Stay Up to Speed on Roof Systems Technology
February 19, 2015
Don Turner, the facilities maintenance director for Okaloosa (Fla.) County, encourages maintenance and engineering managers to learn all they can about the latest developments in roofing systems and ask as many questions as necessary to find the best system.
"A sound roof is the single most important system of a building," Turner says. "A roof that fails regularly doesn't keep the weather out, which can affect other vital systems inside the building that don't react well to being wet. A failed roof can let in rain, dust, insects and vermin, and (it can) cause utility bills to be higher than necessary."
By speaking regularly with contractors and manufacturers, managers can learn the latest in building codes and new developments related to materials and designs.
"Roof systems change regularly, reflecting the desire for green roofs, and the alternative uses to which roof areas are being put outside in commercial spaces," Turner says.
"Because a new roof system should last 15-20 years, perhaps more, the choice one makes today will generate consequences that will have to be dealt with for a long time.
"When I first started in the business more than 40 years ago, no one had ever heard of an ultraviolet (UV) resistant roof. In fact, I'm not sure many people even knew what UVs were. Green roofs were simply the color of the roof materials. Things have changed, mostly for the better."
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