EXPERIENCE SPEAKS: Roofing
Retail Facility Business asked several experts about roofing issues pertaining to retailers and shopping centers. Our experts are: John Deal, national sales manager of Saginaw, Michigan-based Duro-Last Roofing, Inc.; Ken Hunt, RRC, RRO, vice president of technical services for Sheridan, Arkansas-based RoofConnect; and Richard Rast, president of Greenwood Village, Colorado-based Roof Express.
RFB: What are the most cost-efficient materials used today in retail roofing?
John Deal: There are many very good materials in the roofing industry today. Built-up roofs, metal and single-ply systems are all being used throughout the retail market. Depending on many different factors, each roofing system could be a low cost option.
The main item that retail building owners should be concerned about when selecting a new roof is the life-cycle cost of the roofing systems that they are considering. Life-cycle costs not only include the initial cost of installing the new roof but also the yearly maintenance costs, repair costs, warranty charges, energy savings and life expectancy of the new roof. When considering all of these costs, the low cost roofing material is rarely the most cost-efficient.
Ken Hunt: [We have] been involved with several retailers with respect to providing recover and reroofing specifications. Typically, we follow the client’s established material specifications, which often coincide with the original roofing installation. Historically, our retail clients have used single-ply systems such as TPO (white), EPDM and some PVC roof systems.
Richard Rast: People are always looking for a “silver bullet” roofing material. More importantly, a roof solution needs to take into account where the roof is and its function. The most cost-efficient material for a retail roof, like any roof, depends on geographic location, the traffic on the roof, how configurable the roof needs to be, etc. The roof material needs to fit the local climate and the intended application.
RFB: What are the pros and cons of metal roofs?
Deal: Metal roofs have performed well in the roofing industry for many years. The good-looking clean appearance of metal roofs lends them to be used in situations where aesthetics is a concern. The metal panels are long lasting and will give a long term watertight solution to the building owner.
One concern with using metal roofs on retail facilities is the need for a sloped roof. Most retail facilities have a flat or low-sloped roof deck that cause an issue with metal roofs. The expansion and contraction of metal roofing systems also cause a concern at roof penetrations.
Some metal roof systems have a high reflectivity but offset that benefit with their low emissivity. High reflectivity means that metal roofs reflect the sun’s energy, which helps cool the building but with a low emissivity the metal panels retain the heat that they do gain from the sun. In layman terms, metals roofs heat up and slowly dissipate the heat. There are other roofing materials that should be used if energy savings are desired.
Hunt: Some pros of metal roofing would be their ability to be installed easily and economically. Metal roofing provides an aesthetically pleasing contrast to the building’s exterior, especially when the roof deck surface is visible from street level.
Some cons of metal roofing are the difficulty of locating and providing long term repairs to roof leaks. Lack of “roof maintenance” dramatically affects the water-proofing ability of metal roof systems; drying out of washers, grommets, rusting of metal surfaces, ageing of caulking and sealants and deck deterioration as a result of ponding water are additional cons to metal roofing.
Rast: Pros: Metal roofs are low maintenance and they last a long time.
Cons: The up-front costs are higher and they’re challenging to re-configure. If you need flexibility to add new penetrations, a metal roof can pose difficulties. Trying to reconfigure an existing metal roof can create new maintenance and performance issues.
RFB: What are some of the biggest trends today in retail roofing?
Deal: Most retailers are using the same roofing systems that are the growing trend throughout the roofing industry: heat-welded single-ply roofing systems.
Single-ply roof systems have been around for over 30 years and are designed to be used on flat or low-sloped roofs, which eliminate the cost of building pitched roof structures. The heat-welded single-ply systems have seams that are “melted” together with hot air, which eliminates the need for glues, tapes or adhesives as used by the earlier single-plies.
Many single-ply roofing systems are also energy-efficient, which is another growing trend in retail roofing. With the rising costs of energy, building owners are looking for every opportunity to save money on their energy bills. Highly reflective, white roof systems with a high emissivity help to lower energy costs and lessen the “Urban Heat Island” effect. Urban Heat Islands occur when the temperature in cities are higher than the temperature in surrounding rural areas because of all of the dark roofs and road surfaces and less vegetation.
Another growing trend in the roofing industry is the use of longer term warranties. In order to gain a competitive advantage, some manufacturers are offering warranties of 20, 25 or even 30 years. Unfortunately for the building owner, the longer the warranty, the more exclusions and exclusions benefit the manufacturer and take away benefits from the building owner. Building owners should read and analyze the warranties that are being offered. The longest term might not be the best option.
Hunt: The majority of [our] retail clients are being very conservative and cautious in determining when to perform a major recover or reroofing of their facilities. When a decision is made, the roofing system selected often includes a “white membrane” with additional roof insulation added to reduce energy costs compared to their original installation. Some retailers, with larger roof areas, are considering solar systems such as crystalline panels and photovoltaic (PV) sheets.
Rast: Progressive building owners and facility managers are focusing on preventive maintenance and repair. They’re also centralizing roof management of their portfolios so they can proactively manage their entire roof asset.
RFB: Green roofing seems to be growing in popularity. Do you find more retailers and/or property managers exploring vegetative roofs, etc.? How feasible are green roofs today?
