Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 4:39 PM

DEDHAM, Mass. - Three rounds of weekend snow are starting to pile up on people's roofs, raising concerns about ice dams and other problems.

We tagged along with a roofing company Monday who got a couple dozen calls after the latest storm.

The roofers cleared the snow off a roof, but not before ice dams caused some damage inside.

We don't even know what's happening underneath with maybe wood rot and stuff like that, homeowner Pat Ayoub explained.

John and Pat Ayoub thought after the infamous winter of 2015 their roof problems were over. That year, ice dams and roof collapses became regular occurrences all over the state.

The Ayoubs had leaking caused by ice dams, so they had some work done. But the problem's back again.

Water from their roof is leaking through their ceiling and down their kitchen cabinets.

Right here -- coming in -- we put a little cup here and we had some leaking coming in on this side too, Pat said. Roofer Parker Willard, of Willard Roofing in Dedham, says the problem lies in the design of the edge of the Ayoubs' roof.

Theres absolutely no overhang, he said.

Ice dams occur when heat leaking from inside a home melts the snow on the roof. The melted snow trickles down to the colder edge of the roof and refreezes, forming a "dam."

The dam traps the melting snow which leaks through the roof or trim into the home.

It keeps roofers very busy.

We've had a couple dozen calls. Nothing comparatively speaking to 2015, but we're seeing that people are being pro-active, Willard said.

He says you can clear off your own roof with the right tools, like a roof rake and calcium chloride.

You never want to go up with the snow rake. If you noticed, I put it up and then I brought it down. If you go up with it, you potentially snap a shingle, said Willard.

But he advises leaving really high roofs to the pros.

Rain is in the forecast for later in the week, which can be a dangerous situation -- especially for businesses with flat roofs as the snow absorbs all of the rain water and becomes very heavy.

2017 Cox Media Group.

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Roofs become a concern as snow piles up after storms - My Fox Boston

Part of a McGregor business that burned much of Tuesday afternoon was determined a total loss, officials said.

Smoke could be seen for miles as a GAP Roofing Inc. warehouse, 1158 Bunker Road, became fully engulfed in flames about 1:45 p.m. The office building sitting in front of the warehouse remained untouched, however.

Jeffrey Mincy, Coryell Memorial Healthcare System EMS chief, said he expected the fire to burn into Wednesday, with smoke and smoldering debris lasting for several days afterward. By 5:30 p.m. firefighters had already used at least 30,000 gallons of water to contain the fire, and Mincy said he expected the amount to rise to several hundred-thousand gallons by the time the fire is completely extinguished.

There was asphalt on location, which is an oil-based product, but predominately whats burning now is this whole warehouse, Mincy said late Tuesday afternoon.

Whats burning now is stacked pallets of rolled of paper, so its (basically) wood. At this point, theres not much hazard. We believe all of the petrochemcials have burned off at this point.

Employees were welding on a ladder when a spark hit the floor, igniting the fire, plant manager Wesley Wisehart said. By the time workers could reach the nearest working fire extinguisher, the blaze was already out of control, Wisehart said. The company has 32 employees and all workers on shift during the blaze were accounted for and none were injured, he said. The business operates 24 hours a day, he said.

I was up here in the office, and next thing I know, everybody was flying this way, Wisehart said.

Mincy, however, couldnt confirm the cause of the fire and said it may take days before its determined. He said the Texas State Fire Marshals Office will likely investigate.

GAP Roofing mixes felt and oil together in the warehouse to make a certain kind of tar paper and that material is highly flammable, Mincy said.

Wisehart said he expects damages to range in the millions of dollars.

Firefighters from the Waco, McGregor, Moody, Coryell City, Oglesby, Gatesville and Turnersville fire departments responded to the commercial fire and were expected to work through the night to keep the situation contained, Mincy said. Paramedics were also on scene as a precaution, he said.

Wisehart said the company had a similar fire in 2001.

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Fire destroys McGregor roofing company building - Waco Tribune-Herald

OMAHA, NE

Local homeowners are flocking to the final days of the Omaha Home & Garden Expo, looking to upgrade many areas of their homes, including their roofs.

"We think the stone coated steel is probably the best product for the dollar that you're going to get. So, it's more expensive than an asphalt roof, but it's not as expensive as a real slate or a tile roof," said Jamie Pflug, with Lastime exteriors.

