Testimonial From a Very Happy Customer

We received this letter in the mail today. It is so nice to hear from our customers about their experience with Roofmax. We thought we would share.

“Dear Jon Aikele and Roofmax,

You run an incredible company! We’ve never been more satisfied with the integrity and attention you and your company have given us.

Ten years ago you installed a roof that completely fixed our leaks. The material was manufactured from a company that guaranteed their product for much longer than ten years. This year when there were significant cracks in the material you contacted the company and had them send out a representative. But, that company wouldn’t cover the cost of fixing the cracked area or replacing the roof.

Because you backed your work 100% you had a team of your men come and seal our entire roof (not just the cracked area) with a white material that not only sealed the roof, but reflected the sun’s rays. And you took on the cost without charging us. Bravo for being environmentally conscious!

We are so impressed. Through the whole process we never had to check back with Roofmax. You were diligent and persisted with the other company and when they didn’t back their product, you insisted on backing your own business.

We are extremely happy and we are already recommending Roofmax to all our friends and acquaintances.

Thank you for being one of the best companies we have ever done business with!

Sincerely,

C & K V.,

Lafayette, CA”

We are so glad when our customers have the best experience possible. That is our main goal: to meet and exceed our customer’s goals.

Have a great Thursday!

Tara Thornock

Roofmax

www.roofmax.net

Check Out Our New Video!

We now have our new Diamond Certified video! They did a great job and we are excited to be able to share it with you all! Enjoy!

Hope you have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Sincerely,
Roofmax
www.roofmax.net

California’s Title 24 for Steep Slope Roofs

Building Energy Efficiency Standards

California has issued a new code for steep slope roofs and energy conservation. Roofmax has been following most of these guidelines-now standards-but wants to communicate to you what is expected now so that you can be sure your roof is installed correctly.

These standards are provided by the GAF materials corporation. The following are excerpts from the GAF provided Title 24 materials:

About Title 24

The California Energy Commission (CEC) was created in 1974 through the Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Act to construct and periodically modify energy efficiency standards for residential and non-residential buildings.

In 1978, all building codes and standards were combined under one umbrella called Title 24 Building Standards Code and Part 6 of this standard code has the requirements for energy efficiency while part 1 has the administrative requirements. For more information or to download a copy of Title 24, visit www.energy.ca.gov/title24.

Why is Title 24 Now for Homes?

• California has over 35 million people and from 1960 to 1974 when the CEC was created, they saw their energy consumption rise over 50% per capita, which means that not only as their population was increasing, the amount of energy each person was using was also increasing dramatically.
• California’s building efficiency standards (along with those for energy efficient appliances) have saved more than $56 billion in electricity and natural gas costs since 1978. It is estimated the standards will save an additional $23 billion by 2013.
• The CEC’s forecast data shows that 1/3 of the energy (natural gas and electricity) consumed in California is consumed by buildings.
• Strengthening the requirements of Title 24 has been a very key element in the state’s climate change initiative.

Why Cool Roofs?

• Roof surface temperatures and attic temperatures can be reduced significantly.
• By lowering attic temperatures, air conditioning costs can be reduced by as much as 10-15% according to the Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR program.
• Reductions in air conditioning use help to reduce “peak energy demand” on the power grid, reducing the need for new power plant construction.
• Cool roofs can reduce the effects of “Urban Heat Islands”, where data shows that urban areas have higher ambient temperatures than surrounding rural areas because of their concentration of dark surfaces and the sparseness of vegetation (dark surfaces can be up to 70F hotter on a warm summer day than reflective, “cool” surfaces).

When Does the Version of Title 24 That Includes “Cool Roofs” for Homeowners Go Into Effect?

Remember, Title 24 was first established in 1978 and has been the building standards code since then. The 2008 Building Efficiency Standards, Title 24 that has requirements for parts of California for “cool roofs” on residencies, goes into effect January 1, 2010.

