Survivalist Chronicles

Leak repairs are one of the many challenges that a homeowner is faced with. The problem becomes even more serious when you realize that leaks from the roof can cause a variety of problems in your home, such as mold infestations or damaged foundations. The serious drips and leaks which are proven to come from roof damage, and not other sources, require immediate roof repairs because the problems they can trigger are very challenging.

However, there’s no need to panic, because nowadays there’s a solution to every problem and leak repairs are actually quite easy to perform due to modern technology. Everyone knows that the first step in this leak repair process is to identify the leak source. Most roofs are proven to leak in places such as chimneys, skylights, valleys, fields of shingles, ice dams, wall step flashing or other types of flashings. Missing shingles may also be the cause of leaking from your rooftop.

The most common indication of roof leaks is a wet spot on the ceiling. However, when you see such a spot on your ceiling you shouldn’t think of roof repairs automatically, as there are other causes of roof leaks such as wind driven water or humidity in your attic. The source of the leak will determine the degree of complexity of the leak repairs that you need, and sometimes the best solution is to consult a specialist who will check the roof and determine the exact cause as well as the best solution. If you try to discover the leak source yourself, you should keep in mind that it could be up to ten feet sideways from the place where the dripping is. Therefore, identifying the source may be quite complex, and by the time you do it some serious roof repairs may be necessary.

Before you or the roofing contractor manage to do the necessary leak repairs, there are some precaution measures that you should not overlook. These include removing all perishable materials that are under the leak, and especially computers, TV sets and furniture.

Roof repairs can be prevented if you check your roof from time to time, even if there are no visible signs of roof damage or leaking. Heavy rain or snow may cause damage to your roof which may result in imminent roof repairs. However, roof inspection after such phenomena can help prevent roof repairs. Hurricanes or hails storms pose even more threats to the integrity of your roof. Therefore, even if the roof seems alright after such a serious weather phenomenon, keep in mind that a roof inspection will save your money by preventing some possible future roof repairs.

Sometimes it’s better to let professionals handle it because the place where roof leaks show up may be quite far away from where it originates. Roofing professionals will do all the work for you. You won’t have to put your life in jeopardy by walking on a roof that’s not safe or stepping on insecure framing members in your attic, trying to find the leak source. They will also tell you whether you need leak repairs or not, and what are the best roof repairs for you, according to your financial possibilities and the type of roof on your home.

For more information related with Roof Repairs and even about subjects like Leak Repairs please visit this website http://www.MAKRoofing.com



By: Groshan Fabiola

About the Author:

Content supplied by Yahoo Answers

If you live in an area where hails are something common, you must be aware of the fact that there will come a time when you will need some serious roof repairs or even a roof replacement. Time is also a defining factor in the amount of damage that your roof can handle. Like many other things, roofs deteriorate in time, but unfortunately there are some additional factors which make the process of deterioration even faster. Such factors include the unavoidable exposure to sun, rain, wind, snow, and so forth. Most roofs are made to last, but none of them will last a lifetime. If you’re lucky, the consequences of a serious hail will only be some roof repairs. But for many people, re-roofing is the only solution.

There’s nothing like the sense of pride and fulfillment that you get from doing something difficult on your own, without professional help, especially when it comes to your home. However, roof repairs or re-roofing does not exactly fit into the do-it-yourself category. The recommendation in such cases is that you turn to the services provided by roofing contractors.

Roofing contractors are professionals who will help you in all the aspects related to roof repairs of re-roofing. But you as a consumer have an important part in this project, as you have to take some important steps in ensuring that the final outcome of the process is just as you imagined it would be. Roofing contractors have to meet some requirements, which you have to check out. First of all, make sure that they are registered or certified. There must be a roofing contractors association in your state or region, where you can verify if the roofing contractor you have chosen is certified or not. Insurance for roofing contractors is also a must, so make sure you don’t omit this aspect. A handshake would have been enough once, but now certainty comes with a written and signed contract. However, before you sign anything, you should get some written estimates of your project from at least three different roofing contractors in your area, all based on the same materials that you have chosen for your roof repairs or re-roofing process. If the roofing contractor you have selected has prior experience in your area, you should also check out some of their previously completed projects, so that you can get a good idea of how they work. Talking to the owners who have been the roofing contractor’s clients might shed some light on how they deal will possible problems or complaints, or how they have handled issues during the entire job. In order to get the job done, the roofing contractor will need access to your home, and the question of trust arises. Of course, you must check the roofing contractor’s phone number, address and references, but it wouldn’t hurt to get an honest, unbiased opinion from someone who has been their client before you.

