Is This the Future of Roofing?

 

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla (TSLA) and chairman of SolarCity (SCTY), hopped on an earnings call Tuesday night amid acquisition talks between the two companies to announce that SolarCity plans to release a “solar roof.”

Not a roof with solar panels, mind you. A solar roof.

“It’s a solar roof as opposed to a module on a roof,” Musk said on the SolarCity earnings call. “It’s not a thing on the roof, it is the roof.”

The idea is that instead of just selling solar panels that can be placed on someone’s existing roof, SolarCity can sell the entire roof itself with the solar power capabilities built into it, potentially opening up a whole new market.

“If your roof is nearing end-of-life, well, you’ve got to get a new roof anyway,” Musk explained. “And so, why not have a solar roof that’s better in many others ways as well?”

Related: Elon Musk’s push for autopilot unnerves some Tesla employees

Tesla made a $2.6 billion bid to buy SolarCity this month to unite two of Musk’s businesses into an “integrated sustainable energy company.”

“That they are separate at all, despite similar origins and pursuit of the same overarching goal of sustainable energy, is largely an accident of history,” Musk wrote in his updated “master plan” posted to Tesla’s website last month to explain why the two companies should merge.

In that post, Musk first teased his long-term plan to build “stunning solar roofs” with SolarCity’s technology and have them “seamlessly integrated” with Tesla’s home battery storage technology.

“Solar and battery go together like peanut butter and jelly,” Musk said on the earnings call Tuesday.

The acquisition, which needs to be approved by shareholders, was criticized by some on Wall Streetfor effectively stringing two ambitious money-losing companies together.

SolarCity’s net loss grew to $250 million in the second quarter from $156 million in the same period a year earlier, the company announced in its earnings report — before talking up the solar roofs.

Likewise, Tesla revealed last week that its losses for the second quarter ballooned to $150 million, more than twice what Wall Street had expected, as it invests heavily in building a battery factory and the cheaper, mainstream Model 3 vehicle.

So naturally Musk followed up that report by announcing to investors that Tesla will unveil not one but two new vehicles in the next six to nine months.

CNNMoney (New York)First published August 10, 2016: 10:14 AM ET

Original article can be found here

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Arizona Monsoon Facts & Information

 

Here is a great article giving some facts abouts the Arizona Monsoon Season

Arizona Monsoon

Phoenix Monsoon Facts

During the monsoon, or summer thunderstorm season, Arizona experiences more severe weather than                 many other states. On some occasions, a severe storm may spawn a microburst. More often, high winds,                 dust and severe downpours resulting in flash floods are common monsoon occurrences.

Prior to 2008 the Phoenix area monsoon was considered to have started when there were three consecutive           days when the dew point averaged 55 degrees or higher. In 2008 the National Weather Service decided to take       the guesswork out of monsoonstart and end dates. After all, monsoon is a season, and most people should not be concerned with whether or not a particular dust storm was defined as monsoon storm or not.

Beginning in 2008, June 15 is established as the first day of monsoon, and September 30 will be the last day.        Now we can be more concerned with monsoon safety and less concerned with definitions.

More About Phoenix Monsoon

Meteorologists still track and report dew points and study monsoon weather patterns.

 Here are some technical monsoon facts for our area. The facts relate to dew point and the meteorological      definition of monsoon and not the date on the calendar.

• The average starting date of the monsoon in Phoenix is July 7.
• The average ending date of the monsoon is September 13.
• The earliest start date for the monsoon was June 16, 1925.
• The latest start date for the monsoon was July 25, 1987.
• The average date of the first break in the monsoon is August 16.
• The average total number of monsoon days (where a monsoon day is considered one with an average             dew point of 55 degrees or higher) is 56.
• The greatest number of monsoon days was 99, recorded in 1984.
• The fewest number of monsoon days was 27, recorded in 1962.
• The greatest number of consecutive monsoon days was 72, from June 25 through September 4, 1984.            This was also the greatest number of consecutive days with dew points of 60 degrees or higher.
• In Phoenix, normal rainfall during July, August and September is 2.65 inches.
• The wettest monsoon occurred in 1984 when we had 9.38 inches of rain.
• The driest monsoon occurred in 1924 with only 0.35 inches.

Original article can be found here: http://phoenix.about.com/od/weather/a/monsoontrivia.htm

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Foam Roofing

For those of you that do not have much knowledge about foam roofing, here is a great little article about foam roofing:

Foam Roofing for Flat Roofs

Foam roofing provides great protection for flat roofs and competes well with other forms of flat roof coverings. Foam roofing, however, is not without some disadvantages as well, so it’s important to consider the pros and cons of foam roofing before making a decision on what to use on your flat roof.

Benefits of Foam Roofing

• Easily applied. Though this is not necessarily a job for a do-it-yourselfer, a roofer with the materials and protective equipment can spray-on a foam roof fairly easily. Not only is a foam room easy to apply, but the process is quick as well. The foam, usually polyurethane, expands and attaches on contact. Foam is also very lightweight, so it’s quite possible to apply directly on top of your old roof.
• Waterproof. While other roof coatings must be applied carefully to make sure no spots are missed, foam roofing expands on contact to fill in all areas. There is no seam involve, so there is no place for water to seep through.
• Natural insulation. Foam is a natural insulation product that helps to keep the sun out in the summer and to trap the warmth in your home in the winter. That means that you can save on your heating and cooling bills with the addition of foam roofing.
• Battle the heat-island effect. That’s where building after building in a city absorbs the punishing rays of the sun. This contributes to the carbon in the atmosphere and can heat your building nearly 100 degrees above the actual outside temperature. White foam insulation helps to bounce some of the direct sunlight back into the atmosphere rather than absorb it into the building.