Understanding How Title 24 Classifies Buildings

In addition to knowing where the building is located so you can know what is required, you need to know how Title 24 classifies “buildings”,

“Low Rise Residential”…describes:

• All single family homes of any number of stories
• All duplexes of any number of stories
• All multi-family buildings up to 3 stories in height
• Garden apartments and other housing types up to 3 stories in height

“Nonresidential”…describes:

• Offices, retail and wholesale stores
• Grocery stores, restaurants, theaters
• Hotels and motels
• Industrial work buildings
• Commercial or industrial storage units
• Schools and churches
• Apartment and multi-family buildings with four or more stories
• Long-term care facilities
• Dormitories
• Private garages, carports, sheds and agricultural buildings

California Building Climate Zones

Title 24 Prescriptive Requirements

Steep Slope Roofs

Alternatives to using a cool roofing product for re-roofing–any of the following can be implemented in lieu of using cool roofing products for low-rise residential buildings:

• Use of R-0.85 insulation or a 3/4″ air space added to the roof deck over the attic space, or,
• Insulating and sealing existing air conditioning ducts in the attic space accordance with Section 151(f)10, or,
• Buildings with no air conditioning in the attic (do not require cool roofs), or,
• In zones 10, 12, or 13, providing ventilation of at least 1 sq. ft of free ventilation per 150 sq. ft. of attic floor space and where at least 30% of the ventilation is within 2 feet of the ridge, or,
• Having a minimum of R-30 ceiling insulation, or,
• Installing a radiant barrier that meets the requirements of Section 151(f)2, or,
• In zones 10, 11, 13, or 14, having a minimum R-3 deck insulation above a vented attic.

How Roofmax is Complying With Title 24 Requirements

• Use of R-0.85 insulation or a 3/4″ air space added to the roof deck over the attic space.
• Existing ducts insulated and sealed in the attic space in addordance with section 151(f)10.
• In climate zones 10, 12 or 13 providing ventilation of at least 1 sq. ft. of free ventilation per 150  sq. ft. of attic flow space and where at least 30% of the ventilation is within 2 feet of the ridge.
• Building has a minimum of R-30 ceiling insulation.
• Installing radiant barrier meeting the requirement of Section 151(f)2.

If you have any questions about title 24, please feel free to call our office at 925-685-4151.

Sincerely,

Roofmax

www.roofmax.net

The Yearly Meeting…Starting off 2010 with a great start!

Roofmax employees held their annual yearly meeting at Marie Callender’s last Friday. It was a great meal! Good pie! But, far more exciting was looking back at 2009′s triumphs, challenges, firsts, and growth. We have set new goals and are determined to continue to bring you the best service possible. We are so grateful for our past customers and are excited to help and work with new people this year. Roofmax is committed to being the best roofing contractor, best at roof repairs, and best solar installer in the industry. New customers, new products, and new technologies, here’s to a great 2010 to you and to Roofmax!

Tara Thornock

www.roofmax.net

It’s a new year and a new decade! Our New Year’s Resolution…

Can you believe it is 2010?! I Remember waiting anxiously as a 13-year-old girl for the lights to blow out and the world to come to a halt when 2000 came. Funny how I braced myself for the Y2K hype and nothing happened (and magnetized by the 13 year olds that didn’t have a clue)! But now, 10 years later, it continues to amaze me how times change.

One of the biggest changes has been the rise of social marketing. Facebook, Twitter, Digg, LinkedIn, Delicious and blogs are just a few of the innumerable social marketing sites on the web today. There are so many ways to communicate on the web and so many people use it as a source of expression. For a time, this blog was simply used to post news and articles that we thought would be of interest and benefit to our customers. We will still use it for that. However, we are also hoping to spend more time actively contributing to the conversation. It’s our New Year’s Resolution!

So we ask, what are you talking about? What are your roofing and solar questions and needs? What are your roof repair needs? We have many skilled roofing and solar estimators in the office that can help answer your questions and concerns. Please also visit our website at www.roofmax.net (newly designed, by the way!), our Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/pages/Concord-CA/Roofmax/195005836216?ref=ts, and our Twitter page at http://twitter.com/Roofmax. We know you are out there! We are excited to hear from you and start the conversation!

Again, wishing you the very happiest New Year,

Tara Thornock

Roofmax

www.roofmax.net

ENERGY: So you want to install rooftop solar? A handy guide

This is a great resource if you are considering solar panels on your roof. The beginning is quoted. Follow the link to read the rest of the article.  

By ERIC WOLFF – ewolff@nctimes.com | Posted: Saturday, December 26, 2009 8:00 pm

“

Residential solar power is most definitely moving out of the fringes. Maybe it’s not all the way to popularity yet, but now that even Lowe’s and Home Depot are selling solar panels, the industry can safely be said to be dipping a few toes into the mainstream.

Between July 1 and the end of November, San Diego County alone had issued 469 permits for rooftop solar, already more than the 432 it issued in the entire 12 months preceding.

For anyone watching a smug neighbor gloat over low electric bills, or who’s watched one too many showings of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” here’s a guide for how to decide if the sun has finally risen on your solar panel ambitions: “

To read more follow this link: http://www.nctimes.com/business/article_18ee6a66-3bbc-55c6-8a0c-a7280aab07e5.html

www.roofmax.net

Should you get solar now, or wait?

