PHP Roofing Blog

Mobile apps help make life and everyday tasks more convenient - there's no question about that. But apps are also increasingly assisting on-the-go professionals. That's right, tasks that were once only able to be accomplished at the office computer can now often be carried out remotely from anywhere. Specifically, contractors are one group of professionals that have largely benefited from this technology. As contractors are often on-the-go or at job sites, it's been traditionally difficult for them to stay in touch with the office and update project progress. That's not the case anymore thanks to mobile technology and an ever-increasing amount of apps that are available for download.

So autumn has rolled in, bringing with it the cool mists and glowing leaves we associate with this time of year. Drizzling rains and some early frost bring with them dangers, though, which is why it’s a great time to discuss fall protection. No, not protection for this chilly season; we’re talking protection against falling from heights, the leading cause of deaths on construction jobs.

Many of us remember the big building boom that occurred in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. What this boom means to us now is that today these roofs are reaching the end of their useful life and need to be replaced. With every roof replaced, more and more waste winds up in the landfill—or does it? There has actually been a push in recent years to recycle roofing materials. This comes as part of a larger green strategy that many firms are embracing. Recycling any material possible is certainly a good thing; after all, anything that can be kept out of the landfills and turned into something usable will help our earth stay greener and may even save money. 

In May of this year, Roofing Magazine published, and hosted on their site, an “On My Mind” piece from our director of Sales, Marion McKnight. The article was intended to help bring to light potential risks associated with skylights so that building owners, asset management professionals, and anyone else involved in the purchasing decision for such a product could make a more informed decision. Unfortunately, there were some who did not appreciate our commentary and felt it was an attack on the use of skylights in general. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Besides my involvement with PHP Systems/Design, I am also the owner of a skylight manufacturing company, VTech Skylights, so, naturally, I would not encourage something to be written that would discourage the use of skylights.

Are you as big of a fan of TED talks as we are? Innovative experts from around the world come to sound off on their ideas in short talks given at TED, which you may remember stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design.

In 2012, Roofing Contractor magazine reported that more than four billion square feet of TPO single-ply roofing had been sold in North America over the previous five years alone. Today, single-ply roofs, whether TPO or PVC, continue to be a popular choice for both contractors and building owners. That popularity has led to a wealth of “best practices” compiled by contractors with years of experience in the field. Here are just a few of their tips:

Hurricane season on the Atlantic and Gulf coast runs from June 1^st through November 30^th each year. The peak of the season tends to be in August and September. What this means for building owners, operators, and maintenance professionals is that it's time to put in a bit of work with regards to building, roof, and equipment supports to make certain commercial buildings are prepared for the potential storms ahead. While every structure will have different steps that must be taken to protect it, we’ve put together a few points you may want to consider as you prepare for potential inclement weather.

No matter if your building is brand new, or 100 years old, the roof is one of the most important structural elements. After all, the roof will not only protect the building from rain, snow and hail; it can also either help keep your building hotter or cooler during extreme temperatures. However, if you want to keep this important structure doing its job, you need to consider roof inspection regularly. But how often is needed? Let us discuss.

Every facility manager has budget constraints, and that means you have to make some choices about priorities. Decisions often lean toward “tyranny of the urgent” – you need a new roof, you need to repave the parking lot, etc. Things like launching sustainability initiatives and becoming LEED certified can seem like a luxury…but they aren’t.

The days are getting longer, temperatures are creeping up, and you may have even swatted a few mosquitoes. Summer is definitely on the way, and facility managers know that means increased energy costs and a struggle to keep the building cool. Fortunately, you don’t have to cross your fingers and hope for cooler weather. With some proactive roof management, there are several things you can do to help keep your building cool.