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Most of us understand basic science concepts whether we explicitly learned them in school or simply encounter them in day-to-day life. You don’t have to be an expert to understand most of these topics, and many times they are so integrated into our daily lives we barely notice how much we know about them. One of these topics is the concept of freezing water. Many of us have ice in our drinking water, use a freezer regularly, or live in an area where winter gets below freezing temperatures. In all of these situations, we have a basic understanding of the science behind water temperatures. As water freezes, it expands. This is why you can’t put cans of sparkling water or soda in the freezer — the expansion of the drink as it freezes will cause the can to explode. If you thaw an ice cube, it contracts and enters its liquid form — water. What many people don’t realize is that this very concept occurs outside naturally, and the effects of it can wreak havoc on your roof.

How freeze-thaw cycles can cause damage

Water and moisture are always in the air. That moisture finds its way into anything it can as a gas or a liquid in the atmosphere. Then, when temperatures drop, the water molecules start to expand. As the water expands, it puts pressure on the object it is inside of. In some cases, like basketballs or plastic buckets, the material that contains the moisture can stretch to accommodate the expansion. However, in things such as concrete or roofing tiles, there is no give in the material to allow it to expand. This means that the freezing water can cause cracks and breakages in the rigid object as it expands. This pressure is created multiple times per week as temperatures rise and fall above and below freezing levels. This cycle puts significant stress on your roof’s shingles and can cause lasting damage.

Signs of roofing freeze-thaw damage

Freeze-thaw cycles can create several problems for your roof, but they don’t all look the same. Here are some signs that your roof is taking a beating from freeze-thaw cycles:

Uneven or small space between shingles. Shingles should be evenly spaced. If they have moved or seem uneven, the expansion and contraction process has moved them loose.Ice Dams. Ice dams happen when the heating on your roof is not uniform or when the freeze-thaw cycle happens with greater frequency. In these instances, snow melts and runs down the roof as water. The water then gets stuck behind shingles and causes pressure beneath the shingles when it freezes again.Flashing is out of place. Roofs have metal flashing sheets that seal the cracks on the sides and seams of a roof. If the flashing on your eaves, peak, chimney, etc., has separated from an area, ice dams have likely created damage. These gaps can easily allow further moisture to enter your home and can even cause flooding if not addressed swiftly.

Though these situations can seem frightening, it’s possible to mitigate the damage they cause by addressing the issue early.

Long-term effects of the freeze-thaw cycle

There are other ways in which the freeze-thaw cycle can create long-term damage to your home, investment, and even your family’s health. Here are some long-term effects of the freeze-thaw cycle:

The freeze-thaw cycle brings moisture under your shingles and into your home. This moisture generally collects in the attic but can spread from there. The water that condenses inside is not clean and brings mold and bacteria with it. As these germs reach the warmth of your home, they are free to grow and spread, causing breathing problems, heightened allergies, and other serious health issues.The freeze-thaw cycle speeds up the damage process to your roof. Though all roofs go through wear and tear, if left untreated, the effects of the freeze-thaw cycle could leave you with repairs for which you were not prepared.Ice dams easily damage gutters or even remove them from the sides of the roof. When this happens, runoff cannot be directed to the gutters and often pools in your yard or basement.

How to protect your roof

The effects of the freeze-thaw cycle are extreme, and many people stress after discovering what it can do to their home. Fear not. There are steps you can take to protect your roof from significant damage. Follow these steps to protect your home this winter:

Remove the snow from your roof as soon as you can. Many people call a professional to handle this job safely. This process prevents ice dams.If an ice dam has already occurred, call a professional right away to have it removed. The longer you leave it, the more damage you can cause.The best thing you can do for your roof in the long term is to make sure that your attic is well ventilated. This airflow keeps the temperature of your roof even and keeps ice from forming.Schedule regular roofing inspections. It never hurts to have a professional inspect the state of your roof once or twice a year. If you catch roofing problems early, they are often far easier and less stressful to fix.