Should you ask for written estimates from different roofing contractors, you’ll find that there may be some differences among these bids. Study them thoroughly and try to understand these differences, because the most expensive project doesn’t have to be the best for what you need, but then again you shouldn’t jump at the cheapest one, which may turn out to be not so great, to say the least.

Keep in mind that there are many roofing contractors, and regardless of the complexity of your project, whether it’s just some roof repairs or a more serious re-roofing, you need the guarantee of a well carried out job at reasonable costs. Certified roofing contractors who do everything by the book are the answer for you.

For more information related with Roof Repairs and even about subjects like Roofing Contractors please visit this website http://www.MAKRoofing.com



By: Groshan Fabiola

About the Author:

Content supplied by Yahoo Answers

Steel Buildings – Green Applications

Gone are the outdated corrugated metal buildings of the past. The new generation of pre engineered steel buildings are finding use in an ever growing variety of Green building projects. Steel buildings are leading the way in the Green building revolution, meeting Green building design goals with innovative building design, engineering and use of materials.

Building Green

Green building design, also known as “sustainable building” is coming of age as we recognize that global resources are limited and that climate change is inevitable – unless we take positive action now.

Green building recognizes the environmental impact of buildings, their construction, lifecycle and ultimate demolition, and works to lessen this impact through

* Energy efficiency * Environmentally sound building materials * Innovative building design * Healthy indoor environment

Environmentally Friendly Pre-engineered Steel Buildings

Pre-engineered steel buildings also known as prefabricated buildings or prefab metal buildings are an innovative building solution featuring solid steel I-beam building construction.

* Pre-engineered steel buildings are designed and engineered by trained and certified structural metal building engineers to meet all local building codes for snow and wind load and seismic conditions.

* Steel building components are engineered and fabricated to precise specifications in a steel building factory using the highest grade commercial steel available.

* Modern steel manufacturers employ energy efficient methods in steel production that help to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

* When a steel building is demolished to make way for new construction the metal building materials don’t end up in a landfill like asphalt shingles, concrete, brick and wood. The steel is recycled instead.

* Steel can be recycled over and over again without loss of the quality of the steel.

* More steel is recycled than all other recyclable materials combined.

Cool Coatings Get Cool Energy Credit

“Cool” coatings are special siliconized polyester paints with superior reflective qualities. “Cool” coatings applied to steel buildings act as a thermal barrier to keep the insides of steel buildings cool in summer. This means that steel buildings coated with “cool” coatings use less energy, making steel buildings more energy efficient. The use of “cool” coatings for steel buildings saves money and the environment through reduced energy costs over the life of the building and can even qualify for Federal tax credits.

Urban Heat Islands: Cool Roofs Bring Relief

Savvy builders are taking advantage of the fact that metal building roofs reflect light and heat keeping buildings cooler in hot weather. Plus, metal building roofs don’t store heat and radiate it back at night like other types of roofs. This saves energy in cooling costs and helps save the environment by lessening the urban “heat island” effect. An “urban heat island” happens when urban concrete and asphalt construction absorbs heat during the day then radiates it back at night so that temperatures don’t fall at night as they normally would, and is a powerful contributor to climate change and global warming.

In places like California, Texas and Florida, commercial building construction is taking advantage of the “cool” properties of steel building metal roofs for commercial buildings such as warehouses, industrial manufacturing plants, aircraft hangars, storage buildings, retail outlet stores, auto dealerships, strip malls and more.

Metal building roofs also work to save energy and the environment in cooler climates. A painted metal roof not only reflects heat in summer, but also retains heat inside the building on cool days, saving on heating costs and keeping the indoor environment healthy and comfortable in both summer and winter. New metal building roofs qualify for Federal tax credits.

Steel Buildings: Cost Effective, Energy Efficient and Green

* Steel buildings don’t require cutting down valuable forests.

* Steel buildings are manufactured with a high proportion of recycled content.

* Steel buildings employ sustainable building design and construction and erect in less time than conventional building construction.