Here is a great review of the efficiency of solar panels in today’s market. It will probably help you if you are on the verge of deciding whether or not to install solar panels.

By George Musser

Dec 8, 2009 12:00 PM in Energy & Sustainability

“Editor’s Note: Scientific American’s George Musser will be chronicling his experiences installing solar panels in Solar at Home (formerly 60-Second Solar). Read his introduction here and see all posts here.

It’s the eternal question: Buy now or wait? Assuming you want to install solar panels on your roof, should you go for it or hold off for better technology or lower prices? I don’t have a definitive answer, but let me offer a few thoughts that might inform your decision.

Obviously, solar installers want you to jump in forthwith. Even leaving aside their self-interest, they do make some good points. There’s really no need to wait for technology to improve. In terms of how fast they become obsolete, solar arrays are more like cars than computers. Although photovoltaic cells and auxiliary equipment such as inverters are getting better, progress is slow.

For computers, technological improvements make the difference between Pong and Left 4 Dead. But as long as a solar panel produces a kilowatt of power, it doesn’t really matter how swanky it is. Arrays of the future will produce more power, but existing ones are not about to become an embarrassment. And it’s not as though technological progress will pass you by. Few arrays take up every last inch of roof space, largely because of the limitations of current inverters. You’ll be able to add more advanced panels with built-in inverters to fill in the gaps.

A more important issue is cost. Solar panels have gotten cheaper over the past couple of years, not because of technological breakthroughs but because of mundane factors such as increased manufacturing capacity in China. Installation, too, is coming down in price as contractors get the hang of it.

These trends hasten the day when solar will achieve parity with fossil fuels, but have less impact on a homeowner’s bottom line, because states are scaling back their subsidies at the same time. New Jersey, for example, is set to reduce its cash grant from $1.75 per watt to $1.55 per watt.

I think the best argument for holding off is that contractors, inspectors, and regulators are still climbing up the learning curve. Right now, you need a good deal of patience and fortitude to install solar panels. The way around this is a power-purchase agreement or leasing arrangement from a company such as SunRun or SolarCity, if they offer one if your area. In addition, large installers such as Acro Energy are working to speed up the installation process.

Another argument for delay is that conservation measures such as insulation or adjustments to your heating system might give you more buck for the buck. A fellow solar blogger, Osha Gray Davidson in Phoenix, Ariz., told me how he reached this conclusion:

We decided to take your advice and concentrate on negawatts (conservation) first. We’re getting bids to replace our aging roof with an energy-efficient one and coordinate it with installing solar panels. 1BOG just entered the Phoenix market and they’re preparing a bid for our house. We also cut back on air-conditioning this summer by installing an energy-efficient single-room ductless air conditioner by Fujitsu. Mounted on my home office wall and with the compressor outside, I keep my office comfortable and quiet during the day without cooling the entire (empty) house with central air. Our power usage was 11% less in July ’09 compared to July ’08 (July being the month with the highest power usage).

We’ve cut way back on driving as well, partly thanks to the coming of light rail to our city. We use it all the time and love it. And my wife bikes to work now that the day-time temperature has dropped below 100. We still don’t have solar panels on the roof, and I’m looking forward to that day. The larger work to reduce our carbon footprint is going well — and continues.

I highly recommend getting a home-energy audit and studying the auditor’s cost-benefit analysis of specific steps you could take. Some things that seem like good ideas, such as installing new windows, have surprisingly long payback periods, and solar panels are actually a better use of your money.

Solar panels on George’s roof, courtesy of his brother Bret Musser”

Roofing Companies: 4 Roofing Projects to Leave to the Pros

With so many building and home repair companies out there it’s hard to know who does what. Read on to find out what roofing companies do and what they can do for you.

Roofing Companies Install New Roofs

From residential roofing to commercial projects, roofing companies install new roofs. When there is new construction or a remodel, the roofing company will come in and install the entire roof. This can include everything from installing the trusses to framing the roof to laying the tar paper and installing the shingles. Though not many individuals have the need for complete roof installation, roofing companies that have the experience and knowledge to do so may be ones to look at when the time comes to research roofing companies for your own use.