Hire a professional

Though technically you can remove ice dams and repair your roof on your own, we really don’t recommend doing so. It is easy to fall and injure yourself or even die when trying to work on a roof without proper equipment and experience. Even ground-based methods such as roof rakes don’t work well and often just create further damage to your shingles. It’s best to call a local, trusted roofer to help you maintain your roof and create a plan for dealing with any issues.

Contact Mr. Roof

For roofers who know all of the ins and outs of the freeze-thaw cycle,contact Mr. Roof. We have been battling ice dams and roofing problems for over 50 years, and there truly isn’t a situation we haven’t seen before. Our number one mission is to give you peace of mind with our craftsmanship and standout customer service. When you hire Mr. Roof, you know that the job will be done correctly and honestly and that the issue was fully resolved. Don’t wait on freeze-thaw cycle issues — call us today.

The post How Freeze-Thaw Cycles Affect Your Roof appeared first on Mr Roof.

Rental equipment revenue will grow a moderate 3% over 2020 through the remainder of 2021 – but hang on in 2022.

The American Rental Association says it now expects the combined construction/industrial and general tool rental revenue to grow by almost 10% next year, reaching a record $52.4 billion. That number even tops the rental industry’s 2019 height of $50.9 billion.

The news is even brighter for the construction equipment segment, which ARA forecasts will grow 12.3% in 2022, reaching $38.7 billion. ARA says it did not include the impact of the proposed infrastructure bill now making a tortuous path through Congress  in its calculations.

American Rental AssociationJohn McClelland, ARA vice president for government affairs and chief economist, says most of the benefits of increased infrastructure spending will not occur next year since it takes time for projects to be approved and funding obligated. IHS Markit, which produces the ARA forecast, will incorporate the infrastructure spending “once we have a clear indication of final passage” of the bill, McClelland says.

IHS is monitoring the market to see to what degree inflation which has not been an issue for more than a decade is inflected in rental-rate increases.

ARA also issues a five-year projection with each forecast. It now projects rental revenues to grow 5.5% in 2023, 2.5% in 2024, and 3.3% in 2025 to reach $58.6 billion.

ARA says rental companies slashed construction equipment and general tool capital expenditures by 44.4% in 2020, dropping equipment investment to $7.64 billion. Now on the rebound, ARA predicts equipment investment will grow by 36.2% this year to $10.4 billion, followed by another 36% increase to $14.2 billion in 2022. Additionally, this investment will grow by 10.9% in 2023, 2.3% in 2024 and 3.8% in 2025 to total more than $16.6 billion, according to ARA.

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Caterpillar upgraded its 568 Forest Machine with new features to boost productivity, comfort and safety and reduce maintenance time and cost.

With a 347-horsepower Cat 9.3B diesel engine, the 568’s electrohydraulic control system puts out 10% more swing torque and 14% more drawbar pull, which makes grabbing and moving heavy logs faster. Smart mode controls match engine output and hydraulic power to the load resulting in 5% lower fuel consumption.

The reinforced certified forestry cab structure and 1.25-inch-thick polycarbonate windshield protects you from logs and limbs that may break loose while loading. The interior of the heated and cooled cab has been increased 25%, which allows most operators to stand up without hitting their head. Cat also narrowed the cab pillars and added larger panoramic windows and a flat hood to give you 50% more visibility. For cab access, you have the option of side or rear entry. A rearview camera comes standard, and three cab riser heights are available: 22, 48 and 72 inches. For easy transport, the cab tilts with hydraulic assist.

The new electrohydraulic control system eliminates the need for a pilot filter and pilot oil. Fuel-filter change intervals have been pushed out to 1,000 hours, double the life of the previous model. And the hydraulic-oil return filter offers a 3,000-hour service life, 50% longer than the previous forest machine. The on-demand cooling fan works only when needed, and the fan reversal can be programmed to come on at different intervals to clean out debris.

