ROOFING FLORIDA - October 2015

A Publication of the FRSA ◆ Florida’s Association of Roofing Professionals

AOBs – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly How to Beat Claims for Driveway Cracks History of TPO Seven Myths About PVC Debunked Single-Ply Roofing Just the Facts SEO and SEM

October 2015

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History of TPO

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Seven Myths About PVC – Debunked

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How to Beat Claims for Driveway Cracks

Single-Ply Roofing – Just the Facts

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AOBs – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

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SEO and SEM

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Now Available Online at www.floridaroof.com/roofing-florida-magazine

A Publication of the FRSA ◆ Florida’s Association of Roofing Professionals

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FRSA Executive Director, Lisa Pate, CEM ◆ Editor

For display advertising inquiries and all feedback including Letters to the Editor and reprint permission requests (please include your full name, city and state) contact Lisa Pate at: lisapate@floridaroof.com (800) 767-3772 ext. 157 RFM, PO Box 4850 Winter Park, FL 32793-4850 View media kit at: www.floridaroof.com/roofing-florida-magazine

Any material submitted for publication in ROOFING FLORIDA becomes the property of the publication. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the author(s) alone and do not imply an opinion or endorsement on the part of the officers or the membership of FRSA. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher.

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ROOFING FLORIDA (VOL. 6, NO. 10), October 2015, (ISSN 0191-4618) is published monthly by FRSA, 7071 University Boulevard, Winter Park, FL 32792. Periodicals Postage paid at Orlando, FL. POSTMASTER: Please send address corrections (form 3579) to ROOFING FLORIDA, PO Box 4850, Winter Park, FL 32793-4850.

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ROOFING Florida

October 2015

Donnie Harp ◆ President’s Column

On Track for a Winning Future In September, FRSA’s Board of Directors and Committee members met at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate in preparation for our new fiscal year which began on October 1. My thanks to all who attended and to those who supported the FRSAPAC Golf tournament.

We raised approximately $3,200 for the Political Action Committee!

Many of FRSA’s FRSA President Donnie Harp committees handle onImperial Roofing of Polk going issues such as the County – Winter Haven Codes and Regulatory Compliance Committee, which discussed the status of two research projects of interest to the industry and funded by the Florida Building Commission (FBC): fastener corrosion and sealed attics. The sealed attic research will be compiled jointly by Dr. David Prevatt, Ph.D from the University of Florida and by Dr. William Miller, Ph.D from Oakridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy. The research will take place in three phases, with the first two targeting a June 2016 completion date. The entire cost of the research was not funded and the FRSA Educational and Research Foundation has agreed to donate funds to help underwrite a portion of the research.

Another important area of concern was the use of Assignment of Benefits (AOBs), which the Executive and Governmental Affairs Committees addressed. The proper use of AOBs can be a helpful tool to contractors in collecting payment for work completed, but there’s a fine line that the industry must be careful not to cross. We’ve spent years shaking the “roofers from hell” public perception after Hurricane Andrew, cleaning up the mess from shoddy contractors without state licenses. Let’s not create another mess roofers will have to rebound from – and not just from the public’s perception, but from the insurance industry’s as well. For more information on AOBs, please see FRSA Legislative Counsel Cam Fentriss’ column on page 6.

The Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee is updating its literature and should have new information available by year-end. FRSA members can access disaster preparedness plan information by visiting our website, www.floridaroof.com and selecting the member login section.

FRSA Vice President Charlie Kennedy, Gainesville Roofing & Co. Inc., will be in Tallahassee this month to testify before the Office of Insurance Regulation

(OIR) regarding the proposed National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) workers’ comp rate increase of nine percent for the roofing rate (5551). As we do each year, FRSA will ask for consistency in the workers’ comp rates and that the OIR focus on PEOs and employee misclassifications. We have a longstanding history of testifying before the commission each year and are the only association to do so.

October 1 is also membership dues renewal time.

Invoices were sent out last week and need to be paid by year-end. If you’d like to be placed on a payment plan, please contact Maria Armas, Director of Member Services at 800-767-3772 ext. 142 or by email at maria@floridaroof.com. Renewing members will receive an electronic new hire employment pack, complete with human resource forms and Department of Labor guidelines. You don’t want to miss out on any benefits. If you’re not a member, consider joining. We continue to add new benefits throughout the year.

