Having worked on thousands of roofs over the past thirty years, I have come to realize that water, in whatever form has a way of finding the weak point in your roofing. Any experienced roofer will acknowledge that his goal is not only to install roofs that maintain their integrity throughout the wear and tear of the elements, but to ensure that water does not penetrate even at the weakest point.

Most roofing leaks are fairly straightforward in solving, what is less clear is finding the cause of the leak. Usually when we are called in the customer will point out the most visible point of the leak and therefore assume that that is where the origination point is. Typically that is not the case. Water may travel down a rafter or condensation may be the problem. Many plumbing, heating and cooling ventilation problems are overlooked as a common cause of the leak. I have been in this situation many times and below is the most common sources of roof leaks whether commercial or residential:

Cracked, loose or missing shingles, tiles or seams
Severely damaged seals, flashing and calking
Improper insulation
Ponding water, typically on low slope roofs
Improper installation of flashing, valleys, shingles, collars, etc.
Ice dams
Built up debris trapping moisture
Exposed nail heads

There are many more sources that may be unique to types of roofing and the weather environment.It is always best to work with a roofing contractor that has experience with your type of roofing system.

1. Check for cracks, loose materials, decayed flashing and problems with gutters.
2. Check to make sure that the roof is properly vented. ice dams form when snow sits of the roof for an extended period.
3. Check chimneys for mortar breaking and cracks in flashing
4. Look for sagging or signs of moisture from inside the building or crawl space.
5. If you roof is over 20 years old, it is prone to more weak spots and problems

Now is an excellent time to check the fitness of your commercial flat roof. Please give us a call #978-706-6000 if you have any concerns about your roof and its’ ability to hold up over the course of another harsh New England winter.

We provide all warranties in writing when the job is completed. The manufacturers will honor all warranties regardless of whether or not the roofing company that did the installation is still in business.

There are no specific industry guidelines for temperature and roof installation for asphalt shingles, however, various manufacturers have recommendations. Generally you want temperatures to be 40F and above. Shingles will not seal properly unless a temperature of 65F or above on roof is achieved. Shingles will also be brittle because of the cold and this may compromise proper trimming and nailing. Storage beforehand in a heated environment can solve this issue.We do repairs year round depending upon materials, but try to hold off for warmer weather. Unlike residential roofing, commercial roofing in Massachusetts requires more in depth planning and therefore time to execute a proper repair or new installation.

1. Sustainable Roofs: roofs to meet energy efficiency requirements
2. New products have been created, such as lower VOC adhesives, primers and sealants, self-adhering membranes and a wider variety of reflective membranes.
3. Commercial roofing has become increasingly more systems-driven requiring further education aimed at architects, roofing consultants and contractors about selecting and installing the right system including underlayment, insulation, weather resistant barriers, flashing and tapes, adhesives and coatings.
4. Atlas Roofing, Building Products of Canada, CertainTeed Corporation, Genflex Roofing Sytems, Roofscapes Inc., and Weston Solutions Inc. are some of the key companies dominating the commercial roofing market.