Category Archives: Building Management

Hailstorms are happening more often over most of North America. Large hail, in particular, may seriously harm our roofs and other structures. It is crucial now more than ever to choose impact-resistant shingles, commonly known as IR shingles. Class 4 impact resistance is the highest rating that asphalt shingles may obtain for impact resistance. In order to better shield your property against hail, you might want to select asphalt shingles with a Class 4 rating.

Considering that many insurance providers give discounts to homeowners who select Class 4 impact resistant shingles, it could also be advantageous from their standpoint. The materials these shingles are constructed of, the testing procedures used to determine their grade, and the advantages they may provide for your home will all be covered in this article.

What is Roofing Shingles Class 4

Impact-resistant shingles guarantee that a roof will remain sturdy and intact in the face of flying objects, hail, and winds of up to 110 mph.

Impact-resistant shingles receive a Class 4 UL 2218 grade. A national standard for rating the impact-resistance of roofing materials, the UL 2218, has been available since 1996. Materials are rated from Class 1 to 4 according to how well they withstand the impact of steel balls of varying sizes that simulate hailstones traveling at 90 mph. The Class 4 rating for the harshest roofing materials.

How Do Roofing Shingles Qualify for a Class 4 Rating?

After a series of devastating hailstorms ravaged the United States in the middle of the 1990s, the roofing industry created a test to gauge the impact resilience of its products. The Underwriters Laboratory 2218 (UL 2218), sometimes known as “the steel ball test,” is the name of this type of test. A shingle is given one of four ratings by UL based on the outcomes of this test, with Class 4 being the highest grade that may be given.

In this testing procedure, a steel ball is repeatedly dropped from a predetermined height onto a roofing shingle that has been placed. After that, the shingle is flipped over and checked for any splits or cracks that would let water to seep in.

A roofing shingle must be able to survive being repeatedly struck by a 2-inch steel ball from a height of 20 feet in order to achieve a Class 4 rating. For a better sense of scale, imagine doing the same test on a 4-inch concrete paver. The steel ball’s force would split the paver in half.

Although Class 4 is the highest grade for impact resistance, shingles can also earn lower ratings like Class 3 and Class 2. The distinction in the grades is that Class 3 shingles and Class 2 shingles both survive a smaller steel ball dropped from a lower height.

Benefits of Installing Class 4 Roofing Shingles

As a premium product, Class 4 roofing shingles are sometimes more expensive than common, non-impact resistant shingles. However, if you live in a region where hail and wind storms often occur, the higher upfront cost may be a fair investment owing to the several advantages of Class 4, impact-resistant tiles. Class 4, impact-resistant shingles may:

Eliminate the need for roof repairs or lessen their frequency. You may unwind a little more knowing that you’ve given your roof its best opportunity to withstand storms with shingles this durable. Less damage results in less unforeseen repair costs.

Lengthen the roof’s useful life. The first line of protection for your roof is its shingles. Season after season, a roof with unbroken, undamaged shingles is better protected.

Reduce your homeowner’s insurance costs and premiums. For homeowners whose roofs are coated in Class 4-rated shingles, several businesses provide discounts. To find out more, get in touch with your insurance company.

Look to your trusted builder for advice, support and a quote to professionally and responsibly solve your problem. If you’re in the market for new roofing in Mount Lebanon PA, turn to Pittsabana Contracting Services LLC. This local roofing company employs team members who are certified by CertainTeed and committed to delivering premium service on every job, from repairing storm-damaged commercial buildings to fully replacing residential roofs. Call (412) 580-6567 to speak with a friendly staff member to schedule service or visit the website to learn more about how they’ll help you.

What Is A “Cool Roof”?

A cool roof is a roofing system that performs better in terms of thermal emittance (the capacity to radiate absorbed, or non-reflected, solar energy) and solar reflectance (the capacity to reflect the visible, infrared, and ultraviolet wavelengths of the sun, reducing heat transfer to the building) than conventionally designed roofing products. Cool roofs have traditionally been white or some lighter hue. The development of residential cool roof solutions like Landmark Solaris® and Presidential Solaris® from CertainTeed, which provide solar reflectivity even in dark, rich hues, has altered this dynamic in recent years.