If you’ve grown to like push-button start on your truck, you’ll appreciate the same option on the revamped 568. Starting can also be accomplished with Bluetooth key fob or a unique operator ID function. With the operator ID, you can program the machine to remember individual settings and attachment preferences using the 10-inch-high resolution touchscreen.

If you’ve had trouble locating attachments in the past, Cat’s PL161 Attachment Locator can help you find where you last put your work tool, even if it’s overgrown with debris or vegetation.

Given that many forestry operations are in extreme cold or hot weather, the Cat 568 boasts a cold-start capability down to minus-32 degrees Fahrenheit and in hot weather up to 126 degrees. And should your contract call for cutting trees high up in the mountains, the 568 will operate without derating at altitudes up to 9,842 feet above sea level.

Cat 568 Quick Specs>

Engine: 347 hp>Operating weight, forestry:  104,280 lbs.>Operating weight, log loader:  105,380 lbs.Max reach, forestry: 38 ft. 4-in.Max reach, log loader: 2 ft. 5 in.Drawbar pull: 84,978 lb.-ft.Swing torque: 120,222 lb.-ft.

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Contractors with more than 100 employees are sitting in limbo as the Occupational Health and Safety Administration finalizes its guidance on vaccine mandates. OSHA sent its recommendations to the White House for review last week, and the final approval may be granted as soon as this week.

Once the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) completes its review and publishes the rule in the Federal Register, the rule will go into effect.

President Biden announced the executive order mandating COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly testing for employers with more than 100 employees in early September. Employees of contractors who do business with the federal government must get the vaccine; there is no option for routine testing in place of immunization.

Failure to comply will result in penalties costing $14,000 per violation. Large companies will also need to provide employees paid time off for vaccination as part of the rule. The policies will affect 100 million American workers.

Lagging Vaccination Rate

Vaccine mandates could have dire consequences for the construction industry, which is already plagued by worker shortages. Currently, 53% of the construction labor force is vaccinated, according to data from the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), a nonprofit founded by building trade unions. Forty-one percent of the construction labor force says it’s hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine, CPWR says, with the top barrier being distrust of the government.

Because of the hesitancy to receive the vaccine, contractors with more than 100 employees may face the real threat of workers walking. Those reluctant to get the jab may opt to move to a smaller business that falls outside of the mandate.

Industry Groups Respond

Construction workers were among the first groups eligible to receive the vaccine, and industry associations have encouraged voluntary COVID-19 vaccination for their members and employees from the start. The Associated General Contractors of America and Associated Builders and Contractors say a mandate could put a strain on the industry, as well as the country’s infrastructure needs.

“Many of the challenges affecting contractors are being driven by the pandemic and policy responses to it, instead of typical market conditions,” said Stephen Sandherr, AGC chief executive officer,. “This federal contractor vaccination mandate could further exacerbate the industry’s workforce and significantly increases federal project costs and delays to the detriment of meeting vast federal government infrastructure needs.”

Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs, echoed that sentiment, stating, “This guidance will result in additional compliance burdens, exacerbate the construction industry’s skilled- workforce shortage and increase costs for federal contractors and taxpayers. ABC is philosophically opposed to federal mandates that undermine the desired policy outcome.”

Conflicting requirements at the state level add to the confusion, with several governors announcing they will ban the vaccine mandate. 

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The investigation into a worker’s death on a bridge demolition project at the Outer Banks of North Carolina has resulted in a proposed penalty of $23,210 for the contractor.

PCL Civil Constructors, based in Tampa, Florida, overloaded bridge sections, exposed workers to struck-by hazards and failed to use engineering surveys or calculations to prevent collapse, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  

Jose Armando Maqueda Mejia, 42, of Manns Harbor, North Carolina, died April 14 after he fell more than 50 feet into the Oregon Inlet when a remaining section of the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge bridge collapsed. The bridge was built in 1963 and was being demolished piecemeal after the new Marc Basnight Bridge opened in 2019 as its replacement.