FRSA is offering a number of four-hour continuing education (CE) seminars during the remainder of the year and topics include: ♦♦The 2014 Advanced Florida Building Code Fifth Edition courses, and the FRSA-TRI Fifth Edition Attachment Tables taught by Mark Zehnal, CPRC ♦♦Contractor Licensing Issues and Construction Contracts, The OSHA Inspection and Citation Process and The Legal Aspects of Construction Licensing and Lien Law taught by Trent Cotney, PA. The FRSA Educational and Research Foundation received a grant from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and Building a Safer Florida (BASF) to fund the seminars. Education doesn’t get any better than this! For more information on the courses, visit FRSA’s website, www.floridaroof.com/events, and click on the training center calendar or contact Educational Foundation Director Meghan Roth at 800-767-3772 ext.

123 or by email at meghan@floridaroof.com.

Looks like we’re on track for a winning future with some more updates and changes taking place this year. As always, it’s my honor to serve the FRSA membership.

Donnie Harp FRSA President president@floridaroof.com

www.floridaroof.com

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Cam Fentriss ◆ FRSA Legislative Counsel

AOBs – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly This article is about “assignment of benefits” or “AOB,” a term that may not be familiar so the first step is to explain it.

An assignment of benefits is where a property owner/insured assigns insurance benefits to another person. For our purposes, the assignment would be to a contractor and it would be used to collect directly from the insurance company. An assignment of benefits assigns all legal rights related to a claim (not just payment) so that the recipient can step right into the shoes of the property owner. With that, the contractor – not the customer – can sue or take other legal action against the insurance company.

If you have a customer with property insurance who needs emergency service but you are not confident the customer can or will pay you for work that must be done immediately, an assignment of benefits can be good protection to make sure you will get paid. Another less aggressive way to make sure you get paid is through the use of a “direction to pay” where the customer tells the insurance company to pay you or both you and the customer.

An AOB is good for a contractor to get paid and it is good for a customer to unload any responsibility for dealing with his insurance company on this claim. If the contractor does only the work needed, then the insurance company has no reason to object to the use of an AOB, and there should be no reason for an attorney to be involved in the process.

So why are some attorneys marketing AOBs so heavily to roofing contractors, plumbing contractors, and water restoration companies? Because there is money in this for attorneys and how that works gets right to the point of our concerns about AOBs. This marketing by attorneys is an inAn AOB is good for a vestment that pays contractor to get paid off only if the use of AOBs generates a lot and it is good for a of litigation. This litigation would mostly customer to unload be based on insurany responsibility ance companies’ for dealing with his refusal to pay all or insurance company on part of claims. A refusal would mostly this claim. be based on a belief that a claim was for 6

ROOFING Florida

October 2015

repair greater than the actual damage. Attorneys have “educated” some contractors so that they understand that, once an insurance company denies a claim, the contractor should go directly to the educating attorney.

Once that happens, some attorneys will go through everything about the insurance policy and the contract and action taken by the contractor and insurance company to see how many ways monies can be extracted from the insurance company (for missing deadlines, bad faith, and anything punitive that is allowed by Florida law or the insurance policy).

What’s more, there is no reason for the contractor to even know about some of the money the attorney is making from the insurance company (this is very similar to how workers’ compensation lawsuits on behalf of the claimants used to operate where, unbeknownst to the claimant, the lawyer’s fee could easily be more than what the injured worker received).

For all the good contractors who would never exaggerate a project, this is a non-issue. But we all know there are plenty of unscrupulous contractors who can be very motivated by a scheme that turns a repair into a reroof or a minor hail storm into a whole neighborhood of unsolicited new roofs. For those contractors, having a stable of lawyers ready to turn that insurance company denial into real dollars is a thing of beauty.

It is still hard to see how these unscrupulous contractors and unscrupulous lawyers can really have that big of an impact on the roofing industry. Let me illustrate by example. Do you remember when there was an explosion of mold claims leading to the coining of the phrase “mold is gold” and then leading to the limit imposed on insurance claims for mold – no matter what the damage and no matter whether the claim was legitimate? That explosion of claims was basically the same scheme as we are seeing develop with the use of AOBs for water damage and now roof damage. In fact, for water damage, 2014 statistics from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation show that 56 percent of the claims were from non-weather related water damage (wind was only 2 percent and theft was only 6 percent).