Pflug said his company introduced the Gerard stone coated steel roof to the Omaha area almost two decades ago. While it may be nearly twice as expensive as your typical asphalt roof, he says the extra money is well spent.

"We try to put them in something that's the best they can get for what they can afford," said Pflug.

According to Pflug, the benefits of this type of roof are endless. The lightweight and durable style is energy efficient, reducing utility requirements by up to 45 percent and it has a lifetime warranty. They are also fireproof and resist winds up to 120 miles per hour. Most importantly for homes in this region, they can take on baseball sized hail, which gives homeowners insurance discounts.

"If we can get insurance to pay for what they've got, and if we can slide and get them into a better roof, or a slide up charge, that's a good time to do it," said Pflug.

The Omaha Home and Garden Expo is held at the CenturyLink Convention Center. The final day of the expo is Sunday.

WEBVTT IT. KETV NEWSWATCH LAUREN ROBINSON. >> IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT OVER YOUR HEAD, YET IT'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T THINK OF. MAKING SURE YOUR ROOF WILL KEEP YOU AND YOURFAMILY AS POSSIBLE. >> THE STEEL ROOF IS THE BEST DOLLAR. IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE BUT THE ASPHALT. BUT IT'S NOT EXPENSIVE AS A SLATE OR TILE ROOF. >> HE SAYS HIS COMPA INTRODUCED THE GIRARD STONE COATED STEEL ROOF TO THE OMAHA AREA 2 DECADES AGO. IT MAY BE TWICE AS EXPENSIVE AS ASPHALT ROOF, THE EXTRA MONEY IS WELL SPENT. >> WE TRY TO DO THEM IN SOMETHING THE BEST THEY CAN GET FOR WHAT THEY CAN AFFORD. >> THE BENEFITS OF THIS TYPE OF ROOF ARE ENDLESS. THE LIGHTWEIGHT AND DURABLE STYLE ISENERGY EFFICIENT, REDUCING UTILITY REQUIREMENTS BY UP TO 45%. AND HAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY. THEY ARE ALSO FIREPROOF, RESIST WINDS UP TO 120 MILES PER HOUR. AND HOMES INTHIS REGION CAN TAKE ON BASEBALLSIZE HAIL WHICH GIVES HOMEOWNERSINSURANCE DISCOUNTS. >> IF WE CAN GET THE INSURANCE TO PAY FOR WHAT THEY GOT, AND SLIGHTLY GET THEM INTO A BETTER

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Updated roofing style tops the Omaha Home & Garden Expo - KETV Omaha

As one of few parents, I stood out at high school speech meet

By BRIAN BRESNAHAN | Nebraska View

Stacy, the lady behind the concession stand counter asked me, Are you the bus driver? I was puzzled by the question and she could tell by the look on my face. No, I replied. She could tell I wondered why she would ask that and searched for a way forward in the awkwardness that doesnt no

BY ANGELICA LEICHT Hub Staff Writer

KEARNEY On the surface, Marissa is every bit the typical college student, but she could go from being on the deans list to being deported.

Funk resident, 77

KEARNEY James A. Jim Just, 77, of Funk died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, at CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney.

Kearney resident, 82

KEARNEY Janet L. Altmaier, 82, of Kearney died Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, at Mount Carmel Home and Rehabilitation Center.

By ERIKA PRITCHARD Hub Regional Editor

MINDEN A 37-year-old Minden man whose careless driving caused the death of another Minden man in June was sentenced to 1 years probation in Kearney County Court Thursday.

Kearney resident, 71

KEARNEY Lyle Herman Menke, 71, of Kearney died Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, in Kearney.

Rural Loomis resident, 64

HOLDREGE Randall E. Wood, 64, of rural Loomis died Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege.

By JULIA SHUMWAY Associated Press

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Nebraska parents who marry or move in with registered sex offenders could have a harder time maintaining custody under a bill heard by a legislative committee Thursday that opponents say unfairly stigmatizes offenders.

Minden resident, 79

MINDEN Joan E. Carr, 79, of Minden died Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, at Kearney County Health Services Long Term Care in Minden.

Kearney resident, 90

KEARNEY John Fred England, 90, of Kearney, formerly of Axtell, died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, at St. Johns Good Samaritan Center.