In addition to increasing roof durability, cool roofs can significantly lower building cooling loads and the urban heat island effect.

How it Works a Cool Roof

Over 90% of the roofs in the United States and the rest of the world are dark in color. A black roof’s surface can go up to 190 °F hotter under the heat of the sun, an increase of more than 100 °F over the surrounding air temperature. The effects of this rise in surface temperature include:

• Increased energy demand for cooling and higher electricity costs
• Lower level of comfort inside
• Roofing materials are deteriorating more quickly, maintaining a roof costs more money, and there is a lot of roofing waste being dumped in landfills.
• Increased electricity production costs, a potentially overloaded power grid, and higher peak electricity demand (the maximum energy load an electric utility experiences to supply customers instantly, typically experienced in summer late afternoons as businesses and residences turn up their air conditioners);
• Increased air pollution as a result of the “heat island effect” becoming more intense

Benefits of the cool roof

These shingles are designed to have higher solar reflectance and thermal emittance properties that can help reduce a home’s cooling load on hot, sunny days.  Here are the benefits of this type of shingle:

Temperature Reduction: Considerably lower summertime temperatures overall, including within a structure or residence, especially when compared to conventional cooling methods.

A Stronger Roof: A prospective roof that is more resilient, has a longer lifespan, and requires less upkeep.

Utility Rebates: Another advantage of installing a cool roof is that you may be able to recoup the initial cost of the cool roof shingles and then continue to save money over time thanks to a number of available utility rebates.

Lower Utility Use and Cost: Homeowners will use their air conditioner less because a residential cool roof drastically lowers temperatures inside and outside. Homeowners can save money on their energy bills as a result.

Reduced Heat Island Effect: Installing cool roof solutions in urban contexts would not only lower the temperature of the building as a whole, but also lower the temperature of the surrounding region, which is a common problem with the heat island effect.

Air pollution is reduced: because less fossil fuels are burned and fewer damaging greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere when people use their air conditioning systems. Due to the decrease in these hazardous emissions that cause problems like smog in some areas, it might also result in better air quality.

Look to your trusted builder for advice, support and a quote to professionally and responsibly solve your problem. If you’re in the market for new roofing in Bethel Park PA, turn to Pittsabana Contracting Services LLC. This local roofing company employs team members who are certified by CertainTeed and committed to delivering premium service on every job, from repairing storm-damaged commercial buildings to fully replacing residential roofs. Call (412) 580-6567 to speak with a friendly staff member to schedule service or visit the website to learn more about how they’ll help you.

To adequately protect against snow, rain, and the heat of the sun, your home roofing system must be in excellent shape. A porch expands a home’s outside space. The porch’s roof helps to regulate the environment and temperature there. However, if the roof pitch is too shallow, installing a roof may lead to drainage issues.

Many individuals enjoy unwinding on their covered porch, which is also a fantastic spot to host guests. How much of a roof pitch must a covered porch have, though?

Make sure the roof pitch meets or surpasses these standards if you want your covered porch to last through many years of use and damage. Any home would benefit greatly from having a covered porch. It creates an outdoor living area that can be used all year long and offers shade and shelter from the weather. However, you must confirm that the pitch of your roof is high enough for this use.

What Is a Covered Porch’s Minimum Roof Pitch?

Ordinarily, four inches are required for every horizontal foot of distance as the minimum roof pitch required by law. For instance, your roof must be pitched at least 12 inches (12′′ = 72′′) if your covered porch is eight feet long and three feet broad.

This will guarantee that rainfall is properly drained, preventing leaks in your house. Make sure you examine this before installing a covered porch to your home:

• The legislation stipulates a four-inch minimum roof pitch for any covered porches that are more than three feet in width and eight feet in length.
• Roof pitches on covered porches must be at least every 12 inches.
• The roof must rise around six inches for every foot in length and should be pitched at an angle of at least two feet over the center of the covered porch.
• This permits rain to drain off and stops leaks from developing during times of intense rain or snowfall.