In addition, in 2013, water claims made up 75 percent of Citizens’ litigation and by 2014, water claims made up 91 percent of litigation with 86 percent of the cases having attorney representation from the start (a very strong signal that AOBs were in place at the start of any repair).

These statistics are not normal – there is no way that it is reasonable for more than half of the property damage

claims to be non-weather related water damage (leaks).

With skewed statistics like that, sooner or later the regulators are persuaded to impose limits – by law – on what insurance companies must pay for the types of damage claims that show explosive growth for no good reason.

What needs to concern us is what happens if, like mold, the insurance industry succeeds in persuading the Legislature to limit claims for new roofs to some amount far less than the actual cost? It would be a very serious blow to the roofing industry that will hurt honest customers as well as the good contractors. If a property owner’s roof blows off and he can get only a fraction of what it costs to replace it from the insurance company, you can bet he will be shopping for cheap unlicensed contractors rather than paying up several thousand dollars out of his own pocket.

Would a legislative limit hurt the lawyers? Not really – by then they will have found another subject area ripe for marketing to contractors and development of litigation.

And it is worth noting that these are generally the same lawyers who would love to see the old workers’ comp attorney fees provisions back in law. If they succeed getting that scheme back, then they will probably dump their contractor clients immediately in favor of

representing the contractors’ injured employees.

To protect the future of the roofing industry, FRSA has adopted the following position: FRSA supports careful use of the AOB tool to prevent overuse that causes insurance rates to increase without justification and/or causes property insurers to impose contractual limits or seek legislative limits that would negatively impact the ability to perform roof repair or replacement actually needed.

Our goal is to protect the integrity of the roofing industry. If you have any good information about this, please do share. I can be reached at afentriss@aol.com.

–RFM– Anna Cam Fentriss is an attorney licensed in Florida since 1988 representing clients with legislative and state agency interests. Cam has represented FRSA since 1993, is an Honorary Member of FRSA, recipient of the FRSA President’s Award in 2002 and received the Campanella Award in 2010. She is a member of the Florida Building Commission Special Occupancy Technical Advisory Committee, President of Building A Safer Florida Inc. and past Construction Coalition Chair (1995-1997).

Trent Cotney ◆ FRSA Legal Counsel

How to Beat Claims for Driveway Cracks As many of you may have experienced, owners have become more legally-sophisticated and are using a variety of excuses to avoid payment. One of the most common excuses involves the claim that either the roofer or the roofing supplier caused driveway cracks as a result of their equipment or materials. The likelihood that driveway cracks occur because of trucks, equipment or materials is slim. The reality is that almost every driveway in Florida within a matter of a few years experiences some cracking as a result of settlement, age, roots or other displacement. The purpose of this article is to provide the reader with some self-help tips to avoid these types of claims in the future.

Ninety percent of the time a roofing contractor is called to a project, there is an existing leak or the roof is in severe need of replacement. Therefore, it is important to document existing conditions, including any interior damage. This can be as simple as walking through with your cell phone taking video-feed or taking select photos of damaged ceiling tile, drywall, mold or mildew around windows, etc. Although this pre-construction investigation would be ideal, we understand that many times a roofer is not provided access to the interior of the home and cannot inspect the home prior to construction.

However, you can take photos and video of the exterior conditions, including any existing damage to the driveway.

It is important that these photos are taken prior to any truck being placed on the driveway, so that if a claim arises, it can be compared to the pre-construction condition. The majority of the time, homeowners are complaining of cracks that existed prior to construction. This is not to say that supplier flatbeds, trucks or debris containers can’t cause this type of damage. It is merely suggesting that a lot of the cracks complained about by homeowners may have been in existence long before you approached the job.

As with any job, it is also important to manage your customer’s expectations. You should inform them that both you

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ROOFING Florida

October 2015

and your supplier will be utilizing the driveway, that you need to use the driveway in order to load roof top materials and that there is always a risk of driveway cracks as a result. You can even offer to avoid using the driveway in exchange for charging more for labor in order to remove the supplies and then manually roof top them.