Roofing Companies Repair Roofs

Roof repair is something all roofing companies do. Roof material will sometimes become worn or weathered, including warping, leaking, and missing shingles, and will require repair. Some contractors don’t like to do repairs. Many think that there is often the chance for continued decay or failure in a roof that requires repair in one place. For this reason some roofing companies may recommend replacement over repair. However, many residential roofing customers prefer repair over replacement for reasons of cost and expense. Good roofing companies can evaluate a roof to determine the damage and if repair or replacement is the best strategy.

Roofing Companies Replace Roofs

Roof replacement is the primary job of roofing companies. They spend most of their time replacing roof material on mainly residential roofing. They have many roof material options including a variety of shingles, tiles such as slate or ceramic, and even metal roofing. Because a roof is basically the umbrella that protects a home it is one of the most important parts of a house. Due to natural occurrences, such as hail, wind, and snow, and the debris that can pile up as a result of any of those, roof replacement is a common occurrence. Roofing companies also do roof replacement due to aging and wear and tear on average residential roofs. Damage from nature and age can cause leaks, and leaks can cause extensive interior damage and roof replacement is key to preventing them. Having a good and reliable roofing company evaluate your roof by doing a visual examination can help you decide if roof replacement is necessary in your situation.

Roofing Companies Can Install Solar Panels

Something relatively new to roofing companies is solar panel installation. Due to the recent concern for the environmental impact of conventional heating and energy sources, many people are turning to solar power for their homes. Roofing companies can install solar roof panels to residential roofing projects that can help generate enough energy to power an entire home. Though this type of project used to be done primarily by specialists, many roofing companies are now able to include solar panel installation into a residential roofing project plan.

EcoTrack 11: Hospital spruces up roof with eco-friendly plants

We love energy efficient roofs! Enjoy this cool article.

Posted: Dec 03, 2009 12:07 PM PST

Updated: Dec 03, 2009 12:40 PM PST

EcoTrack 11: Hospital spruces up roof with eco-friendly plants 1:19

By Tara Hastings – bio | email

Posted by Nick Dutton - email

“WOOD COUNTY, OH (WTOL) – Sometimes a stay at the hospital isn’t so pleasant, but Wood County Hospital is trying to brighten folk’s spirits by providing a colorful view.

Instead of a traditional rubber roof covered with rocks, the hospital chose to fill up the flat space with environmentally friendly plants like sedum.

“They improve the storm water runoff, which means when there is rain or snow, the bulk of that water is absorbed by the plants,” said Wood County Hospital Director of Marketing Catharine Harned.

However, getting 13 truck loads of plants onto the hospital’s 15,000 square foot roof wasn’t easy.

On the other hand, the plants will need little maintenance. No matter how much rain or snow falls, the plants will stay green.

Harned says the idea behind the layout ensures constant blooms from April to October. It also means the colors will constantly be changing.

In the long run, the roof provides a much more beautiful view for patients, no matter how long their stay.”

Copyright 2009 WTOL. All rights reserved.

www.roofmax.net

Thermeleon roof tiles make saving energy as clear as black and white

This is a really cool article about the innovative ideas that are coming forth in the roofing industry. It looks like the idea still needs some tweaking. But, we may see more materials like this in the future!

By Jeff Salton

23:11 November 29, 2009 PST

Prototype roof tiles that turn white to reflect heat when they get hot seem like a pretty cool idea, as do tiles that turn black to absorb heat when it’s cold. That’s why a team of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) graduates has won the third annual MIT MADMEC (Making and Designing Materials Engineering Contest) by demonstrating their thermally-activated, color-changing, roofing material called “Thermeleon” (as in chameleon).

Using phase-change polymer gel-filled tiles, the team is able to control the light energy transmission properties of the roofing material, meaning that on a hot day the roofing material turns white to reflect heat, but on a cold day the material becomes transparent and absorbs heat back into the home.

Many modern homes with black roofing shingles absorb energy from the summer sun leading to higher cooling bills and wasting much of that solar energy. While this heat absorption factor may be offset in the winter with the home taking advantage of the sun’s energy reducing heating bills (often only slightly) the problem remains what to do about the intense summer sun that turns into interior heat.

White roofs are an obvious solution – but permanent white roofs, such as factory-painted materials, repel much of the advantage of winter heat absorption. While this solves the problem of summer heat it doesn’t provide any advantage in winter. Having a tile that automatically changes color depending on the temperature is a great solution all year round.

While the team says most of its testing has been conducted on a gel that transitions at around room temperature, it is able to select from a wide variety of transition temperatures ranging from approximately 0-100°C (32-212°F) and beyond.

Read More: http://www.gizmag.com/thermeleon-energy-saving-roof-tiles/13475/

www.roofmax.net