PHP Roofing Blog

Last winter delivered record-breaking snowfalls for much of the country, and many places have already seen the first snowfall of the 2015 fall/winter season. While meteorologists are still scratching their heads as the “Godzilla El Niño” and the “Siberian Snow Monster” battle for control of our weather, there’s one thing we do know: Any amount of snow or ice can take a toll on both your commercial rooftop (flat roofs are especially vulnerable) and your rooftop equipment supports.

We all know the importance of “preventive medicine” – those dreaded annual checkups and biannual dentist visits – but many of us don’t take any action until there’s a problem. It’s a gamble: Sometimes we win, saving time and money while escaping negative consequences. Other times, though, what would have been a small problem takes advantage of that time to develop into a big problem, costing much more in both time and money than if it had been nipped in the proverbial bud. 

Most stores put their Halloween decorations out weeks ago, and some have even stocked their Christmas aisles. While that may be a little early for some shoppers, it’s a clear sign that like it or not, winter is on its way. And if you work in facilities management that means you’ve got some roofing maintenance to do.

Sometimes, it seems as if the roofing construction industry is always lagging behind when it comes to adopting new technologies, but don’t tell that to the businesses that are using drones for everything from inspections to job progress documentation to marketing. Here are just a few of the ways drones are catapulting both the roofing construction industry and facility management to the forefront of cutting-edge technology.

If you’re a business owner or in charge of your facility’s roof management, the last thing you want is a phone call delivering the news that your roof has collapsed. After all, a roof collapse is no small problem. First, there’s the risk of injury to employees and/or customers. And then there’s the likelihood of a total operational shutdown. Even if the building is still usable, OSHA authorities won’t let you reoccupy the building until they’re finished with their investigation, and there’s no telling how long that could take.

OSHA has long regulated work done in confined spaces in the interest of minimizing risks to workers. On August 3, 2015, however, new OSHA regulations went into affect that will significantly impact the construction industry. Are you ready for the changes to come?

The time is finally here: roof replacement time. Whether it’s because of postponed maintenance, storm damage or just the natural end of your roof, it’s something all building owners and facilities managers have to deal with eventually. One of the first questions almost everyone asks is, “how much will it cost?” That’s not an easy answer because there are so many different factors involved. Here are some of the most important ones:

When summer temperatures soar, roofing maintenance is not on anyone’s list of fun things to do. But the many factors that can damage a roof don’t take the summer off, so you can’t, either. You do, however, have an obligation to offer your workers as much protection as you can. While there are no specific OSHA regulations that cover heat-related illness, several companies have been cited under the General Duty Clause, which requires employers to provide safe working environments. 

No matter how big or small your facility is a roof is a huge investment – one you don’t want to repeat any sooner than necessary. If you consider the cost of a new roof, even one extra roof replacement during the life of your building can cut into your profitability. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to extend the life of your roof as long as possible.

Rooftops are inherently dangerous places. The reports are out there: Falls from high places are one of the most common accidents in the workplace. These falls can also be extremely costly. According to OSHA, the incurred claims costs of falls from elevation average approximately $54 million per year. Medical care accounted for roughly 2/3 of those benefits.