RICK BROWN | Kearney View

One of the press operators stopped by my desk the other morning to ask if I knew anything about an ancient printing press buried under the Hub office building. He had heard that instead of removing the press and hauling it away, workers dug a huge hole and buried it, sealing the piece of mac

By TAMMY BAIN BH News Service

LEMOYNE -- A man shot in January near Lake McConaughy was killed in self-defense, the Keith County attorney said in a statement Thursday.

Posted on Feb 10, 2017

by apush

By ERIKA PRITCHARD Hub Regional Editor

LEXINGTON Two California women were booked in Dawson County Jail this morning after allegedly being found in possession of one pound of methamphetamine.

Hub staff

AMHERST The driver in an early Saturday morning crash that killed two people has been upgraded to fair condition.

Posted on Feb 8, 2017

by apush

BEAVER CITY, Neb. (AP) A Nebraska dad accused of attacking a 17-year-old wrestler who defeated his son has been sentenced to four days in jail.

Grand Island resident, 66

GRAND ISLAND Virginia M. Nielsen, 66, of Grand Island died Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, at CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island.

Former area resident, 90

CHICO, Calif. Ruth Marilyn Wendell Lundberg, 90, of Chico died Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, in Chico.

Chapman resident, 46

GRAND ISLAND Kelly K. Stoppkotte, 46, of Chapman died Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, at CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island.

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) A man accused of throwing his 7-month-old son to death from a bridge jumped into the Connecticut River himself after police shouted for him to stop, an officer testified Friday.

BUCK MAHONEY Hub Sports Editor

KEARNEY Not everything, but enough things seemed to be going well enough for the Kearney High girls to get a win Friday night over Norfolk.

By MIKE KONZ Hub Managing Editor

KEARNEY Kearney residents and business operators will begin paying a special utility fee in April so the city of Kearney can cover its costs complying with a federal Environmental Protection Agency storm water management mandate.

By KIM SCHMIDT Hub Staff Writer

KEARNEY Two juvenile girls are in custody after allegedly stealing a car in Kearney Wednesday and leading police on a chase through Kearney and Gibbon and at speeds up to 120 mph on Interstate 80.

By KIM SCHMIDT Hub Staff Writer

AMHERST A Kearney man and a University of Nebraska at Kearney student died early Saturday morning in a one-vehicle crash northwest of Amherst.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) A western Nebraska prosecutor says a man who fatally shot his 44-year-old son did so in self-defense.

Kearney resident, 29

AMHERST Neal Fred Maloley, 29, of Kearney died Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, north of Amherst as the result of a motor vehicle accident.

Letters to the Editor

When a Kearney Police Department SUV flashed down a city street last June at high speeds with lights and sirens, a two-car accident occurred. Two children, both under the age of 12, witnessed from the street, as the police cruiser adorning the motto Duty. Honor. Integrity. hit a tree befor

Franklin resident, 82

FRANKLIN Ardyce P. (Bartels) Fritson, 82, of Franklin died Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, at Franklin Care and Rehabilitation Center.

By GRANT BOSIACKI Hub Sports Writer

AMHERST In less than one week, the Amherst Broncos have handed the Elm Creek Buffaloes two of their six losses.

By TAMMY BAIN BH Media News Service

A man shot in January near Lake McConaughy was killed in self-defense, the Keith County attorney said in a statement Thursday.

By RYAN EDWARDS Hub Sports Writer

LINCOLN The 2017 Shrine Bowl rosters were revealed Wednesday, and three area players and two area coaches were selected.

Arcadia resident, 69

BROKEN BOW Gary Greenland, 69, of Arcadia died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, at Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow.

Minden resident, 73

MINDEN Roger Allen Blank, 73, of Minden, formerly of Wilcox, died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, at Bethany Home in Minden.

By LORI POTTER Hub Staff Writer

LEXINGTON When Barb Batie was contacted totally out of blue about 2 years ago about an appointment by former Gov. Dave Heineman to the Nebraska Sesquicentennial Commission, the busy Lexington farmer-freelance journalist asked for a few days to think about it.

Posted on Feb 11, 2017

by apush

Hub staff

KEARNEY -- Officers took two people into custody on Interstate 80 in Hall County about 30 minutes after a pursuit began in Kearney.