* Steel buildings are fire and rust resistant and steel buildings are virtually maintenance free.

* By their very nature, steel buildings are durable, cost-effective, energy efficient and Green.



By: Linda Falorio

About the Author:

Content supplied by Articlesbase.com

Steel buildings are looked upon not just for their strength, but more so for their functionality. There are steel buildings that can be used as functional offices. There are some which host households, while some serve as storage areas. More than providing shelter to individuals, steel buildings have evolved according to the particular requirements of people.

It was during the 20th century when construction companies realized how practical it is to build and make use of steel buildings. While most steel buildings have been destroyed during the Second World War, a lot of companies continued to construct steel buildings especially since steel became more available after World War II.

Steel buildings offer a lot of benefits like having great quality as well as low maintenance costs. Steel buildings are likewise non-combustible, not to mention environment friendly. Construction companies can also save a lot when they construct steel buildings.

Most modern buildings are constructed from steel and are made of various segments evolving over time. Steel buildings are also considered safer since they boast of improved bases. Most modern commercial establishments like restaurants, shopping centers, and the like are housed in steel buildings. There are many houses too that are constructed out of steel.

If you are looking to put up your own steel building you should evaluate first the purpose of building one. Are you constructing a steel building to serve as your residence? Are you doing it for extra storage? In fact you can also construct your own steel building at your own backyard. The Internet is a rich resource of how you can go about constructing your own steel building.

What’s more, steel buildings can also be used as a shelter for your animals. You can have steel buildings to place your pigs, horses, or whatever animals you may have. You can also make use of steel buildings for your simple backyard enterprise, or storage of your important materials.

If you have a business wherein you have some materials that you need to be stored, you would be able to have a good stock room with steel buildings.

Steel buildings can also serve as garages. You can place your car, lawn mover, and even the riding toys and bikes of your kids in a steel building. You can save tons of spaces if you use steel buildings.

You can also make your steel buildings as carports that would shelter your vehicles from weather disturbances like rains and even the heat. Of course, no man made creation can withstand nature’s wrath, yet steel buildings do a good job to a certain extent.

There is one negative side to building the above structures using steel and that is, steel can heat up fast and during sunny days, they may not really be favorable. Especially if you are considering building shelter homes for animals, consider building some sort of heat proof to avoid any complications that may arise otherwise. Whatever you do, a long term plan is mandatory to make your investment the best and safest.



By: Althaf Ahmed

About the Author:

Content supplied by Articlesbase.com

An earthquake is the most extreme condition that any building may be required to survive during its lifetime. To survive the natures might safely and surely also poses the greatest challenge to the architects and structural engineers. However the modern day computational power and the technological advances in the earthquake protection industry has made the solution once considered un-surmountable a reality. There are numerous companies specializing only in Earthquake Protection.

Today most medium and high-rise buildings are following Life-Safety Design, more popularly referred as Earthquake Resistant Design for protection against earthquakes. However the awareness amongst people living in the seismic regions is increasing and they are now aware that for a small additional cost they can get a much higher Earthquake Protection for their buildings than what is mandatory as per the seismic codes. As the seismic codes are based on the Life-Safety / Earthquake Resistant design so they are aiming to prevent a total building collapse in case of a major earthquake, thereby saving lives. For the user/owner of the property this implies that even an Earthquake Resistant building does not provide any guarantee that it would be habitable for living / doing business after a major earthquake. The earthquake will structurally damage the building and incase the damage is above a threshold level there would be no option but to demolish and re-construct.

The architects and structural consultants are therefore are no longer designing only to meet the government building code requirements but are going by the seismic performance criteria being demanded by their clients, in addition to the mandatory requirements of the building codes. Building codes are applicable to all buildings at large belonging to all strata of society and therefore the socio-economic conditions need to be carefully looked into before formulating them. For this reason it is not possible to lay down the stringent earthquake safeguards as many would not simply be able to afford the associated cost.

