Roofing upgrade:
This week the roofers finished with their upgrade on the home addition roof that only lasted 7 years.

The addition (870sq feet) and the surrounding roof to the peak (An additional 1000 square feet) were covered by rolled roofing 7 years ago. Rolled roofing was used because the slope to from the peak of the roof down to the edge had changed dramatically when the additional 18 feet of footprint of the new addition. The slope was too gradual to allow for a shingled 30 year rated comp roof. the rolled roof was originally overlapped and connected by adjoining roll by propane heat along the seams.  As expected it needed to by replaced.  We have now lived with our renovation for 9 years. 

For the last two years this roof has leaked.  It first leaked around the oven hood. That year was a drought year. Last year we had an "average" year for rain. The result was every time it rained in the least, water would  out of all of the lighting sockets.

During the rainy season the roofers will not take your call to even look at the problem. This summer I started off in the middle of the summer contacting the Mennonite roofing contractor that completed the tear off and shingle compostion replacement our roof 20 years ago, Specialty Roofing.  20 years ago we were the first on the block to get a new roof since the birds were grabbing almonds off my tree and "saving" them in the cedar shake shingles.

When the contractor arrived this summer, he got up on the surface and measured the square footage.  In the past  years he would be thinking of the flat roof solution of tar and gravel.  Today the move is away from that and to a polyurethene foam of 3 to 4 inches thick with a titantium coating.  This designed add to the insulation of the roof as well as prolonging its water repellant life. Total for this roof portion was $8,660. My dear wife had to swallow twice when she heard the cost of this repair. It came with an 18 year warranty.

It is tough to figure out how old you will be in 18 years, but it something that it is impossible to consider.  My wife and I will be 84..  Hopefully the house will be viable. It is 36 years old this month.

Last week the two man crew pressure washed the roof, and removed the cap that binds the two roof types together. They brought their big truck with plenty of room to gather the errant rolled roof layers. They also put down a primer coat of spray glue to prepare the surface for the thick coat. Two days later a truck with barrels of roofing foam and a truck mounted compression with the components arrived. The two chemicals were mixed in the air gun and become foam as it is sprayed out on the room. The workers had to wear hazmat suits and breathing masks to install the product.  Half way through they met a snag.  As they were working, one side pumped out beautifully and the other side clogged.  This necessitated taking the air guns apart and cleaning and scraping all the individual parts that comprise the mixer guns.  They were not happy campers but they knew that it had to be done to keep the project going. They explained that the adhesion force for the spray was so sticky that if any of it got on their skin, the only way to get it off was to wear it off with friction.  Despite the 98 degree temperatures in late morning and afternoon they suited up and finished the job. 

Two days later the same group arrived and sprayed from garden sprayers the final coating for this roofing product. Overlapping strokes were the key.  They mentioned that even working up on the roof had become cooler as the roof, a think white/tan blanket was reflecting the heat rather than absorbing.

Three days later, the son of the contractor arrived with the invoice, 8/22/16
Specialty Roofing
Greg Dyck
Donovan

Polyurethane Foam and Premium Coatings:
pressure washed surface and Primed
Installed 4"x4" Foam stop edging around the bottom and sides
applied Polyurthene Foam to entire back of roof
sprayed on Conklin Base Coat and Top Coat (Puma XL)
Installed new ridge cap on top edge

*18 year Warranty           Total $8,660