Posted on Feb 8, 2017

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Hastings resident, 74

KENESAW Dianna Traphagan, 74, of Hastings, formerly of Kearney, died Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, at Premier Estates in Kenesaw.

By KIM SCHMIDT Hub Staff Writer

KEARNEY A Kearney woman is lucky today, a fire official said, after fire broke out early this morning in the laundry room of her home near her bedroom.

Posted on Feb 9, 2017

by apush

Holdrege resident, 82

HOLDREGE Marvin H. Marv Klassen, 82, of Holdrege died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, at Holdrege Memorial Homes.

Minden resident, 83

MINDEN Dorothy Marie (Munk) Miller, 83, of Minden died Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, at Kearney County Health Services in Minden.

By LORI POTTER Hub Staff Writer

ALMA An order confirming an irrigation rules violation penalty that permanently bans irrigation on land in Furnas County set last month by the Lower Republican Natural Resources District Board of Directors was approved Thursday by the board, according to LRNRD Assistant General Manager Sco

Kearney resident, 16

KEARNEY McKenna Rae Johnson, 16, of Kearney died Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, at home.

By RYAN EDWARDS Hub Sports Writer

KEARNEY The first half of Kearney Catholics win over Arcadia/Loup City on Thursday was, at times, unwatchable.

Letter to the Editor

To my beautiful, treasured granddaughter, its official. The future is female. I encourage you to become knowledgeable about the positive changes rapidly developing in our world. The vast majority of straight white American males deplores and dreads this change.

Posted on Feb 10, 2017

by apush

The rest is here:
Seibert elected director of Midwest Roofing Contractors Association - Kearney Hub

By Catherine Dominguez, cdominguez@hcnonline.com

Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer

Conroe residents get new roofs following scam

For Tink and Bobbye Calfee, it's easy to see the red flags now.

Several months ago, the longtime Conroe couple put their trust in a local roofing company to repair the damage to their home in the Wedgewood subdivision off Longmire Road following storms that moved through the area in May of 2016. But after signing over an insurance check for $11,000, the Calfees were never able to get the company back to do the work.

And they weren't the only ones; two other homeowners in their neighborhood found themselves in the same situation.

According to Tink, representatives of the company came to their home after inspecting several other homes in the neighborhood and asked whether they could look at his roof. Tink agreed and learned he had damage to his home.

"They said I needed to get in touch with my insurance people to come out and look at it," said Tink, noting company officials said they wanted to be there when that happened. "We did that and the adjuster said, 'Yes you have roof damage.'"

Tink said he called multiple times but could never get the company to come back and do the roof.

The Calfees declined to give the name of the company since the issue is still under investigation.

"I just want (the roof done), but I think they should be put in jail," Bobbye said of the company that took their money.

Bill Harris, who lives across from the Calfees, said the same thing happened to him and he decided to reach out to law enforcement. Before long, a detective with the Conroe Police Department was talking to the homeowners and put them in touch with StormScamHelp.com.

"The roofer had been in the neighborhood working," Harris said of how he came in contact with the company. "It looked good and everything sounded great. I was tickled to death to get a new roof and I made the mistake and gave them money up front."

Harris, like the Calfees, was never able to get the roofer back to do the work.

StormScamHelp.com, contractor watchdog group, is making sure the Calfees and their neighbors are getting new roofs. According to Jessica Sloat, director of sales for Genesis Contractor Solutions and StormScamHelp.com, the roofing materials for the work has been donated by Georgia-based Atlas Roofing and the labor is begin provided by Cypress-based Always Great Service LLC.

"We step in and help homeowners who have been scammed by local contractors," Sloat said.

Sloat said she was contacted by Conroe PD about the issue and asked if we could help out. While Sloat didn't have statistics, she added roofing scams are among the most prevalent with homeowners.

According to InsuranceFraud.org, no single agency collects fraud statistics but the site noted fraud comprises about 10 percent of property-casualty insurance losses and loss adjustment expenses each year and property-casualty fraud equals about $32 billion each year.

Diane Peoples, marketing and communications manager with Atlas Roofing, said the effort is good for homeowners and the roofing business. "We think it is really important to help our contractor differentiate themselves in the market," Peoples said. "We want to see the reputation of the industry elevate."

