Tar and gravel roofs have been around for over a century. They are a low cost option which is commonly found on low-slope Commercial and Residential buildings.

Built Up Roofs (BUR), more commonly referred to as Tar & Gravel roofs, are created by installing several different layers of asphalt and roofing felt, fiberglass, or hot-mopped tar with heat. The system is then covered with a top coat (flood coat) of gravel or rock meant to protect the underlying layers from the elements such as solar exposure, wind, and hail. The rock also provides additional weight to help hold the roof in place and often times varies in size.

The reason this roof system is more affordable than others is, when it comes to roof systems, you honestly do get what you pay for.

The common issues with this type of roof system are:

• The system is prone to leaking as the rocks can often time cause as many issues as they are designed to prevent. These roofs are not designed to hold the standing water which so commonly exists on rooftops in the state of Colorado. With standing water on a roof system you will often times be at risk for mold.
• Identifying the source of a leak is extremely difficult. Water travels as it enters the roof and may be identified in the ceiling at a much different point of entry than the initial puncture in the roof.
• Once leaks are finally identified, they are much harder to fix. Moving the rock or gravel around on the roof, when attempting to find or fix the leak, often times causes several new leaks.
• The additional weight of these systems can be problematic, especially when combined with the added weight snow brings in the winter seasons.
• Most large commercial roofs require seasonal maintenance. Not necessarily to the roof system itself, but to the different items on the roof i.e. (air conditioners, solar panels, cell phone towers). Foot traffic of any kind can and will cause punctures on these roof systems.

Replacing these roofs has become increasingly popular in recent years. When replacing a Tar and Gravel, or BUR system you usually have a few options.

1. Where acceptable, you can remove the top layer of gravel, and overlay the system with one of the newer more commonly installed systems like a single-ply membrane i.e. (TPO, EPDM, or PVC). If the building is in a location where only one layer of roofing is allowed, this would not be a viable option.
2. You can remove the top layers of gravel and then coat the entire roof system with a silicone coating. This will provide you with a seamless roof system and in most cases give you a comparable warranty to any single-ply system on the market. This is probably the least labor intensive and lowest cost option.
3. Lastly, you can remove the system completely giving you the option to re-install any of the above mentioned newer systems. This is clearly the most expensive option as it is very labor intensive.

Regardless of which option you select, MB² is here to help you get it done. We will provide you with competitive quotes for any roof repair or replacement. Please contact us directly for a complimentary inspection. We look forward to working with you!

Ice damming has become an increasingly large issue on roofs in Colorado. The weather conditions have unfortunately been optimal for the creation of ice dams on the roofs, thus causing more water damage in homes this year than any prior year. What this means for you? Is you have possibly noticed leaks that you never had in the past, mostly near the exterior walls of your home.

For those of you who don’t know what ice damming is, here is a brief explanation. Snow falls and collects on your roof. The top portion of your roof is above the livable space in your home which is heated. The bottom portion of your roof is usually above an overhanging soffit on the outside of the home, which has no heat underneath it. As the heat from your home rises through the roof, the snow on top slowly melts and begins to travel down the roof in the form of water. Ice damming occurs when that water reaches the bottom section of the roof (close to the gutter and above the soffit where not heat is being produced). The water freezes creating a dam for the remaining water falling down.

Once an ice dam is created, ice and water will start to move backwards and up the roof traveling underneath the shingles. Once thawed, the water will remain underneath the shingles and eventually make its way into the home.

Some ways to possibly prevent Ice Damming are:
• Proper roof installation including Ice and Water protection and gutter apron (drip edge)
• Heat tape (coils)
o These only work when plugged in.

Once you have determined your roof is damming… It’s probably time to call the insurance company. They will usually pay for the interior damage (at least they have in all 4 cases I have been involved with this month). However, they seldom pay to fix the roof install, preventing this from happening again. It has been my experience that insurance is in place to help restore things after damage has occurred. They do not however do much in the form of damage prevention. A properly installed roof system will not be susceptible to ice damming. If you want to prevent this from happening going forward, you will most likely have to do it without the help of your insurance company.

MB² offers free inspections and 0% financing for 12 months, on your roof replacement. Please feel free to call us at 720-336-0303 if you feel like you might be experiencing this specific issue. The last thing you want is to allow water into your home. Let’s solve this problem now so it doesn’t come up again in the future.

This is one of the most interesting/incorrect statements I hear homeowners making right now.

I say interesting only because I am not sure how this makes sense to anyone. Even to the people I hear saying it. I usually wonder, “How old does a roof need to be to be damaged by hail? And, is there any reason the new roofs aren’t telling cars about the deal they worked out with hail?” I have purchased brand new vehicles which have been damaged by hailstorms. Is it possible the hail just doesn’t know they are new?

All joking aside, this is the most incorrect theory in the roofing industry. A brand-new, one day old, newborn baby roof, is 100% equally susceptible to hail damage as a 18 year old adult roof. Truth be told, the hail just doesn’t ask, and doesn’t care, how old your roof is.

It is your responsibility, as a responsible homeowner, to have your roof inspected after every hailstorm that hits your home. Don’t base your decision to have the roof inspected on what you think you know about hail, or roofing. Just have a professional come out and take a look. It costs you nothing, might prevent something, and protects your everything!

The insurance claims process can be very confusing and intimidating. So you’ve been hit by storm damage and filed an insurance claim… now what?

Will my claim raise my insurance premiums?
The common misconception about insurance premiums is that they go up each time you open a claim for hail or wind damage. In fact, the insurance company raises claims based off the ZIP Code your property is located in.

As claims are filed in your ZIP Code (by anyone, not just you) the insurance company is forced to pay them out. This can sometimes result in higher premiums in different parts of the country.

Regardless of whether you decide to file a claim and replace your roof, your premiums will be affected by each storm that hits your area. That is why it makes sense to go through the process and replace your roof when it is damaged by a storm.

One thing you can do is upgrade to a Class 4 Impact resistant roof system. This will help to lower your insurance premiums.

What if the insurance company drops me?
Hopefully you are with a reputable insurance company, and this won’t be an issue. It is important to know that insurance companies have the right to drop a customer at any time for any reason.

This does not change the fact that they are responsible for covering damage that took place while your policy was active. What this means for you is that the insurance company can choose to drop you after filing a claim however, they will still be responsible for covering the damage to your property.

Is this common?
Most insurance companies don’t drop you for filing hail and wind claims as it is expected when you have a property located in an area that is susceptible to that type of storm. That is exactly what you pay them for. To pay for damage to your property after severe weather strikes.

How does my deductible work?
An insurance policy is a contract. It is an agreement between you and your chosen insurance provider which outlines how damage to your property will be covered monetarily.

Within that policy, a deductible is usually identified. This deductible is your portion of the replacement cost.

That means, you are responsible for paying out the deductible in the event your claim is paid out. i.e. (if your entire roof costs $10k and your deductible is $1k then the insurance company will pay your chosen contractor $9k for the $10k roof, and you will be responsible for paying your chosen contractor the additional $1k).

Trust the process!
You can’t prevent storm damage to your property but you can control how quickly and effectively it is remedied.
It’s important to have a roofing company you can trust has your best interests in mind. For an honest, reliable company call 720-336-0303 or visit www.mb2sq.com