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Maintenance Articles |
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The Roof Warranty Warranties are not replacement guarantees. They might provide coverage for labor and material costs for the repair of leaks in a roof system based on the individual manufacturer’s definition of the system spelled out in its warranty form. Manufacturers of roofing materials generally issue the warranties. In some cases, the roofing contractor provides a warranty for workmanship and a materials-only warranty from the manufacturer. Warranties fall into two general categories: Implied Warranties are created by state law and are neither spoken nor written promises about the condition of a product when sold. Express Warranties define what the warranty covers and what the warranty excludes from coverage. In many cases, an express warranty will also define the resolution process should a claim be made. The difference between express warranty and implied warranty is that implied warranty does not offer any specifics about the goods. An express warranty can exist if, for example, samples were provided during the submittal stage of a project, in which case the seller is warranting that the product to be used in the roof is equal in quality to that of the sample. Even language used in a project proposal can be used to form the basis of an express warranty. Many warranties contain a list of exclusions that can be lengthy such as hurricanes, gale-force winds and high wind gusts, ponding water, and additions or alterations to the roof unless the manufacturer is notified in advance and approves the alteration or addition in writing. Many warranties exclude coverage for the costs of repairs to damage to a system, but notification to the warranting manufacturer is important, as failing to use reasonable care in maintaining a roof by the owner might result in voiding coverage under a warranty. The harshest factor on roofing is not the weather. Humans will do more damage to a roof that Mother Nature ever will. From heavy foot traffic to dropped tools or equipment, roof damage from humans is frequent. When repairs are required, warranties very clearly spell out the actions owners can and cannot take in inspecting roofs, fixing leaks and making other changes. Paying close attention to these requirements can help avoid voiding the warranty. Activities such as inspection and documentation are fairly stringent on the owner, yet they are routinely overlooked. Yearly inspections by qualified contractors are often required by the manufacturer to maintain the warranty. Carrying out repairs involves much more than the actual fix. Most warranties in the industry require that covered repairs be completed by a contractor assigned and authorized by the manufacturer holding the warranty. Close attention also needs to be paid to the provisions for roof replacement. Most often repairs are performed without resorting to full roof replacement. However, if a roof replacement is determined to be the best solution to a warranted problem by the warranty underwriter, then the warranty would often cover labor and material costs associated with replacement of the warranted materials. (Sometimes roofs are assembled with non-warranted products that were purchased by the roofing contractor. Such items include insulation and insulation fasteners on non-adhered systems, penetration flashings and sealants, and metalwork.) There are many issues that can void the warranty including: Roof Alterations. All alterations should be performed by a qualified installer of the specific manufacturer’s material. And the alterations must be coordinated with the manufacturer prior to commencing work. Negligence. Negligence includes not maintaining the roof system or allowing access to the roof by the public and or allowing its use as a smoking or break area. Improper Design. This includes design factors that negatively affect the performance of the roof system such as corrosive environments unsuitable for the given roof system, excessive internal building pressure, improper building components, and problems created by a roof system from an existing roof left in place in re-cover situations. Some Warranty Specifics:
What a Roofing Warranty Isn’t:
There is a lot riding on the quality and longevity of a roof installation. When you pay for a new roof, make sure you understand what you’re getting and what you’re not. From Facilities Management BACK
Coating of Many Colors 1.
To maximize roof service life by reflecting harmful ultraviolet (UV)
radiation. There are at least three situations in which coating is not a good idea: 1.
A coating never makes a bad roof good. If a roof has reached the end of its
useful life, coating it is a waste of money.