As for Harris and the Calfees, they just want others to learn from their mistakes and never pay for contracting work up front. Both agree they are lucky to get the help from StormScamHelp.com.

"All this money I thought I would have to beg, borrow or steal to get a roof, I didn't have to do after all," Harris said.

For more information, visit http://www.StormScamHelp.com.

Original post:
Conroe residents get new roofs following scam - mySanAntonio.com

Updated: Feb 8, 2017 - 11:51 AM

LACEY, Wash. - A fire has gutted a warehouse at a roofing company in Lacey.

The owner of MadsenRoofing said a passerby saw flames on the roof of the business on Martin Way andHohStreet Northeast at 3 a.m. Wednesday and called the business office to say there was a fire.

Three fire departments responded to fight the flames.

The owner said the warehouse is a total loss but he is thankful that the office space next door and some mobile equipment survived.

He said the outpouring of support from people in the roofing community has been overwhelming and that he is thankful that no one was hurt.

A Lacey fire spokesperson said the fire was especially tough to fight because of the roofing materials inside the warehouse. Flames could still be seen as late as 8:30 a.m.

The owner said he wants to get the business open again by Monday. Eighteen employees work at the company.

An investigation into the cause of the fire will start once the building is deemed safe to enter.

The building was secured when firefighters arrived, so at this point, the fire is not believed to be suspicious.

2017 Cox Media Group.

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Fire burns Lacey roofing business | KIRO-TV - KIRO Seattle

Contributed by Western Specialty Contractors From the February 2017 Issue

All matter breaks down over time. The structures that surround us today are no exception to that law of physics. Some building materials are more durable than others, like stone and steel, but unfortunately the days of structures surviving thousands of years, like the Egyptian pyramids and Roman cathedrals, is over. Preventive maintenance of building exteriors is more important than ever.

Every building or structure should have a preventive maintenance program in place for its exterior components, says Mark Sheehan of Western Specialty Contractors Facades Division, a national specialty contractor based in St. Louis, MO. How extensive the program needs to be will depend directly on the size of the building, number of different materials and components, geographic location, and personnel available to keep it updated.

A preventive maintenance program consists of two major partsthe inspection and the execution. During inspection, some of the more complex structures may require special access and assistance from a contractor. However, for most structures, an in-house maintenance crewwith a little bit of trainingis capable of doing the job.

When performing the inspection, it is extremely important to document the findings and keep them in a consistent format from year to year. It is also necessary to inspect any work that has recently been performed as those repairs may still be under warranty, says Sheehan. Specific items to inspect and document include the following.

Gutters, drains, downspouts, drainage, roof. Decaying leaves, pine needles, and dirt runoff can all contribute to ponding water and clogged gutters and downspouts. It is essential that all roof drains remain clear of obstructions. In addition to risk of water pouring into the occupied spaces should a breach in the roof occur, freezing and thawing of ponding water during the fall and winter months can cause extensive roof damage.

Perimeters of doors, windows, and other wall penetrators. The exterior walls of a building can be a significant source of water leakage. Many openings are required in commercial building walls for plumbing, irrigation connections, lighting, HVAC system elements, exhaust vents, air intakes, joints around windows and doors, and fire alarms, to name a few. Unplanned holes may also be present caused by aging brick joints that need re-pointing, vanishing sealants, damage from acid rain and settling cracks.

Building control and expansion joints. Like any other element of a structure, its controls and expansion joints can become damaged. Evidence of damage includes warping, cracking, leaking water, loosening screws and building settlement or moving.

Walking/driving surfaces. When water infiltrates concrete, it can freeze, causing the water to occupy 9% more volume than in its liquid state. This expansion causes distress on the concrete, which can lead to fractures that will continue to grow exponentially as saturation of the material increases. Cracks, spalls, rust spots, deterioration, potholes and heaves are all signs of damage.

Copings and flashings. When surveying the roof, be sure to inspect the copings and flashings. Water damage to exterior and interior walls can be significant if these elements are not maintained properly.

The second part of any preventive maintenance program is the execution. The data collected during the inspection should be put into a budget for needed repairs. It is also important to evaluate the need for protective measures such as scalers or coatings. A specialty contractor with experience in facade maintenance and restoration can itemize each inspection item and offer specific recommendations for repairs.

