Repairing Hartford Connecticut's worst rubber EPDM flat roof.

Having been up on an average of 60 flat roofs a year in Hartford,Connecticut alone, we felt like nothing could ever possibly amaze us. That was before we climbed up the ladder on Franklin Avenue! Understanding Rubber Roofing EPDM rubber roofing began to replace torch down and hot tat roofs in the 1960s. Rubber, unlike the other 2 systems, does not crack, could potentially hold more water, not nearly as dangerous and messy, lighter, and is made to last longer, if properly installed that is. Early installation of rubber EPDM did not use seam tapes and form flashings. Seams were glues and caulked, so were corners around roof penetrations. Unfortunately these glued seams began to fail sometime between 3 and 7 years after installation. Along came cover tape and seam tape. If the membrane was properly cleaned, primed sufficiently, and rolled really hard, one can get a No Dollar Limit "NDL" warranty from the manufacturer for approximately 15 years. These inspections for the NDL are rigorous, and proper use of materials is an absolute must. Once the warranty has been issued you must "RTFP" (read the fine print). The fine print clearly states a few VERY important things. 1)You must have a roofing maintenance program. 2) The roof must be inspected yearly. 3) All necessary repairs must be made and documented. 4) High foot traffic voids the warranty. 5) Use of another manufacturer's materials for repair voids warranty. 6) Standing water for longer than 24 hours voids the warranty. Now while the NDL warranty inspection was rigorous, they can still worm their way out. Unknown to 99% of roofing contractors is the use of RUSS strip. EPDM shrinks 1% per year and this can cause bridging at turns in the roof, such as from roof to wall. We have only seen RUSS used one time in the 100's of roofs we have replaced! Back to the magical roof on Franklin Ave in Hartford, Connecticut. This roof that we were hired to repair was only 6 months old! Our original reason for inspecting it was to replace the entire roof. Our price was $14,000, the competitors price was $10,000. So why were we here so soon? The roof was leaking, and the "contractor" who installed it had either gone out of business or changed his phone number. The original contractor was supposed to rip the old stone and tar roof off prior to installing EPDM. He did not. He lose laid fiber board over the roof, was a real slob about it, and got an incredible amount of pea stone between the EPDM and the fiber board. Millions of microscopic leaks. We did have some good news for the building owner, they didn't glue the seams like they did in the old days. Instead they covered them with tar! This is a huge mistake, as tar eats and decays rubber in a matter of months. This whole roof was shot less than a year after it was installed.

There was no cheap way to fix this roof. The microscopic leaks were not much of a concern to the building owner. He just wanted the roof to not "pour" in water. The tar was not holding the seams together. Our solution was to cut the tar out and use a 9 inch cover tape to hold the seams together. rubber roof repair. This was costly, about $2,200 to redo all the seams. The perimeter metal was also done wrong. The rubber membrane was flopped over the roof, a 3 inch wide piece of plywood was nailed over it, then a piece of metal, which is used for pitched roofs was put over that and it was all "sealed" with TYVEK tape. It was installed wrong, on so many levels. Our solution was to custom make a new drip edge out of thin film aluminum. This would allow us to terminate properly, membrane under metal, cleaned, primed, covered with 6 inch uncured cover tape, and rolled really hard. We were able to buy our customer a few months. Hopefully, if it doesn't snow too much this winter he will be leak free. We are installing a new IB PVC 60 mil white roof in the spring, with the price being the same as it was in the initial estimate. In roofing, you almost always get what you pay for. (Check out our video above of the repair and condition of this roof on Franklin Ave in Hartford CT.) Our solution is IB PVC. PVC is a fully welded roofing system. There are no chemicals used, no glues and tapes to fail. PVC seams are stronger than the membrane itself. The maintenance warranty is simple: keep the drains clean, check for holes from flying objects, standing water does not void the warranty. This is truly a great product. We can also install a weldable solar system with it, can offer a warranty for both, including workmanship, for up to 25 years. Please call us for a free estimate that you will find is comprehensive and informative. We are the only IB certified installer within 50 miles of Hartford CT.