This information should also be coupled with a disclaimer in your contract. Many residential contracts are double-sided, one page or two pages at most, and it is difficult to place a lengthy disclaimer in the terms given the amount of real estate available in the contract. However, a provision can be inserted in the contract which states: Due to the nature of the construction to be done at customer’s request, the customer takes sole responsibility and contractor disclaims any liability for damage caused to curbs, walkways, driveways, structures, septic tanks, HVAC, utility lines, pipes, landscaping, and/or appurtenances.

Obviously, there is no contract provision that will make you lawsuit-proof, but provisions such as these will assist you in defending claims made by homeowners related to driveway cracks.

–RFM–

Author’s note: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.

Trent Cotney is Florida Bar Certified in Construction Law, General Counsel and a director of the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA), a director of the West Coast Roofing Contractors Association (WCRCA), and a member of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) and several other FRSA affiliates. For more information, contact the author at 813-579-3278 or go to www.trentcotney.com.

Jobsite safety inspections Toolbox talks Torch certifications Fall protection certification Mobile fall cart certification Forklift training & certification OSHA 10 & OSHA 30 training Serving all of Florida

Charity of Choice Zooms Past Fundraising Goal The goal for the 2015 Charity of Choice was to raise $2,000 to purchase two new game systems, televisions and media carts to help support the good work of the Child Life department at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. This goal was far surpassed with nearly $3,700 collected for the charity. The media carts were purchased shortly after the 2015 Convention and Expo and are being used daily by the Child Life staff to help children cope of the Child Life department at Arnold Palmer Hospital with the difficulties of hospitalization. FRSA and the staff for Children thank you for your generous donations!

–RFM–

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The History of TPO and How it Has Changed the Commercial Roofing Market

By Thomas J Taylor, PhD, GAF Executive Director of Building Science TPO is at times considered the new roofcompany, Serrot International, based in ing system on the block, even though the Nevada, played a pivotal role. They promaterial has been around for decades and duced TPO membrane for several roofing has proven its worth in the industry. Here companies, including GAF, prior to those is a little background on how TPO came companies building their own plants. about, the history of its testing and develSerrot was eventually purchased by opment, where it stands today, and how it Firestone in 2002. compares to PVC. Beginning in the late 1990s, TPO beBack in the 1970s, flexible sheet, for a gan to gain significant market share. GAF, variety of uses, was either EPDM or flexFirestone, and Carlisle added plants to ible PVC. EPDM was not weldable while keep up with demand. Since then, one flexible PVC contained liquid plasticizof the early suppliers, Stevens Roofing ers. Those plasticizers led to the hazing Systems, has ceased to exist, and Johns of windshields in automotive applications Manville built their first plant in Alabama and embrittlement of the PVC as they Thomas J. Taylor, PhD in 2008. evaporated. Thermoplastic polyolefins (TPO) were developed to be inherently flexible, plasticizer TPO Specification In 2003, the ASTM D6878 “Standard Specification for and halogen free and to heat weld.

TPO membranes were first used for geomembrane Thermoplastic Polyolefin Based Sheet Roofing” was first applications such as pond liners, proving themselves to published. The specification covers physical properties, be unaffected by water. They also began to appear in the dimensions, and durability properties. The latter includes automobile industry about thirty years ago in a number ozone resistance, heat aging, and weather resistance. Heat of challenging applications. These included dashboards resistance was tested at 240°F for 28 days. The ultraviolet and interior linings, which have both high heat and UV light resistance was tested using a xenon arc apparatus 2 exposure. Similarly, TPO began to be used as a wire cover, and the exposure was doubled in 2006 to 10,080 kJ/m .

In 2011, the ASTM standard was revised again to improve often in high-heat applications. the heat-aging protocol. This exposure was increased to Early Developments 224 days or 32 weeks, at 240°F. The first known TPO roofing membrane was installed Accelerated testing is commonplace in many indusin 1986 in Michigan. The TPO polymers were produced tries including automotive, exterior decorative finishes,

by Montell specifically for the roofing market, in terms and marine. These often very aggressive tests avoid the of flexibility and ease of welding. Montell went through need to wait 20-30 years to see if products will last in realseveral corporate changes, eventually becoming Lyondell- life conditions. With extreme outdoor and indoor testing, Basell, which still supplies the majority of TPO polymer to the industry can ensure it is putting the best TPO prodthe roofing industry. ucts on the market.