The risk assessment exercises by the major insurance companies and financial institutions is another factor encouraging people to reduce risks by going in for the state-of-the-art earthquake protection technologies. Businesses want to limit the threat to their employees as well as cover their business against losses due to earthquakes. The insurance companies world over are refusing to guarantee such losses unless the buildings which house these businesses adhere to enhanced safety standards. The reduced insurance premiums and financing at lower rates of interest more than compensates for the cost of enhanced earthquake protection in the long run. Most earthquake protection devices come with a warranty of upto 35 years which can be further enhanced after a performance related test when the initial warranty period gets over. Typically the life of earthquake protection devices is greater than the life of the building per se.

In United States it is mandatory for the computer data centers mushrooming all over to be designed to withstand the severest of the earthquakes as they house the sensitive data of not one but many hundreds of businesses. The repercussions of not designing buildings to withstand earthquakes are grave. Similarly the US government has laid down very strict compliance criteria for seismic performance of hospitals; they say “you cannot have deaths due to building collapse in a place that is meant to treat earthquake victims”. Various government departments are also paying a great deal of attention on keeping essential infrastructure like public buildings, bridges and airports operational even in case of a major earthquake.

“Immediate Occupancy” and “Fully Operational” during and post a major earthquake is the criteria that is spelt out for important structures. The architects and structural consultants are then asked to meet these criteria. This design concept is also known as Performance Based Design.

As the awareness and economic prosperity is increasing, more and more people want to reduce risks. Not to forget the urge of many upwardly mobile to live in high-rise buildings away from the pollution and noise with their balconies overlooking the cityscape giving them a sense of achievement, superiority and contentment after a tiring days work. However many have started to realize the peril of staying in a high-rise, they become more vulnerable to the seismic effects. Vulnerability can be explained by taking the example of Dubai, 10 years back when high-rises didn’t exist, people use to only come to know of the earthquakes happening in Iran through Newspapers, now with numerous buildings 25 storeys and more their have been instances when the buildings have undergone evacuation because of excessive swaying even for medium intensity earthquakes happening in Iran. A major earthquake will almost certainly cause great structural damage in buildings not incorporating the safe guards.

For enabling the architects and structural consultants to undertake Performance Based Design the client would have to spell out two parameters i.e. Peak Earthquake Intensity and Perceived Distance of the building from the earthquake epicenter. Typically a 6.5 magnitude earthquake with its epicenter 50-100 Kms away is considered good protection criteria. Some may contend with having their buildings designed to resist upto 6.5 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale where as another person would demand a structural performance even in the case of a magnitude 8.0 earthquake simply because he/she is not willing to accept the associated risk that the earthquake damage may expose him to. The structural consultant then selects an appropriate set of “earthquake time-histories” recorded from earlier earthquakes and designs the structure by undertaking “Time-History Analysis” such that the inter-storey displacements always stay in the elastic range, thereby implying No/Insignificant structural damage even during a major earthquake. Buildings not employing advanced earthquake protection will most certainly sustain high degree of structural damage as the only way the earthquake energy can be absorbed by any building is by way of causing some damage. When a building is subjected to a major quake, energy is absorbed by cracking of concrete and elongation of steel beyond the elastic limits. This damage to the structural members if beyond a threshold level can be dangerous. There does exists another way of absorbing earthquake energy i.e. Dampers.

The most efficient and cost effective way to achieve energy dissipation in buildings is by using Earthquake Dampers. Dampers are mechanical devices that look some what like huge shock absorbers. Dampers function is to absorb and dissipate the energy supplied by the ground movement during an earthquake so that the building remains unharmed, their functioning is also akin to shock absorbers. Whenever the building is in motion during a earthquake tremor they help in restricting the building from swaying excessively and thereby preventing structural damage. The earthquake energy absorbed by these dampers gets converted into heat which is then dissipated into the atmosphere. Dampers thus work to absorb earthquake shocks ensuring that the structural members i.e. beam and columns remain unharmed. There are four types of dampers i.e. Viscoelastic, Friction, Metallic Yield and Fluid Viscous. Many companies specializing in the field are making a bee-line for establishing operations in India. India’s success story of economic growth and the projections for the immediate future, coupled with the heightened seismic activity in the region over the past few years, has led many to look at India as a attractive market destination. For low-rise buildings base isolation technique is also extremely popular. In Base-Isolation the structure above ground is separated from the foundation by inserting rollers/pads between the foundation and the building. These isolators allow the structure to move independently of the shifting ground below, thereby effectively isolating it from the ground motion. Base Isolation is however not appropriate for all buildings and is suitable for only low rise buildings upto 2-3 storeys that have a much larger spread than its height.