Snow Plowing Services East Hampton CT

Old Man Winter is just around the corner. IF you haven't thought about snow plowing for your East Hampton home or business now is the time. In East Hampton 06424 Connecticut we offer Snow Plowing, Snow Removal, Ice Melt Products, Salt, Sand, Hauling, Stacking. No matter what Old Man Winter brings or size of your job, we have the equipment and experienced manpower available around-the-clock to meet your needs. Seasonal and per-inch contracts available.

Please call us at 860 942 3555 for your free estimate. Commercial Snow Plowing in Providence RI

Roofing in Columbia CT, 06237

THe economic troubles of our country have put a number of people out of work. In these tough times many people step out of the box, and become roofers. Always be wary of these roofing specialists, often times they have little or no training, and while their roof price may be great, it can often times end up costing you a ton of money. One of our more recent projects was a roof installation in Columbia CT, 06237. I have never been a door knocker, but when I came down River Valley ROad, I just had to knock on the owners door, half the roof had slid 12 inches or so down the roof, you could literally see this from 400 feet away. It turned out that he had hired the local handyman to put on a new roof a few years back. Not a factory trained or experienced roofer, he installed the new roof completely wrong, nails were improperly used, on the wrong location on the shingle, and well, the roof was a complete loss. On a positive note however we were able to get the owner coverage from his insurance carrier. In this day and age the most important thing that we can offer you as a Connecticut Roofing Contractor is recourse. The average roofer is out of business in less than 5 ears. Its hard to believe, but 97% of all roof failures are caused by poor installation. We are a certified GAF Contractor, when we complete your roof you receive a 50 year warranty from GAF Materials. While the shingle wrapper may say this, not all roofers are the same. If your contractor is not certified, not using the proper materials, in the proper ways, there is NO WARRANTY from the manufacturer. This is a problem that we encounter often. Consumers are often mislead by contractors just to close the sale. Please contact us today for your estimate, we can help you make a decision that will suit your roofing needs. Our estimates and roof inspections are always free.

Storm Damage in Glastonbury CT, 06033

On August 10th, 2012, Glastonbury Connecticut was hit with 100 mph winds and possibly even a tornado. Associated with these strong winds were hail, heavy down pours, lightining strikes, as well as various other acts of nature. The summer of 2012 has seen numerous thunderstorms in CT, with large hail from Clinton to Watertown, Cheshire and even Putnam CT. Knowing the potential unseen damages to your home is important. Hail damage to your roof can often times not be seen from the ground, an inspection from a trained professional can determine if roof damage exists, and to what degree. Often times your insurance company will cover such damages with either a complete roof replacement or a simple roof repair. Hail damage is often over looked in Connecticut. Impacts from hail can remove the UV coating on your roof's shingles. While this may not pose an immediate threat to your home, longterm the loss of the granules will drastically reduce the lifespan of your roof, causing the roof to deteriorate prematurely, as the shingles asphalt mat will be exposed.

More evident to the untrained eyes is wind damage. From a distance you may notice missing shingles from your roof, many times shingles can be found littering the yard. Mitigating further damage to your home is the most important thing one can do. If there is significant damage to your roof it may need emergency roof repair or possibly a tarp put in place. Protecting the interior of your home from water damage can save you and your insurance company thousands of dollars, as mold remediation and drywall and paint repair are quite expensive. Our storm damage services are fast and proactive. We are capable of all aspects of the insurance process. Once any potential hazards have been removed, such as trees or debris, we make all necessary repairs to your home to prevent further damage. We document all damages with pictures, and write detailed reports as to what caused the damage, and provide accurate estimates of all work performed in the mitigation process, as to what actions need to be taken to bring your home back to the standards of which it was kept prior to the events leading up to the cause of damages. We will provide you and your insurance adjuster with all documentation, as well as a written proposal for all needed repairs. So far this storm season we have not had one single claim rejected. If you are in need of any emergency storm related services, from a free roof inspection to the removal of a tree or limb from your roof, please call us at 860-942-3555.