Coatings come in a variety of types: Aluminum. A mixture of oxidized asphalt, solvents and aluminum paste, and they are available with or without reinforcing fibers. Aluminum coatings reflect UV radiation, reducing rooftop temperatures, premature aging and building cooling loads. The quality of these products is measured by the aluminum content, expressed as 1, 2, or 3 pounds of aluminum paste per gallon. Emulsion-Aluminum. A hybrid product with fire resistance and filling/sealing properties of an emulsion coating. Asphalt Cutbacks. Consist of asphalt and petroleum solvents. Cutbacks are primarily maintenance and restoration products, designed to penetrate, resaturate and restore weathered or aged asphalt built-up roof systems. Resaturants. Made with either an asphalt or coal-tar base, it penetrates, rejuvenates and weatherproofs existing built-up roofs. Modified Asphalt Coatings. Made with asphalt, synthetic rubber polymers and solvents and might contain reinforcing fibers. Advantages include increased elasticity and cold-weather flexibility. Bituminous Coating. Compatible with asphalt or coal-tar built-up roofs or with modified bitumen membranes. Elastomeric Coating. Formulated from latex/acrylic, Hypalon, neoprene, silicone or urethane. Many elastomeric coatings are compatible with common roof membranes, but they are more widely used with metal and sprayed-in-place polyurethane foam roofing systems. As preventive maintenance, built up roofs need to be coated at least every 3-5 years. Consult with a knowledgeable flat roof maintenance contractor to determine the proper coating for yours. The cost of application is usually modest compared to the cost of replacing the roof. So, like changing your car engine’s oil, make coating your roof a regular event. This is a coat that should not be worn out. BACK
Virginia Graeme
Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act The law is named for the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James A. Baker, III, who joined Graeme's mother, Nancy Baker, and Safe Kids USA in a three-year advocacy campaign for the legislation. In 2002 at the age of 7, Graeme Baker died in a spa after the powerful suction of a drain entrapped her under water. Specifically, the law will:
All facilities that fit the definition (private home pools and spas are not included) are required to have the new safety equipment in place by December 2008. If your HOA has not installed this safety equipment or verified compliance with the requirements, it should make arrangements to do so immediately. For the full text of the Act, go to www.Regenesis.net/VirginiaGraemeBaker.pdf BACK
In the Gutter Until the late 19th century virtually all rain gutters were made of wood. With the advent of metal roll forming machines around 1900, the ability to create metal gutters became possible. The roll forming process shapes long coils of flat metal into long, formed sections of gutters in a variety of designs. Up until the 1970s, most rain gutter was produced on stationary roll forming machines weighing up to several tons. Then, lighter portable roll formers on trailers became available. With portable roll formers, contractors measure and form gutters onsite. The three most common metal gutter systems are made of aluminum, steel and copper. The first two have the advantage of being custom painted while copper (unless properly clear coated) will weather and change color over time. All metal gutter options have a 20+ year life or more as long as they are not damaged. Aluminum is the lightest weight metal option and most easily damaged. Downspouts should be located away from areas where damaging forces are likely (vehicle, pedestrian, etc.) or properly protected with landscaping or posts that prevent contact. One of the most important functions of rain gutters is to prevent foundation movement due to water. Once rainwater has made it to downspouts, the downspouts need to direct the water away from the foundation, either in subterranean rain drains which lead to a french drain (a cistern like system that allows the water to be gradually reabsorbed into surrounding soil), run off to an above ground ponding facility that also allows gradual absorption into the soil or connection to a grid of storm water drains that carry to water back to streams and rivers. Some states and jurisdictions have restricted hard surface (roof, street, parking lot) storm water run-off to onsite collection facilities to avoid contamination of streams and rivers. Splash blocks are a low tech alternative that move water away from the foundation. A splash block is a rectangular wedge about a foot wide and two feet long that is placed under the downspout outlet. Rainwater hits the block and is diverted away from the building and works well as long as there is positive drainage. However, in areas with high volumes of rain, splash block drainage may create additional problems with boggy areas in the landscaping or flooding downstream neighbors. In these areas, more sophisticated drainage systems are in order. An ongoing maintenance issue with gutters is the accumulation of tree and roof debris that block or slow water drainage. This is particularly burdensome in areas of heavy deciduous tree cover. In those areas, ongoing tree pruning and selected tree removal is