In the late 1980s, Versico, a division of Goodyear Tire and Rubber, started to promote VersiWeld®, a reinforced Recent Developments TPO roofing membrane. They were followed by JPS As with most products, there has been steady innovation Elastomerics in the early 1990s, which launched Hi Tuff and improvement since the introduction of TPO into the EP. JPS eventually became Stevens Roofing Systems. In roofing market. Several manufacturers have added a wide the early 1990s, concerns began to surface about the use range of colors and, when combined with welded-on acof halogenated fire retardants in TPO and their effect on cessories, TPO can take on the look of a standing seam UV resistance. This caused manufacturers to alter their metal roof.

In recent years, self-adhering versions have been formulations, using magnesium hydroxide as the fire reintroduced that enable a fully adhered application to tardant. This remains the case today. be achieved without the roofing crew having to apply Market Acceptance adhesives. UV and heat stabilizers have been steadily In the mid-1990s, Carlisle Syntec Systems acquired Versico improving and in 2011, GAF introduced EverGuard and began marketing a TPO roofing membrane named Extreme® TPO for the solar market and for any roof that SureWeld. In the late 1990s, Firestone and GAF also en- may have severe heat and UV exposure and/or longer tered the market. It’s worth noting that a little-known warranty requirements.

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♦♦ Better stabilizers were added to address heatToday’s TPO From 1998 to now, TPO membrane sales have grown aging concerns. annually at a double-digit rate, far outpacing any other ♦♦An improved thickness over scrim requirement single-ply, mod bit, BUR, or metal product. was added to the ASTM D6878 TPO roofing However, the increasing popularity of TPO roofing specification. This means the weathering layer systems has led to much confusion, exaggerated claims, thickness specification was tightened up. and misinformation about TPO as a product class (and about which TPO brand performs the best). As noted The best advice when reading statements about formulaabove, the very first TPO roof in the United States was tion changes is to consider the following: installed in 1986. Since that beginning, the membrane ♦♦Manufacturer’s reputation – have you had has come a long way. The ASTM specification has been consistently good results using products from strengthened many times and warranties have been exthe manufacturer, and does that manufacturer tended. In fact, it’s now the largest-volume membrane in have a solid reputation within the industry?

North America to the tune of over 1.4 billion square feet per year. That’s equivalent to reroofing all of New York ♦♦Any product, from cars to cell phones to City - all five boroughs - every single year! computers, gets improved as new technology However, some discussions question how TPO is put becomes available. I’m certain building owners together and how it really performs. Let’s take a look at expect to get the best membrane that can be some of the concerns that have been voiced about TPO: made today–not formulations from decades ago.

“There is no TPO on the market with a consistent ♦♦Always remember that good installation is formulation.” critical for the long-term performance of a roof.

♦♦The TPO polymer (the basic chemical used to The membrane is important, but the installers manufacture TPO membranes) has remained the need to be experienced with whatever membrane same since around 2000. In fact, one supplier has been chosen. accounts for over 90% of the polymer used by all membrane manufacturers. That material has never TPO Versus PVC been changed.

While TPO is clearly the dominant roofing membrane ♦♦Stabilizers are materials added to protect the TPO and continues to grow, PVC is maintaining a relatively sheet from UV and heat exposure. Over the years, constant share. PVC still remains a viable alternative, but better stabilizers have become available and many there are some differences. membrane manufacturers have taken advantage of In terms of weathering (i.e., based on the Heat Aging them. and the Accelerated Weathering tests), TPO has the clear ♦♦A recent independent study of TPO from all edge over PVC. This may surprise some diehard PVC usmanufacturers has shown that today’s TPO ers, who may be unaware of the advances made in TPO performs better than ever. formulation over the last several years.