Deal: Almost every company is jumping on the “green” bandwagon. From household cleaners to roofing products, companies are developing a marketing campaign that focuses on the advantages of being green.
In the roofing industry, green describes not only vegetative roofs but energy-efficient roofs. Any roof that reduces the heat gain in a building is considered a green roof. There are many roofing systems that help save energy, including the highly reflective white single-ply systems previously discussed.
Vegetative roofs are gaining in popularity with many building owners but have yet to gain much of the market share in the roofing industry. Interest in vegetative roofs has increased over the last few years along with the use of solar systems (now typically referred to as photovoltaic), but due to the costs of these systems they have been slow to gain acceptance by building owners.
Vegetative roofs have been used in unique situations and can be a great way to make a usable space out of an otherwise wasted rooftop. For example, vegetative roofs have been installed in urban areas where parks and green space is limited. They also help in areas where rain water run-off is a concern by catching the rains and slowly releasing it over a longer period of time.
Most retailers are only concerned about purchasing a roof system that keeps their merchandise clean and dry and offer their customers a safe and enjoyable purchasing experience. Vegetative roofs offer an expensive option for a roof system.
Hunt: Within our network of retail clients we have not seen a large demand for vegetative roofs at the retail store level.
Although not for every building or application, “green roofs” (related to vegetative systems) are becoming very popular and are being seen more on corporate offices of retailers rather than their stores or distribution centers.
Rast: We don’t see a lot of vegetative roofs in retail today. A lot of retail roofs need to be re-configured at some point to accommodate new equipment and roof penetrations, which is difficult and costly to do with a vegetative roof. Other green initiatives are more feasible for retail, for example: reflective coatings in sunny climates. The best green initiative of all is to take proper care of your roofs to extend service life and keep them out of the landfill.
RFB: Roofing is a massive expense for retailers. What can they do to ensure their roofs last longer?
Deal: Retailers should start by purchasing a quality roofing material that is designed to meet their particular needs. For example, restaurants should select a roofing system that is resistant to animal fats and grease. Building owners should do their homework and develop a roofing specification that establishes the details of the roofing material and warranty that they are looking for.
Once they have selected and installed a quality roofing system, a roofing maintenance program can help ensure that their roof will meet their needs for years to come. Simply performing visual inspections after a storm can also go a long way towards extending the life of the roof. Limiting access to the roof will also help eliminate damage to the roof by third parties. Anything that helps the roof perform like it was designed will ensure that the roof lasts longer.
Hunt: Even in today’s poor economy and in some cases, with limited funds to allocate to roofing, retailers still should consider the long term benefits of investing in a high quality and energy-efficient roofing system. Do not use the “warranty” as a gauge as to the quality of the roofing system. Proper system selection, with the assistance of a roofing consultant and/or membrane manufacturer, and a quality installation by a reputable roofing contractor that has a proven track record for the roofing system that is being considered, will provide the basis of a long lasting roofing system. Once installed, the retailer, as well as all owners, should invest in a roof maintenance program. There are various types of roof maintenance programs available today that are offered by roofing services providers, roofing contractors, roofing consultants and roofing manufacturers. In addition to any type of periodic scheduled roof maintenance, the owner should have the roof inspected after any major weather event and after mechanical repairs or maintenance has been performed on the roof.
Rast: Most people are chasing leaks until they get tired of it and replace the roof. They spend an enormous amount of money on emergency repair and replacement. With a little proactive planning, you can shift spending priorities to preventative maintenance and scheduled repair, resulting in fewer leaks and extended roof life.
RFB: What should retailers look for when hiring a roofing services provider?
Deal: As with any construction services provider, retailers should work with a roofing contractor that is licensed and insured. Mistakes or damage happen, but as long as the contractor is insured, the retailer will be protected.
Retailers should also look for a roofing company that typically works on the particular type of retail facility. For example, restaurant roofs are very congested with rooftop equipment (HVAC units, fans, etc.) and if a roofing contractor is not familiar with installing roofs in this type of environment, there could be problems. Size of projects is another way to select the right contractor. If your facility is around 100,000 square feet, you should select a contractor that usually works on big projects. A contractor that typically works on residential or small retail facilities might be getting in over his head.
We also like to recommend local contractors to our retail customers. There are many contractors that travel around to get more work but it might be hard to get them back if an issue arises after the roof has been installed. Building owners should also select a contractor that is very familiar with the roofing material that they have specified. Any manufacturer should be able to supply a list of local contractors that consistently use their product and perform quality installations.
Hunt: Look at their Web site and investigate their track record. Can the roofing services provider perform repairs to all types of roofing systems? Can the roofing services provider respond 24/7/365? The roofing services provider should be able to respond immediately to assist with catastrophic events such as tornados or hurricanes. Retailers should consider the ability of the roofing services provider to go beyond “roofing.” Can the provider respond during a heavy snow storm to remove snow to prevent extra weight on the building structure?
Rast: Retailers should look for a well established roofing services provider who is certified by the major roofing manufacturers and can deliver quick leak response. If you’re a national retailer, you should look for a service provider with a national footprint. They should also be proactive in the maintenance and management of your roofs.
More importantly, retailers need a roof asset management plan so can stop chasing leaks and make wise spending decisions that will prolong the life of their roofs. |