Mejia, a welder, was cutting crossbeams on top of a bridge section where concrete had been discarded, OSHA says. The weight of the concrete caused the section’s collapse and Mejia’s fall, the agency reports.

According to the OSHA citation, PCL used “different demolition sequences, and developed its own plan, without performing any engineering surveys and calculations to determine the adequacy of the structure and the potential for unplanned collapse of any portion of the structure during demolition.” It added that workers “were exposed to struck-by hazards.”

The citation also said the structural members of the bridge’s last two spans “were overloaded beyond their load-carrying capacities.”

The two violations are deemed “serious” by OSHA, which means a hazard exists that could cause an accident that would most likely result in death or serious harm.

“PCL Civil Constructors violated federal safety standards and a worker needlessly died as a result,” said OSHA Area Director Kimberley Morton in Raleigh. “If they had followed well-known standards, this tragic loss of life could have been prevented.”

PCL won the $252 million contract to build the 2.8-mile Marc Basnight Bridge to and from Hatteras Island and to demolish the Bonner Bridge.

A PCL spokesperson said the citation is under review, and its policy is not to comment while it is still pending.

The company can request an informal conference with OSHA within 15 working days to contest the proposed penalty.

 

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Compact wheel loaders continue to grow in popularity as contractors discover their many attributes: how they can dump higher, travel faster and turn tighter than skid steers and compact track loaders. And did we mention they do all this with a smaller engine and great fuel economy?

Bobcat’s latest entries into the compact wheel loader field include the L65 and L85 with standard bucket capacities of up to 1 cubic yard and a Z-bar front linkage. In addition to buckets and pallet forks, the new loaders hook up to a wide range of Bobcat tools and attachments using the powered Bob-Tach system.

The new loaders run on a redesigned Tier 4 Final Bobcat engine with improved cold-weather starting capability and components simplified for routine maintenance. The 2.4-liter turbocharged diesel engines put out 55 and 68 horsepower on the L65 and L85, respectively. The attachment control mode enables you to vary the engine and travel speeds separately to optimize auxiliary hydraulic performance.

Bobcat L85 compact wheel loaderDoosan BobcatA large fuel filter protects the engine from contamination and results in a longer filter life and increased holding capacity. The lift pump and self-priming fuel system offers continuous forced air outflow and eliminates the need for a primer bulb. And a pre-filter protects the lift pump from debris and particles that increase wear and degrade performance.

Articulated steering on the new L65 and L85 loaders delivers high maneuverability and a tight turning radius. The electronic hydrostatic transmission (E-HST) makes quick forward-reverse direction changes efficiently, increasing acceleration and delivering seamless speed control. The combination of the E-HST transmission and horsepower management automatically adjusts the loaders’ drive system to maximize pushing and loading power while minimizing the chance of stalling. Unlike other anti-stall systems, operators can maximize engine and drive torque on the L65 and L85 to match the demands of heavy lifting and digging.

Standard features include two-speed travel, differential lock, inching pedal, LED work lights, bucket level indicator and a 5-inch display with jog shuttle. Upgrade options include an attachment control device (seven pin connector), automatic ride control, enclosed cab with HVAC, rearview camera and a cloth suspension seat.

Quick Specs

Bobcat L65>

• Rated Operating Capacity with Bucket (Straight) 3,133 lb.

• Rated Operating Capacity with Bucket (Articulated) 2,618 lb.

• Rated Operating Capacity with Forks (Straight) 3,759 lb.

• Rated Operating Capacity with Forks (Articulated) 3,172 lb.

• Operating Weight 9,944 lb.

• Auxiliary Std Flow 19.8 gpm

Bobcat L85 >

• Rated Operating Capacity with Bucket (Straight) 3,974 lb.

• Rated Operating Capacity with Bucket (Articulated) 3,257 lb.

• Rated Operating Capacity with Forks (Straight) 4,786 lb.

• Rated Operating Capacity with Forks (Articulated) 3,977 lb.

• Operating Weight 11,164 lb.

• Auxiliary High Flow 27.34 gpm