Condo Media - February 2011 - 31

hire an engineer qualified to perform airflow tests, determine how much ventilation is required and design a ventilation system. If you want your new roof to have a long and happy life, it’s going to need plenty of air.

Consider 50-Year Shingles
One of the easiest ways to add significant value to your new roof is to use 50-year shingles instead of 30-year shingles. That’s because the cost to upgrade to the higher-quality 50-year shingle — and add 20 years to your roof’s life expectancy — is only a small percentage more than the total installed cost of using 30-year shingles. Let’s do the math … For the sake of this example, let’s assume that a 30-year shingle costs $85 per square and a 50-year shingle costs $110 per square. In other words, the material cost for the 50-year shingle is nearly 30 percent more per square than the 30-year shingle. Which means that choosing 50-year shingles increases your roof’s life expectancy by 67 percent at a cost of only 30 percent greater than the price for 30-year shingles. If you think that sounds like a good deal, you’d be right. But in reality, choosing 50-year shingles is an even much greater value. That’s because what really matters is comparing the total installed cost (which includes materials, labor and any other costs) for 30-year vs. 50-year shingles. In this case, let’s assume the total installed cost for 30-year shingles is $375 per square; and the total installed cost for 50-year shingles is $400 per square. Notice that the total installed cost for 50-years shingles is still $25 per square more than the 30-year shingle. However, upgrading to the 50-year shingle represents only a 7 percent increase in total installed costs over the 30-year shingle. That’s worth repeating: Upgrading to the higher-quality 50-year shingle gives your association a 67 percent increase in roof life expectancy for only a 7 percent increase in total installed cost. This is just a fraction of what your association

can expect to pay for the next set of new roofs in another 30 years. Does choosing a 50-year shingle make sense for your association? Ask a qualified contractor or engineer to run a lifecycle analysis of long-term costs for each option over 30 and 50 years. Be sure to consider how extending roof longevity for 20 years may allow you to free up reserve funds for other critical capital improvement projects.

Focus on Flashing Details
When it comes to roofing and water penetration, the devil is in the flashing details. In fact, most condo roof leaks can be traced to poorly flashed chimneys, skylights and vents, or to improperly flashed seams where a roof butts up against a transition wall. The best time to assure these critical flashing details are done right is during a roof replacement. Make sure flashing details are spelled out in project specifications, and verified by a qualified inspector during construction — not after the roof is completed. Stripping shingles and siding down to the sheathing also makes it possible to install waterproof membrane, a standard component of today’s roofing and siding systems not used on most first generation condominium buildings. Waterproof membrane should be used for all roof penetrations and at aboveroof siding transitions (typically 18 inches on the roof deck, and 18 inches up the adjacent wall). At the roof edge, waterproof membrane should be

wrapped over the fascia board and continue up the eaves at least six to nine feet, depending on the style of roof and seasonal snow loads. Important: The best way to assure the integrity of your building envelope against water penetration is to flash siding and roofing at the same time whenever possible. For the same reason, now is also the ideal time to replace your association’s aging skylights. Skylights don’t last forever, and it makes no sense to install a new roof around a skylight that’s nearing the end of its useful life (and is increasingly likely to leak). Use your roof replacement project as an opportunity to upgrade to new, energy-efficient skylights that are flashed and sealed properly with your new roofs. Even Better: During your roofing project, take the opportunity to replace cedar siding and pine trim on dormers and chimney boxes with longlife, low-maintenance, vinyl siding and PVC trim. You’ll save on labor (the roofing crews are already onsite) and avoid unnecessary future wear and tear on your new roofs from foot traffic. Don’t be concerned about appearances. When used for above-roof siding and trim, today’s vinyl and PVC products look just like cedar from the street. CM Fred Schernecker is the president of Schernecker Property Services, a full-service contractor specializing in New England community associations.

It’s coming this year!

You won’t want to miss the announcement!
Find out in the April edition of Condo Media.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF ANDOVER, INC.

CONDO MEDIA • FEBRUARY 2011

Condo Media - February 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - February 2011