If you are in charge of a structure that does not have a preventive maintenance program in place for its exterior, you should think about implementing one immediately, says Sheehan. Preventive maintenance keeps the building off of the deferred maintenance path, which usually results in exponential restoration costs.

Based in St. Louis, MO, Western Specialty Contractors is a national specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing.

Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section or send an e-mail to the Editor at acosgrove@groupc.com

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Preventive Maintenance For Roofing And Exteriors - Facility Executive Magazine

By John B. Letts From The February 2017 Issue

When facility executives are faced with the important decision of selecting roofing insulation for a project, there are several critical factors that must be considered. Specifiers and contractors can certainly provide valuable insight, but its just as beneficial for facility executives to be knowledgeable about both types of insulation before making a decision. After all, insulation plays a crucial role in minimizing energy costs and making an impact on a buildings carbon footprint. Roofing insulation should not only meet building codes, but also offer the most value related to performance and durability. Each insulation option brings its own distinct benefits to a commercial roofing project.

Due to its components, mineral wool goes by many names, including mineral fiber, rock wool, slag wool, and stone wool insulation. Slag wool is more commonly used, and accounts for about 80% of the mineral wool industry. Mineral wool originated in Germany in 1871 and was one of the first insulation materials to be commercially produced. To manufacture mineral wool, molten glass, stone, or slag and other raw materials are heated and spun into very thin fibers, much like how cotton candy is spun. When the material is produced, binders are used to hold the fibers together and form it to meet specific product needs. Mineral wool is commonly available as blanket and loose-fill insulation.

Polyisocyanurate, more commonly referred to as polyiso insulation or ISO, is a closed-cell rigid foam board used in more than 70% of commercial roof construction. Polyiso was originally developed in the 1930s and was once used as insulation for beer barrels. Since then, it has evolved to become an environmentally friendly roofing and wall insulation solution. The boards, which are typically 4 x 8, are sandwiched between a top and bottom facer.

When selecting insulation, comparing and contrasting factors like fire protection, R-value, and compressive strength must be considered. Heres how polyiso insulation matches up to mineral wool in key categories:

Fire Protection. Thanks to its flame retardant chemicals, mineral wool is highly fireproof, which makes it a popular choice for commercial buildings where fire performance is the most critical factor. Mineral wool is composed of noncombustible batts, or precut sections of insulation, made up of inorganic fibers that have an impressive melting point of more than 1,000F.

Polyiso insulation also has outstanding fire performancepolyiso is a thermoset material and isnt susceptible to melting. Building owners and facility managers need insulation that can stand up to the heat without deteriorating over time.

Thermal Performance and Weight. Mineral wool is more often found in walls than in roofs because of its weight, and has a relatively low R-value of 3.8. Mineral wool insulation is 4.5 times heavier than polyiso and requires twice as many boards to be installed, which can increase project costs. However, that density means that mineral wool boasts better sound control properties than polyiso.

Polyiso offers the highest R-value per inch of any rigid foam board insulation. This means it resists the flow of heat and keeps the interior of a building warm or cool, depending on the season, helping to keep energy costs low. Polyiso insulation typically has an R-value ranging from R-5.6 to R-8 per inch, which is 45% more than mineral wool insulation. As gas escapes, however, the R-value of polyiso can drop over time, but foil and plastic facings can help stabilize that number.

Compressive Strength. Here, compressive strength is directly related to durability and is defined as the ability of a rigid foam board to maintain its shape when force is applied. Mineral wool may be thick insulation, but its compressive strength is only 11 pounds per square inch (psi). This means that factors like mechanical fasteners, foot traffic, vibrations, and other external pressures can cause significant damage to the insulation. When mineral wool is stepped on, it does not fully recover back to its original state, which can result in reduced thermal performance.

Polyiso insulation has significantly higher compressive strength than mineral wool and can range from 16 psi to 25 psi. This ensures it will maintain its shape despite foot traffic and routine maintenance to the roof, making polyiso a durable choice.

Materials and Environmental Impact. Some sustainability experts have expressed concerns regarding the binder that ties the fibers of mineral wool together. Typically, the binder is a phenol formaldehyde or urea-extended phenol formaldehyde, an element that poses a potential health concern and may be harmful to air quality.

