure all the drain filters are clean.
If you make sure there is no extra weight on your roof and water runs down the drain off your roof, it will eliminate pooling. Most flat roof leaks are caused by clogged drainage.
If you are looking to save few hundred dollars and have the extra time it is easy to maintain your roof. Be sure to take all the safety precautions when climbing or working on the roof. If you decide to hire a roofing contractor, make sure you see a proof of their insurance.