Disadvantages of Foam Roofing

• Cost. Compared to tar and other roof coatings, foam roofing is perhaps the most expensive of the lot. Of course, supporters of foam roofing point to its many benefits as being well worth the cost.
• Maintenance. Flat roofs in general will require more maintenance than peaked roofs and foam roofing is no difference. First, a covering to protect the foam must be put in place. An elastomeric material is usually applied and can help the foam last 20 to 25 years. You also must inspect the roof regularly to make sure there is no debris that could lead to a leak, and the protective covering over the foam must be reapplied every 5 years or so.

The original article can be found here:  https://enlightenme.com/foam-roofing/ 

Tile Roofing Facts

Tile roof systems are commonplace in the Southwest.  They are good roof systems, if installed properly.  Here in the Phoenix Metro area (Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale, etc...) the roofing community has learned over the years how to make these tile roofs systems better.

Here is an interesting article about tile roofing taken from the Tile Roofing Institute (link to article here):

Facts of Tile

Why is tile the most popular roofing product in the world? It has durability beyond compare, energy cost savings, and protection like no other roofing material. Read on to see why tile is the roof of choice for so many homeowners.

Features and Benefits Chart

Designed for Long Term Performance

With over a century of proper field performance in other parts of the world, tiles provide the longest track record of performance compared to other roofing materials such as asphalt shingles. Its modern engineering design provides a natural water shedding and ventilation feature allowing tiles to be the primary roof covering in warm and cold climates (even reducing ice damming in cold areas). Tile’s higher weight and strength allows it to meet the anticipated loads of today’s design requirements for all of the climatic regions.

Available in a Variety of Colors and Styles

Roof tiles come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. In fact, with modern innovations, concrete and clay roof tile manufacturers can produce tiles to suit any architectural style, from authentic Spanish and Mediterranean to New England Colonial, historic, or contemporary. Roof tiles can be flat or round, simulate wood shakes, or seek to replicate centuries-old roofing materials. The possibilities are virtually limitless.

Maintain their Color

Colors in tile come from natural sources such as the color and mixture of the clay used in clay tiles or from iron oxide pigments in concrete tiles, both of which are extremely durable. Tiles may experience varying degrees of color softening after extended exposure to the elements. However, this occurs to a lesser degree with roof tile than with most other roofing materials. Some clay roof tile manufacturers guarantee their tiles against fading for 50 years.

Long Lasting Protection

To maintain their long-lasting beauty, the weight of tile is important because it provides enduring protection without developing problems like other roofing materials. Most homes built today are strong enough to support the weight of a tile roof. There are also varieties of lightweight tile offered in certain regions of the country that are ideal for new and re-roofing projects. Tile is fast becoming the re-roofing product of choice due not only to its durability but also to its ease of maintenance. Single tiles are much easier to repair than other roofing materials.

Can Sustain High Winds

Due to its resistance to severe weather, concrete and clay tiles continue to be the preferred roofing material among homeowners in the Southeast. With proper installation, tile roofing is one of a few select roofing systems that is proven to withstand sustained winds of 150 miles per hour found in Florida.

Economical

Clay and concrete tile roofs are one of the most cost-effective choices due to their long lifespan—50 to 100 years or more. Both concrete and clay tile outlast other roofing materials, with manufacturers offering warranties from 50 years to the life of the structure. In fact, in Asia and Europe, many structures with clay roof tiles have remained intact, functional and beautiful for centuries.

Require Limited Maintenance

All roofing systems require some maintenance, and certain climates and regions have special issues to address regardless of the type of roofing system. Under normal conditions, tile roofs require minimal maintenance. With tile, maintenance is restricted to gutters, protrusion flashings, and venting. With other roofing systems, maintenance may include coating, painting, cleaning, and/or sealing the majority of the roof surface.

The Roof Medics provides all kinds of roofing services:

Residential & Commercial Roofing

Roof Repairs & Roof Replacement

Shingles, Tiles, Coatings, Foam, Flat Roofs, etc...

Call us today at 480-284-7338!

www.theroofmedics.com

Roofing in the Arizona Monsoon Season

The Arizona Monsoon season brings some of the craziest weather in the American Southwest. It is hot (and humid!), windy at times (Haboobs!) and there is always a chance of rain – even when the forecast says 0%…  Stray thunderstorms may pop up anywhere in the Valley of the Sun.  It may be pouring rain somewhere in the East Valley (Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert) and sunny & clear at the same time on the West side (Glendale, Phoenix, Avondale, Surprise).

This is also an Arizonan roofing companie’s busiest time of the year, especially in the Phoenix Metro area.  Most roofing companies prepare all year for the Monsoon Season.  Some people can’t believe will still work in these conditions, but year-in and year-out the local roofing companies show up and take care of business.

So don’t worry about getting your roof work completed during Monsoon season.  Roofing companies are used to this (well, we may never really ever get used to working on a roof  in 100+ degree temperatures with a lingering chance of rain, but we will make sure the work gets done is a professional and efficient manner).

The Roof Medics take extra precations to make sure your job will be water-tight everyday during the project.  The Roof Medics understands what it takes to get great roof job completed with the threat of heavy rain and high winds.  We are the professional roofers you’ve been looking for.  We are honest and professional and take our jobs very seriously.  We look to provide you the customer service you don’t expect from our industry.

To set an appointment for someone to come and look at your roof problem, please call 480-284-7338 or click here.

The Roof Medics – Roof Repair and Roof Replacement Specialists – Residential & Commericial

Licensed, Bonded, Insured  – AZ ROC CR42 License #256001