IB 80 Mil Flat Roof Installation West Hartford CT

This flat roof, located in West Hartford, Connecticut was a real nightmare of a job. The roof had been installed new 4 times in the last 20 years, but no one had ever ripped the old roof off. That was until we came along! The roof was over 4 inches thick, layers of hot tar, modified, EPDM rubber, stone, and tons of substrate. The roof held so much moisture, had leaked for so long, that 80 of the roof deck had dry rotted. We ended up replacing all the roofs sheathing. We were one of four roofing contractors bidding on this project. All of the other contractors were proposing 045 EPDM rubber roofs. The customer had already been down that road, and truthfully was not interested in more leaks again. They wanted real recourse, and a warranty in writing. We were able to offer that, and much more. We installed an IB 80 mil PVC roof. The system comes with a lifetime warranty, through the manufacturer. We are able to offer this warranty to all residential customers, and IB is the only single ply manufacturer that actually offers this to residential, all others only do commercial clients. If you'd like a licensed and insured roofer that installs the best products with the best guarantees in the business please visit our flat roofing website and give us a call today, Additionally we also install some of the greatest and most beautiful metal roofing systems.  These metal roofs, made by Arrowline and Metro Materials, come with 50 year warranties, and wind ratings of up to 160 mph.  Combine a metal roof with an IB Flat or low slope roof and you will have true piece of mind.(860) 942-3555

EPDM Rubber Roof Installation Colchester CT

"Roll roofing" failed in less than 3 years.

Incorrect application and cheap materials. The homeowner went with the least expensive bid, and within 3 years was calling for a completely new roof. The cheaper bid meant that the "contractor" had to cut corners somewhere to turn a profit... it isn't hard to see where he did!!

It only gets worse and worse...

No drip edge applied... how is the water suppose to stay out??

Upon ripping the "roll roofing" off, we discovered that the low pitched roof frame was false, and made with PARTICLE BOARD!!! This is major error!! Particle board is just compressed wood chips...it specifies that it is NOT meant for roofing!! Once wet, it rots rapidly and becomes extremely weak. The framing was done wrong, the materials were cheap, it was just a matter of time before the roof fell in on the tenants underneath!

New plywood replaced the particle board, and fiber board was properly installed in preparation for EPDM (rubber) roofing to be applied, according to manufacturers specifications, of course.

Adhesive added to seams and cured.

EPDM (rubber) flat roofing membrane applied to specifications.

Commercial Grade Drip Edge installed.

Cured seam tape applied around perimeter and uncured flat roof seam tape applied around roof penetrations (chimneys, vents, skylights, etc.)

Roofing Glastonbury CT 06033

Marcus Anthony Construction installs and repairs roofs throughout CT.  One of our more recent projects of note is located on Weir Street in Glastonbury CT.
  The current owner contacted us back in late January for an estimate to replace the roof on this small Glastonbury ranch style home.  Our usual process, meet with customer, measure roof, leave some shingle samples, provide estimate with license, insurance, and a few references.  This house was going on the market so the current owner wanted the best value he could get for a new roof.
  Our estimate for this project was bare bones, 30 year architectural shingles, water and ice barrier along the eaves, 15 pound felt.  Within 1 week there was an offer on the home!
 The home inspector had some major issues with the existing roof.  We had not been inside the attic, and were unaware, but there was mold everywhere.  Just replacing the roof would not be enough.
The mold and moisture in the attic had caused the plywood to fail.  Installing a new roof on the plywood would not be acceptable, the shingles could not be fastened properly, a strong wind would have put the new roof in the neighbors yard.
  Finally we started this project.  Three hours into the process, the buyer calls.  He had been given an estimate for mold removal in the attic in relation to the rafters.  The price was $7000!  Luckily I was on the ground myself when I was told that!  I quickly made a few phone calls, replace 92 rafters in an afternoon is always accomplish-able!  The rafters were replaced by 4:30, the roof plywooded within another hour and a half.  Day 2 we could roof.
  The moral of this story-
-Make sure you have a knowledgeable, licensed, and insured Glastonbury Roofing Contractor.
-Ventilation, had this roof been ventilated properly from the get go thousands of dollars could be saved
-Roofing, its for professionals, you never know what you may encounter, as I have found rotted rafters and plywood often, bats, snakes, opossums on occasion, and once a Babe Ruth baseball card.
If you would like a free estimate for a new roof please do not hesitate to call.
860-942-3555