Although mineral wool is typically made from 70% recycled content, unlike polyiso, it cannot be recycled and re-used on reroofing applications. It requires approximately 85% more energy to produce than polyiso and has a global warming potential (GWP) that is 3.5 times higher.

The facers used in polyiso insulation are made up of cellulosic material with 15% chopped fiberglass and recycled material. According to the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA), the energy savings potential of polyiso insulation over a typical 60-year building life span is equal to up to 47 times the initial energy required to produce, transport, and install it. These factors, along with polyisos zero ozone depletion potential; its opportunity for reuse; and its lower GWP compared to mineral wool, make polyiso an eco-friendly insulation option.

Polyiso is equipped with shorter fasteners as well as thin, light boards. It therefore requires fewer insulation pallets than mineral wool. This has less environmental impact and can significantly reduce costs associated with labor, handling, and crane fees.

While both mineral wool and polyiso insulation offer their own distinct properties, selecting which one to use can depend largely on the specific roofing project.

Letts is the technical director, insulations in the technology department of Firestone Building Products Co.He has more than 30 years of experience in urethane technology, from research and technology to technical service and plant support. Letts primary experience is in polyisocyanurate insulation board and its performance in roof and wall systems. He was the past chairman of the technical committee of PIMA (Polyisocyanurate Manufacturers Association) and received his doctorate degree in chemistry from Ohio State University.

Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below or send an e-mail to the Editor at acosgrove@groupc.com.

Continue reading here:
Insulation: Mineral Wool Or Polyiso? - Facility Executive Magazine

Heavy snow could cause roofs to collapse

SPOKANE, Wash. - It seems that just about everyone is ready for spring, but the snow continues to pile up.

This has been a very interesting winter for us. Lots of snowpack, lots of high moisture resulting in a really dangerous situation with people's roofs, Assistant Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said.

Snow-related roof collapses are nothing new around here. Businesses and homes are covered in snow, so a roof collapse is a real possibility, especially after the wet, heavy snowfall we saw last weekend.

The snow is putting extra weight, pressure and stress on roofs. We saw firsthand the damage a collapse can cause. Nearly 20 cars were damaged Saturday at the Edgewater Village Condos in Spokane when a carport came crashing down. The thick layer of snow on top of it leads residents to think snow is to blame.

The Spokane Fire Department has seen an uptick in calls related to roof collapse this past week.

We have seen an increase, but fortunately not any serious injuries. That's what we're trying to avoid, Schaeffer said.

KXLY4 News asked a roofing company what homeowners should do about snow on their homes. The short answer is nothing.

I would seek out a licensed, bonded, insured contractor to go up on a roof. It can be very dangerous, Marshall Huff, Heritage Roofing, said.

Huff says it's best to stay on the ground. Grab a roof rake to clear off the snow, but be aware of powerlines and gas and electric meters. He adds if you have a foot or more of snow piling up, it's best to leave it to the professionals.

Especially if you start seeing interior damage, water spots showing up on your ceiling, that's really the time to give us a call, Huff said.

Ice dams can also be a heavy burden. They form the same way as icicles, but can tear off gutters, loosen shingles and cause water to seep through your roof. If you do notice frosty buildup, don't hesitate to call a roofing company.

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Heavy snow could cause roofs to collapse - KXLY Spokane

The McGregor business that caught fire Tuesday is still burning 24 hours later.

Chris Rogers, KCEN 12:08 AM. CST February 09, 2017

McGregor, TX - The fire that burned the G.A.P. roofing company to the ground Tuesday afternoon continues to burn more than 24 hours after the blaze broke out.

Fire crews say they will continue to monitor the area to ensure that the fire doesn't spread outside of the contained perimeter. The McGregor fire chief says the fire continues to burn because of the large amount of flammable material inside, but added he hopes the blaze will burn out by itself over the next couple days.

A former employee of the company tells Channel 6 News that he believes the property was not insured, so all damages will have to be paid for out of pocket. He also stated he didn't think there were any immediate plans to rebuild moving forward, but said if that were to happen it would not be in McGregor, as it is their belief that the city did not do enough to provide an adequate water supply for these types of situations.

An official cause of the fire has not yet been determined, however workers who were on site when the blaze broke out, say a spark from a welding project was to blame. That has not yet been confirmed at this point.

( 2017 KCEN)

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Fire continues to burn at destroyed McGregor roofing company - KCEN-TV