If you are like most people, when it comes to your home, your attic might be the last thing you think about. But when we are talking about the functionality of your home, your attic plays a critical role.

However, in order to work properly, your attic needs to be properly ventilated. Here are three reasons why you check the ventilation on your attic:

Your Utility Bills Are Increasing. Take a look at your last few utility bills. Are they going up? If they are, that could be a sign that some part of your home?s energy system is working harder ? and costing you more. The most common reason that utility bills increase is because the air conditioning system is losing efficiency. And the most common reason that air conditioning systems lose efficiency is because hot air is collecting in your attic ? instead of being drawn from it.

You Suspect Mold. Mold is not just a major health concern, it is your home?s worst enemy. When you have mold in a home, it destroys the integrity of your home?s structure, damaging rafters, siding, roofing, and underlayment. But mold also thrives in moist climates, which means that the way to get rid of it is to expose it to sunlight and air, and most importantly, reduce the humidity in your home.a

You Want To Extend the Life Of Your Roof. A roof is typically the largest investment in a home that people will make, so it natural that most of us want to extend the life of that investment. And as much as a roof can protect a home from the elements, it also needs to be able to dissipate moisture. No surprise here, a roof, while it can get wet, is not meant to stay that way. So the way to keep your roof going for years to come, is to keep it ventilated and dry.

In a recent article, we discussed how KEE (Ketone Ester Ethylene) roofing membranes can increase a building?s performance. Not only do KEE membranes increase a building?s stability, but the energy efficiencies and overall lifetime costs are also improved. I encountered a case from this past winter that addresses how utilizing a KEE membrane in extreme weather situations impacts performance.

On January 24th, 2016, ?Snowzilla? hit the east coast, resulting ina three feet of snow. It was considered a Category 4 winter storm and caused damage up and down the coast. The Harford County School Board?s North Bend Elementary School, located in Jarretsville, Maryland, was one of the recipients of the harsh weather, suffering a partial roof collapse above the school?s media center. However, thanks to the KEE roofing membrane, which was installed in 2011, the roof was still able to perform and did not need to be replaced until after the school year was over, six months later. It?s important to note that the roof was only replaced due to the fact the structural components below had failed, not because the roofing membrane was compromised.

The partial collapse was caused when wooden joists failed due to the extreme load on the roof.a Ultimately, the heavy snow caused caving in the structural support for the building. In many cases, this type of collapse would have resulted in the entire roofing system being compromised or a total collapse. Fortunately North Bend Elementary?s KEE roof did not experience this result. The seams (and roofing membrane) remained intact, allowing for the roof to remain watertight and prevent any leaks that would have otherwise resulted from the melting snow.

The roof was still intact and able to perform for a combination of reasons. The fabric contributed to the strength of the membrane and saved the roof from total collapse.aThe KEE top coat contributed to the roof remaining watertight throughout the winter storm and the months that followed.a

This was done in two ways. First, through waterproofing the membrane and second, the welded seam fusing itself into a total integrated bond. This seam did not come apart with the stress from the deflection of the deck and it also contributed to the strength of the membrane.

After it was revealed that the roof did not fail, a few individuals on site made remarks about how the roof ?must be metal.? They were rather surprised when they found out that the roofing system was actually a simulated metal KEE membrane system, but that?s a discussion for a different day.

So why was this KEE membrane able to withstand the load of the snow and continue to perform?

KEE roofing systems differ from traditional roofs based on the fact that the membrane is engineered using a heavy base fabric instead of a scrim. This base fabric creates a much higher fiber content; more fiber means more overall strength. As a result, KEE roofing systems are able to withstand heavier loads than many other systems that are on the market.

Have you seen success using a KEE roofing membrane? Share your experience in the comments.

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Won?t You Be Our Facebook Friend?

Classic Metal Roofing Systems started our Facebook page a few months ago and we have quickly grown to over 500 fans. While we do not spam our friends with unnecessary or un-welcomed information, our Facebook page does allow us to keep them informed of the neat things going on at Classic. In particular, we can talk about our advances in providing the highest quality and most energy efficient roofing materials, as well as our commitment to keeping America strong and supporting those in need.

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Garden roofs or green roofs have been gaining in popularity as environmental awareness increases. At first thought, it may seem a radical idea when in reality, it can be a great way to utilize otherwise wasted space. The benefits of this kind of project are much more substantial than simply growing flowers and vegetation. With some effort, almost any roof can be turned into a beautiful skyline landscape to enjoy and help conserve energy.

When considering this kind of project, there are a number of important details that must be thought about before getting starting, the most essential one being the ability of the supporting structure to bear such weight. A typical, flat roof weighs about five to six pounds per square foot on its own, so it is imperative to know how much of a saturated load the structure can handle. Only then would it be safe to plan which type of green roof will be installed ? extensive or intensive.

• Extensive ? An extensive garden roof is lighter, smaller and requires less maintenance. Using between 2 to 6 inches of substrate, the saturated load is about fifteen to eighteen pounds per square foot, allowing for extensive plants to be grown even on metal. These gardens are usually planted with low growth plants having shallow roots, not requiring any kind of irrigation system as rain water is usually sufficient water especially if drought-resistant plants are used. Because of this, the extensive plan also provides the most runoff control since more water is absorbed with this than irrigated gardens.
• Intensive ? Intensive layouts are much heavier, consisting of deeper plant beds that require much more soil and substrate. While this allows for a wider variety of plants to be grown, it also makes irrigation a necessity as well as increases the load per square foot to upwards of 100 pounds. Add to that any other landscape or hardscape features and the load is even greater. These types of roof gardens are only suitable with structural concrete roofs and generally require a lot more maintenance.

Installation

Besides roof weight-bearing capabilities, other important factors are installation requirements to provide waterproof protection and other modifications to ensure stability. In some situations and especially with older buildings, the amount of required work outweighs any benefit, making the idea a lot less appealing. There are emergency drainage and wind updraft concerns that need to be addressed as well as fireproofing and testing of the roof waterproofing membrane before any garden plan is ready to go.

Benefits

Although this may seem like a fun and interesting project, installing a garden roof is a lot of hard work and initial expense. Once plants have been put in and are well-established, benefits will begin to be noticed. Lower cooling and heating bills and in some cases home-grown food can be the result. Environmentally, reducing storm water runoff has been known to help prevent sewer flooding and soil erosion while aiding in the prevention of elevated urban heat and poor air quality.

A garden at the top of any building can be an environmentally friendly way of reducing the cost of energy while adding a perfect touch of nature that looks great and provides a calming environment to escape the rigors of city life!

Call Schulte Roofing To Be Your Expert Houston Roof Builders!

Are you interested in finding a Houston roof firm to help make decisions about installing a garden roof? Contact the experts at Schulte Roofing at 800-367-7663 for professional advice for all Houston area customers about such a project!

How Much Longer Will a Metal Roof Last Than ?Common? Roofing?

Of the many roof types, metal roofs last the longest. Metal Roofing has an average lifespan of forty to sixty years, which is two or three times longer than asphalt shingles. Other roofing materials, such as wooden shingles or tile, may need to be replaced even more often than that depending on the weather conditions of your area. In some cases metal roofing can last six times longer than another material.