This is a crucial point to keep in mind when constructing a covered porch.

Smallest Roof Pitch

Roofs can be pitched as low as 1/4:12, or 1/4 inch rise to 12 inches of run. Only built-up roofing or specialist synthetic roofing can support such a modest pitch. Low-slope roofs shouldn’t be used to cover covered porches that are close to trees or in places that receive a lot of rain. This prevents accumulation of debris and water on the surface of the roof.

Match the existing roof’s pitch.

The covered porch roof should have the same pitch as the main roof. Residential roofs with varying pitches don’t seem to work together. Choose a shallower pitch if it is not possible to match the existing roof. Avoid choosing a steeper pitch since the covered porch’s shape will dominate or contrast with the main roof.

Use the appropriate slope and match the roof’s material

Match the main roof’s primary roofing material to that of the covered porch. The possible pitch of your roof will depend on the material you choose. The shortest pitch for shingles is 1:6, which equates to a rise of 4 inches and a run of 24 inches. A standing seam metal roof’s shortest pitch is 1:4, or 3 inches rise to 12 inches run. The 2:12 pitch, or 2 inches rise to 12 inches run, is the smallest pitch for roll roofing. The shortest pitch for GAF shingles is 2:12.

The blog post offers some excellent information on how to figure out your roof pitch and what supplies are need to get construction going. The advantages of having an outdoor area where family can congregate at any time or enjoy their morning coffee before work have also been discussed.

If you’re in the market for new roofing in Bethel Park PA turn to Pittsabana Contracting Services LLC. This local roofing company employs team members who are certified by CertainTeed and committed to delivering premium service on every job, from repairing storm-damaged commercial buildings to fully replacing residential roofs. Call (412) 580-6567 to speak with a friendly staff member to schedule service or visit the website to learn more about how they’ll help you.

One of the biggest errors made by novice roofers is improperly nailing shingle. Additionally, it is one of the major reasons for roofing failure. Pittsabana has a thorough understanding of the significance of carefully nailing shingles since we understand how crucial it is to construct a roof.

Causes for which there are improper Shingle Nailing

Broken shingle mats and overdriven nails

Shingle nailing has become more accurate thanks to pneumatic nail guns. On the other hand, if the pressure settings are set too high, the nail may be pushed too deeply into the shingle, harming the mat or the shingle’s foundation. As a result, there is a higher chance that shingles may become loose.

Hammered Nails in the Wrong Place

There is simply no justification for not being aware of the locations where nails should be driven, especially in light of the fact that manufacturers provide instructions regarding how to properly install their tiles. Unfortunately, untrained roofers frequently make this error. On your shingle, place nails on top of a somewhat narrow strip. However, in reality, the nail is commonly positioned excessively high or, less frequently, far below.

Too Few Nails

Per shingle, at least four nails should be used, however the exact number will depend on the shingle’s thickness. Calculating the required number of nails shouldn’t be a challenge for an experienced contractor.

The Threat of Water Damage

The loose shingles that might come from any of the aforementioned installation mistakes can be terrible for your roof. Because of the holes created by loose shingles, the underside of the roof is exposed to moisture.

Obsolete Warranties

Void warranties make the issue worse. Manufacturers won’t honor your guarantee if the installation error led to the damage.

The trained eye can easily see installation mistakes. However, it’s extremely difficult, if not almost impossible, for the typical homeowner to do so, which is why you should only use licensed and professional contractors to replace your roof.

Look to your trusted builder for advice, support and a quote to professionally and responsibly solve your problem. If you’re in the market for new roofing in McMurray PA, turn to Pittsabana Contracting Services LLC. This local roofing company employs team members who are certified by CertainTeed and committed to delivering premium service on every job, from repairing storm-damaged commercial buildings to fully replacing residential roofs. Call (412) 580-6567 to speak with a friendly staff member to schedule service or visit the website to learn more about how they’ll help you.