While TPO has excellent weathering and slightly bet“The warranties are really impressive, but TPO ter tear and break resistance than PVC, PVC does have hasn’t been around long enough to know that it some characteristics that certain customers need or prewill last.” fer. For example, PVC has better chemical resistance and ♦♦First of all, remember the length of a product’s it does not absorb or get weakened by oils and greases. warranty is not a guarantee of how long the This means that PVC is the preferred membrane for resproduct will last, but rather how long the taurants and other buildings that have grease traps on the manufacturer’s obligations will last in the event of roof. product defects covered by the warranty.

Also, PVC is slightly more flexible than TPO, which ♦♦There is now more than 11 billion sq. feet of some contractors like. There used to be talk about welding installed TPO since 2001 differences, but both membranes weld well. TPO requires ♦♦Roof inspections, as part of warranty and higher temperatures but, once a crew has adapted, weldmaintenance programs, show that for the most ing is as straightforward as it is for PVC. part, the membrane is holding up very well. In As you can see, TPO has a strong history and perfact, it’s because of real-world performance that formance even though it hasn’t been around for as long manufacturers have felt comfortable extending as other single-ply membranes. However, it keeps imwarranties. proving, growing in popularity, and becoming the go-to As manufacturers understood how the membrane was membrane for many commercial applications. performing over the past 20 years, improvements have been made: –RFM–

www.floridaroof.com

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Seven Myths About PVC – Debunked

Myths about PVC are as Common as they are Misleading John C. Greko, PVC Product Manager for Carlisle Construction Materials

There are few construction products or raw materials that generate as much unnecessary controversy as polyvinyl chloride, commonly known as PVC. However, the “controversy” over PVC comes in the form of misconceptions and myths that have proliferated over its decades of use. Like most myths, the ones about PVC are often sourceless or based on a lack of understanding; yet, they gain a false credibility John C. Greko through repetition.

No matter what the myths are, the vast majority of construction professionals – manufacturers, product distributors, specifiers, and contractors – can attest to the safe, consistent performance of PVC in a variety of construction products, including roofing membranes, pipes, siding, and window frames to name a few. For decades, PVC has also been used in life-saving and life-giving applications in a vast array of industries, from medical and pharmaceutical uses to food packaging and transportation.

The PVC industry has taken every opportunity to debunk the many myths about this material. These efforts are often filled with citations of numerous and wide-range studies by respected third parties and take great pains to point out that the perceived dangers of PVC are universally overblown. It is also widely recognized that the alternatives to PVC often require highnegative-impact, immensely extractive industrial practices that are detrimental to the environment.

In an effort to address issues of concern with PVC, there are, listed below, seven common myths, each of which is countered by the science that underlies PVC.

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Myth #1 – The alternatives to PVC are “greener” and their production, shipping, and use have less of an impact on the environment.

PVC (sometimes simply referred to as “vinyl”) is perhaps best-known for its durability, but it also receives high marks for its sustainable attributes. PVC is extremely low-maintenance, easily recyclable, and it doesn’t off-gas or leach harmful chemicals if it comes in contact with water. In addition, the PVC manufacturing process does not require a great deal of energy and the PVC itself is lightweight, which dramatically cuts down the carbon footprint of producing and shipping PVC products. Plus, PVC has relatively good thermal performance, which means it has low thermal conductivity (it resists heat transfer), and a good R-value per inch, especially when compared to possible replacement materials like aluminum or wood.

Aluminum, particularly, is notorious for its bad thermal performance. For the life cycle “cradle-through-use” assessment, PVC outperforms alternatives like aluminum.

PVC measurably reduces cooling loads in buildings when it is used as a roofing material. In a 2001 federal study,

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) measured and calculated the reduction in peak energy demand associated with a vinyl roof’s surface reflectivity. Compared to a dark-colored roof on a Texas building that was studied, LBNL found that a retrofitted vinyl roofing membrane “delivered an average decrease of 42º F in surface temperature, an 11 percent decrease in aggregate air conditioning energy consumption, and a corresponding 14 percent drop in peak air conditioning energy consumption.” In this case, the use of reflective PVC contributed to lowering the energy use of the building. In warm, southern climates where cooling costs are high, PVC can deliver substantial energy savings.