Dampers on the other hand are most suitable for high-rise buildings and are in extensive use the world over. High-rises also happen to be the most susceptible to earthquakes. Over the years Fluid Viscous Dampers have come out as clear leaders in seismic applications. Many hundreds of projects have incorporated the technology and the count is increasing by the day. The cost effect for Fluid Viscous Dampers is in the range of Rs. 150 to 200 per square foot, other types cost less however do not come with associated warranties. Dampers manufactured by Taylor Devices have a performance warranty of 35 years which can be further enhanced after testing; however their life is considerably more as they are designed to last more than the building.

Dampers can be installed in existing and new buildings with ease. This makes them extremely versatile for retrofit projects i.e. buildings that need to be seismically upgraded to meet the Revised Seismic Codes. In India the Seismic Code IS-1893 was last revised in the year 2002 after valuable lessons learnt during the Gujarat earthquake. There are many who desire their building also needs to be upgraded to the revised standards. Dampers are ideally suited for this job as it requires minimal civil construction works and the job can be easily undertaken with the building being simultaneously in use. Incase of new buildings by installing Earthquake Dampers you can achieve a protection level much higher than the Earthquake Resistant/ Life Safety design. In most structures, the Dampers stay hidden in partition walls and inconspicuous locations and, therefore, are not visible to occupants. However there are many architects who have used the diagonal, A and V placing of the dampers to give an aesthetic appearance.

Silvertie Centre in Beijing is presently the tallest building in China and towers 63 storeys. It has dampers installed to counter the adverse earthquake and wind effects so as to preserve the structural integrity. As for the seismic susceptibility, Beijing can be compared to Indian Seismic Zones 3 & 4. There are many propagandists of high-rises who time and again have written about converting the Indian cityscape to resemble those of Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai. It is important for them to realize that all of these cities fall in the Non-Seismic regions and therefore the architects and structural consultants there only take into account the wind effects while designing structures. India on the other hand falls in the seismic belt and therefore should be compared only to cities in Japan, Taiwan, China, USA ( San Andres fault line) etc. In all of these countries there exist stringent guidelines for tall buildings, it is yet to be seen how and with which regulations the authorities in India confront this issue. Some of the other high-profile buildings incorporating dampers are Sky-bridge of Petronas tower Malaysia, JR Tokai Shin Yokohama station in Japan, Jan-Ron Ritz building in Taiwan, 67 storey Park Hyatt hotel in Chicago, Yerba Buena tower in San Francisco, 55 storey Torre Mayor in Mexico, which also happened to win the award for the best seismically engineered structure in 2005 after the structural engineers monitored the building performance during and post an real life earthquake of magnitude 7.6 on the Richter scale which hit just off the coast of Colima, Mexico (January 21, 2003). Substantial Shaking was felt in Mexico City, but Torre Mayor performed without a scratch. There are hundreds in the list of buildings incorporating dampers ranging from single storey to the highest that the world has seen, a Google search would bring forth hundreds on your screen.

Fluid Viscous Damping technology is also used to protect bridges. When used in bridges the orifice of the giant shock absorbers is substantially reduced so as to get what is known as Shock Transmission Unit (STU). STUs are very widely used in all types of bridge construction as they not only help in protecting bridges from seismic effects but also reduce costs by facilitate load sharing amongst various sub and super structure components. Sutong Changjiang river bridge which also happens to be the worlds longest cable stayed bridge uses these devices extensively and so does Nanjing 3rd Crossing bridge which has the title of the second largest cable stayed bridge to its credit. A glance at the photographs/ rendering of these bridges cannot but take our minds to the striking similarity to the Bandra-Worli sea-link. It is to be seen as to what safety standards the Government insists on this project. The metro projects in Seattle and Taiwan also make extensive use of this technology i.e. Seattle Central Link Light Rail and Taiwan High Speed Rail; however we do not come across this technology being used in Delhi which lies in Seismic Zone-IV. Taylor Devices are the leading manufacturers of Fluid Viscous Dampers for the earthquake protection of buildings and Shock Transmission Units for protection of bridges and flyovers.



By: Sandeep Donald Shah

About the Author:

Content supplied by Articlesbase.com