The Craft of Roofing Commercial Buildings and Homes

Tile roof below Mt. Wilson

Choosing a roofing contractor around Pasadena, Temple City and the San Gabriel Valley doesn’t seem to be too hard because roofs are everywhere and so are roofing companies.

Before reading further, do you know the answer to this question:

Which is most likely to degrade roofs—rain or the sun?

The answer–the sun.

In our climate, the sun is most likely to damage and weaken roofs so that winter rains eventually penetrate the underlayment and leak into your attic or other parts of your home.

Garvey Roofing takes great care to install a roof for all seasons.

Roofing is a craft that’s learned and requires staying up to date on materials, roofing techniques and policies that affect municipal building codes around Los Angeles County.

Thomas Garvey, owner of Garvey Roofing, is a local roofing contractor who’s located in Monrovia and has been serving the greater San Gabriel Valley for over 30 years—from Alhambra to Azusa and the cities in between.

Installing and repairing residential and commercial roofs is a craft and requires specific skills to make a roof last for the lifetime that the manufacturer projects. Quality roofing begins with an understanding of the roof will impact the building and how the climate affects the roof.

Now, how about your bottom line as a customer?

All roofing estimates are free with Garvey Roofing and all labor and materials are guaranteed so you have peace of mind.

Roofing as Building Science

A roof is an important component of a house, an apartment and a commercial building like a retail establishment or warehouse. It doesn’t just protect the overall structure from bad weather like rain and summer’s extreme heat, but it affects the flow of air and the building’s energy efficiency.

Roofing is a part of the overall approach to building science, explained in detail in this excellent article on Vertexeng.com. A building has many sub-systems that need to be considered.

The San Gabriel Valley is home to thousands of homes built in the early 1900s. Families migrated and settled in the region because of its favorable climate in hopes of finding a cure for tuberculosis in addition to ranching and tending to lush citrus orchards.

Simply plopping a roof on the older wood frame homes could hurt the structure so Garvey Roofing takes into account the load the homes can handle along with the ventilation needed to keep the attic dry in the winter and cool in the summer.

One of Garvey’s roofing achievements was a delicate operation—installing a roof on homes in Heritage Square off the 110 freeway. The Victorian homes needed special care and attention to how the roofing was installed so that the structure wouldn’t bow.

There’s an array of roofs that you can see from along the 210 freeway or driving up streets like Lake Avenue in Pasadena. Weave through the residential streets from Arcadia to Glendora and you’ll notice bungalow style homes, parapet roofs with tile, contemporary structures on ranch-style homes and mini-mansions covered in tile.

Each building has a science in how the components work together in support of a quality living experience.

Rather than give a broad overview, here are specific roofing topics.

The Craft of Commercial Roofing

Garvey Roofing handles both commercial and residential roofs. Many commercial roofs on apartment buildings and in industrial parks like the one visible near the 210 and 605 freeways are low slope and require specific attention to the interior drains.

The right materials are needed, of course, to protect the roof and proper installation is critical so the materials last the expected length of time and that leaks don’t occur.

Commercial roofing materials include metal, TPO is one of the most popular types of commercial roofing systems, according to roofing manufacturer GAF. Sealing around edges and vents is necessary to prevent water build-up and eventual leaks.

Roofing requires attention to detail.

Check the video on Garvey TV to see how Thomas Garvey protects drains on low slope roofs. He makes the proper cuts, installs the right accessories and uses white silicon sealant to reflect the sun’s heat and cover the screw heads.

In the final step, he installs a covering so large objects don’t accidentally fall into the drain and he cuts the plastic lip off the cover so that no water is left standing on the roof. This is an extra step that other roofing contractors will likely skip.

Garvey Roofing can also do steep slope commercial roofs like local churches often have.

The Craft of Residential Roofing

Homeowners and landlords shouldn’t have to pay for extra energy costs because the roof is absorbing extra heat and the attic’s ventilation is sub-standard. The heat that doesn’t have to be there will shorten the life of your roof.

An energy efficient home reduces utility bills and is kind to the environment.

But before you think you need to have a solar roof installed, Thomas Garvey will install the right plywood decking, cutting edge underlayment that repels UV rays and proper ventilation. Using what appears to be a traditional approach can be a third less expensive than a solar roof while reducing air conditioning and heating costs.

The Little Things are Big

Roofing a residential roof also requires attention to the small details that can become a big deal like:

Sealing Protrusions – roofs have various protrusions like chimneys and vents. Not sealing properly with metal flashings or the right sealant can eventually lead to leaks
Using Proper Nailing Techniques – nailing properly keeps shingles attached so they don’t blow off when the Santa Ana or other winds hit
Installing Drip Edge Correctly – water curls under the drip edge and can run back beneath shingles and gradually cause damage to the decking

if these little things were done poorly, they can usually be repaired so that you don’t have to replace your roof.