On the subject of carbon footprint, the CO2 emissions created by PVC manufacture are minimal when compared with metal, glass products, or – in the case of waste pipe – the cementitious products that would have to be created to replace PVC. (The CO2 emissions from the creation of cement today, even without the need to make more to replace PVC, already accounts for 5 percent of the industrial world’s CO2 output.)

According to a report from National Research Council Canada that looked closely at the energy impact of manufacturing PVC roof membrane, if you take into account the local product mix (type and thickness), the average CO2 generated per square meter of membrane produced varied by state from about 4.0 kg/square meter of membrane to less than 5.0 kg/square meter. However, the report observed, “the CO2 generated in the production of the [PVC] materials is a one-time event.” When examining the environmental “pay-back period” for CO2 (the time it takes to recover the “environmental investment” of CO2 generated during production of the membrane), the payback periods are remarkably beneficial for PVC. Assuming a life expectancy of 20 years for PVC roof membrane, the report states, “on average, across the USA, the CO2 investment would pay for itself almost twelve times over a 20-year service life.”

Additionally, PVC is comprised of 57 percent chlorine, which is derived from industrial-grade salt, an extraordinarily abundant material. The chlorine can be chemically unlocked from salt through simple industrial processes.

(Even among other plastic alternatives to PVC, which are heavily dependent on petroleum, PVC shines for its low carbon footprint.)

The alternatives to PVC in common construction applications do not stack up as well in terms of their cost or performance. Whether it’s in roofing, plumbing, or structural members (like window frames), alternatives to PVC often require the use of copper, steel, aluminum, or wood.

When compared to copper, steel, and aluminum products, PVC is made from a raw material that has a much lower environmental impact. Copper, steel, and aluminum all require a great deal of energy to manufacture, which means they have a very high embodied energy. The mining and manufacturing processes for each of those products are widely known for highly negative environmental impacts that far exceed the low impact of the PVC manufacturing process.

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Myth #2 – The PVC manufacturing process is highly poisonous, releasing dioxin and causing cancer.

Dioxin is a highly toxic chemical, but its presence in the environment has declined sharply in the last three decades.

This has occurred while PVC production has increased by 300 percent. If PVC were the source of dioxin in the environment, dioxin levels would have risen over time, not declined.

Why the decline? The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which regulates and tracks dioxin levels in the environment, points to regulation and voluntary industry actions. According to the EPA, dioxin emissions in the United States decreased by about 80 percent between 1987 and 1995, primarily due to reductions in air emissions from municipal and medical waste incinerators.

PVC has been associated with dioxin because it can be a minute byproduct of the combustion of PVC if it is not combusted efficiently; however, when combusted efficiently, PVC can be effectively broken down into water, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen chloride – largely harmless byproducts. Today, if PVC is incinerated (and not recycled, as it should be), the dioxin emissions from waste incinerators are due to how something is burned, not what is burned.

Where does the vast majority of dioxin the environment come from? It’s not from PVC. According to EPA’s “Dioxin Inventory”, landfill fires are the chief culprits of the release of dioxin into the environment. The EPA determined this by mapping high dioxin concentrations and noting that areas of high concentration corresponded to areas affected by open waste burning. According to the EPA, waste incinerators (medical and municipal) are another source of dioxin; however, commercial-scale incinerators showed no relationship between the PVC content of the waste and dioxin emissions. According to the EPA, the largest determinants

of dioxin formation are the incinerator’s operating conditions, including combustion efficiency, post-combustion flue gas temperatures, and the presence of iron or copper, which can act as catalysts. Chlorine content alone is not responsible for creating dioxin in incinerators.

Other sources of dioxin include paper and pulp mills, municipal incinerators, cement kilns that burn chemical waste, and the manufacturing of some chlorinated pesticides.

Myth #3 – PVC is highly flammable, and when burned in waste heaps or in accidental fires, PVC off-gases toxic fumes, dioxins, and hazardous chlorine gas.

The myth about vinyl off-gassing toxic fumes can be easily addressed by pointing out three widely recognized properties of vinyl. 1) Vinyl building products exhibit superb fire performance, in large part because the material is selfextinguishing when the source of the flame is removed.