necessary to reduce the problem and related costs. Gutters typically should be cleaned at least twice a year. Heavy tree cover will trigger "hotspots" where more frequent cleaning is necessary. The HOA should identify these hotspots and do regular preventive maintenance to minimize damage caused by overflows. Airborne dirt and roofing granules wash into the gutters and accumulate in gutters and create a hindrance to water flow. Removal of this sludge requires hand work by scooping, flushing with high pressure water hose or blowing out with a leaf blower. The last two can be create additional mess to the landscaping, walkways and building but are quicker and cheaper to accomplish. There are quite a few options for gutter covers that claim to eliminate the need for gutter cleaning. They come in many different designs and price points and do reduce the need and frequency of cleaning but none can prevent the accumulation of sludge that finds its way passed even the best gutter cover systems. Since these systems are expensive, part of the selection criteria should be ease of removal to flushthe sludge. Gutters and downspouts are a wonderful piece of engineering when properly installed and maintained. While "in the gutter" is a description for someone that is "down and out", rain gutters are indispensable for getting rainwater down and out to where it does no damage. BACK
Project Planning Protocol Contractors Are More Available. Winter is a slow time for many contractors. This means they have the time to consider your work and produce a good proposal. Better Pricing. When work is slow, many contractors are willing to offer better pricing to "seal the deal". Sometimes the work you want done can be performed during the winter months. If you agree to start the project now, you just may save a significant amount of money. Scheduling Preference. If you accept a contractor’s proposal now, you can often get preferred scheduling. Set the date early. If you wait you may not make the schedule at all. Arrange for Funds. If you haven’t accumulated enough reserve funds, you will need several months to discuss, approve and collect a special assessment. Coordinate with Residents. If the project is extensive and disruptive, you will want to warn residents well in advance. This will give them the opportunity to work around or even plan vacations strategically. Verify License, Bonding & Insurance. Most states require building contractors to be licensed and to show their state license number on proposals, website and business cards. Where licensing is required, a bond is often required as well as well as certain kinds of insurance like liability and workers compensation if the contractor has employees. Insist on evidence of this. Get References. Only use contractors that have a good track record in your community. Make sure the references are for work that is comparable in size and complexity to yours. It is not uncommon for small contractors to get in over their head. Require evidence that they have performed similar work for other homeowner associations. Get Named as Additional Insureds. Insist on getting a current copy of the contractor’s liability insurance coverage directly from the insurance agent. If you accept the proposal, require that the HOA be included on this insurance as an "additional insured" and get an appropriate and current insurance certificate from the contractor’s insurance agent to prove it. Make Progress Payments. Do not make advance payments on the project work unless there are custom materials involved. If there are custom materials, pay the material provider directly and have them delivered directly to the site. A contractor that insists on upfront payment is often a redflag of a contractor that may be using your money to pay for some other job’s labor or supply bills. You could be left high and dry with uncompleted work. Instead, use progress payments that pay for work actually completed. Be sure to inspect the work to verify completion. Consider Paying for a Performance Bond. For large and expensive projects, requiring a Performance Bond provides assurance that the contractor will perform, or, another contractor can be hired to finish the job. It costs extra but is often worth it. Get Lien Waivers. When making payments, have the contractor provide a Lien Waiver for the amount tendered. A Lien Waiver is the contractor’s promise that he has paid for all labor, material and supply bills related to the work to date. Keep in mind that if your contractor "forgets" to pay his suppliers or subcontractors and material suppliers, those folks have the right to place a mechanic’s lien on the property to secure their debt. It’s a good policy to require copies of all paid supply, material and labor bills be attached to and referenced in the signed Lien Waiver. For substantial projects, it’s important to involve an attorney who can draft or review the contract. There’s a lot riding on what the board is obligating the HOA to. There is much planning involved in rolling out a successful renovation project. Forget the leap of faith on this one. The safety net just may not be there when you land. Get a jump on your renovation projects and get a quality job done on schedule and at the best price. BACK |
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