Page 18 - New England Condominium October 2021

18 NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM -OCTOBER 2021 NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM INDUSTRY PROFILES Roof Replacement...or Rejuvenation? Today You Have Choices By New England Condominium Staff I t’s a well-worn truism that even seem- ingly disparate elements are often con- nected to each other in unexpected ways. Take your association’s roof, for ex- ample. Here in New England, if it’s a pitched roof, most likely its shingles are made of as- phalt. Asphalt is petroleum-based—and pe- troleum products are connected to climate change. The extremes of heat and cold we are experiencing (and will continue to expe- rience with greater frequency as the planet warms) are impacting both your roof and the materials it’s composed of, shortening the usable life of both. How to break that cycle? One Massachusetts-based company has a possible solution. What Are Asphalt Shingles? Most pitched roofs are composed of shingles made from a petroleum byprod- uct called liquid asphalt that keeps the shingles pliable and flexible. Over time, however, as shingles are exposed to suc- cessive cycles of heat and cold, moisture and drought, they lose their flexibility. Very much like our own skin—and yes, like our asphalt blacktop driveways— roofing shingles dry out from exposure to the sun, and will deteriorate and eventually crack. Until recently, the useful life of shin- gles—and by extension the roofs they comprise—was typically 20 to 30 years. But according to David Levy, PCAM, and president of Roof Maxx Framingham & National HOA/Condo Channel Partner, that’s no longer the case. “Today, we find that roofs are failing prematurely in many parts of the country,” he says, “and part of the reason for this failure is climate change. We now see roofs re- quiring replacement in as little as 15 to shingle to replace the liquid asphalt that pitched roof property owners are less 20 years.” This shortened lifespan is partly due sible to put liquid asphalt back into the (partly because inspecting a sloped roof to the fact that between 1995 and 2000, existing tile.” large oil companies made alterations to their refining process that reduced the spent more than 30 years in property for too long, this neglect leads to roof production of liquid asphalt by about management, guiding client communi- half. With less product to go around, ties and associations through capital eroded that the only solution is a total prices went up—and today, shingle roof repair and replacement projects replacement. manufacturers put less liquid asphalt in both large and small. He’s well famil- their shingles than they did in the past— some 25% to 35% less—and replaced it roofing materials over the years—and no return, application of the product can with limestone. With less liquid asphalt the cost of letting deterioration go too often turn the clock back and head off acting as a lubricant in their composi- tion, shingles are deteriorating faster, ity and environmental issues have also we determine that the shingles are dry- and simply don’t last as long. Enter Roof been important to Levy over the years, ing out, yet still structurally stable, a Maxx. What Is Roof Maxx? According to Levy, Roof Maxx is an different, he explored eco-friendly busi- alternative to a premature roof replace- ment. It’s a way of preserving the shin- gles you already have. Sprayed directly did a lot of research and due diligence, crew might replace some shingles and onto existing shingles, it acts like a mois- turizer—something like Oil of Olay for the product, the science supporting it, entire surface to reverse prior deteriora- your roof—rejuvenating the asphalt and and the owners of Roof Technologies, tion. restoring that all-important pliability to who have the rights to this innovative the material. What’s more, it’s also made product. “I’m also proud to say that Roof send flyers out to residents to make them from a sustainable, environmentally Maxx is American-made,” he adds. friendly material: soy. “What’s revolutionary about Roof Maxx is that it does not contain a pe- troleum-based product,” says Levy. “It’s it should be inspected at least every three rejuvenating the entire roof. The prod- soybean-oil-based—so there’s an un- limited supply. It’s also more durable ers with flat roofs are generally aware and usually requires a two- to three-per- over time, because liquid asphalt is not of the need for annual inspections, and son crew an hour or two to treat each environmentally friendly to begin with, diligent about conducting them—so building.” and dries out from the sun. Roof Maxx maintenance gets done regularly, wheth- is actually designed to be put into the er proactively or reactively. By contrast, has evaporated out. It wouldn’t be fea- Levy knows roofs intimately. He’s ous than inspecting a flat one). Let go iar with the toll the elements take on cure-all for a roof that’s past the point of far before addressing it. Sustainabil- so when he retired from property man- agement and decided to try something we apply Roof Maxx, we first do a ‘tune- ness opportunities. Roof Maxx was just a ‘tune-up’ is the same work you might such an opportunity—so Levy says he do as the preparation for a paint job; his and ultimately was very impressed with make other minor repairs, then treat the How Does it Work? No matter what style of roof is on the Roof Maxx application on the same your building or HOA, Levy stresses that day. When we apply Roof Maxx, we are to five years. He says that property own- likely to conduct regular inspections is both more difficult and more danger- materials becoming so desiccated and Levy says that while Roof Maxx isn’t a that major capital improvement. “When Roof Maxx treatment is in order. Before up’ on elements that are at risk.” He says Prior to treating a roof, Levy says, “we aware of the process; communication is key. Then we do the ‘tune-up’ work and uct is applied with a special soft sprayer,