2) Vinyl building products are based on a naturally fireretardant polymer, and 3) the vinyl that is most prone to exposure during fires – roofing membrane – is often treated with additional flame retardants, which makes vinyl “slow to catch fire” and can dramatically reduce the spread of fire in the event of a building ignition. So, the question of off-gassing is partially addressed by the fact that vinyl doesn’t burn very well. (In fact, the U.S. fire death rate has been steadily decreasing during a time when vinyl and other plastics have achieved dominant market share.)

Further, a report called “PVC Protects People in Accidental Fire,” produced by Kaneka Research Associates, found the following about PVC in combustion: ♦♦PVC’s fire-retarding and self-extinguishing features are unique among various plastics. ♦♦PVC radiates less heat in combustion, causing less spreading of fire to other materials. ♦♦PVC generates less smoke in combustion, compared to other common building materials.

As for questions about whether PVC generates combustion gas, the same study found that: ♦♦PVC generates hydrogen chloride in combustion, but the generation of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide is proportionally reduced, and is slightly less than wood.

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♦♦PVC doesn’t generate toxic hydrogen cyanide and aldehyde compounds. ♦♦Hydrogen chloride is not as anesthetic as carbon monoxide. Additionally, hydrogen chloride serves to provide an escape signal with its pungent odor.

When PVC does combust, its contribution of toxins is “insignificant,” according to third-party organizations that have conducted research on the combustion toxicity of vinyl products. According to the Vinyl Institute, “most fire scientists recognize that the largest hazard in a fire is carbon monoxide… The mix of gases produced when vinyl products burn, including hydrogen chloride, is very similar in terms of combustion toxicity to those of other common building materials when they burn.” Though hydrogen chloride is an irritant gas, it is nowhere near as dangerous as the chemical dioxin or carbon monoxide, the release of which is often, and wrongly, attributed to vinyl.

Additionally, as noted elsewhere in this article, PVC does not represent a dioxin release risk every time it is burned. When burned efficiently, as we see in controlled industrial-grade incinerators, PVC releases water, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen chloride. In the event PVC ignites in an accidental fire, it is more likely to contribute to stopping the spread of the fire than releasing dioxin. In all cases in which PVC combusts, any dioxin emissions would result from how PVC is burned; not all combusting PVC is that it hardens again when it cools.) The second process is a dioxin risk. what’s called “feedstock recycling” in which PVC waste is Myth #4 – PVC can’t be recycled and is a significant broken down to its constituent chemical molecules. Those contributor to the global accumulation of plastic molecules can be used again to make new PVC. Another positive feature of PVC is how little of it has waste. to be recycled at all, if the product is treated prudently at Few products are more readily recyclable than PVC; in the end of its life cycle. That’s because PVC products are fact, PVC can be recycled many times over without degrading the component materials, enabling it to be used both low-maintenance and long-lasting. Plumbing sysin multiple product life cycles. Many of the PVC products tems that use PVC regularly achieve service lives reaching in use today are likely to contain PVC that has been repro- over 50 years.

Finally, the myth that PVC is a sign of a throwcessed for use through a simple recycling process.

Today, you will find recycled PVC in a wide range of away culture could be ascribed to many products, but it uses, from new consumer products such as cookware and shouldn’t be applied to PVC. With the proper attention sterile medical products, to car parts and speed bumps on to reuse and recycling, PVC essentially never has to be thrown away. residential streets.

With the versatility of PVC and its high recyclability, the manufacture of PVC may be one of the few manufacturing Myth #5 – PVC can’t be a green product – it is processes that can achieve true zero waste. Additionally, not natural, contains harmful chemicals, and the PVC can be blended into fuel. In 2010, Sita, a waste com- chlorine used in PVC is toxic. pany owned by France-based Suez Environnement, stated Chlorine is a pervasive chemical in our modern lives. It that it was building 10 plants across the UK to convert is used in manufacturing, pharmaceutical processes, nuend-of-life plastic into diesel fuel. At each plant, Sita will merous household products, clothing production, and convert 6,000 metric tons (over 13,000 pounds) of mixed water purification. One of the reasons chlorine is so effecwaste plastic per year to produce four million liters (more tive as a cleanser and purifier of water is chlorine’s unique chemical configuration. It has a very high electron affinthan one million gallons) of diesel fuel.

How exactly is PVC recycled? There are two main ity that makes it a strong oxidizing agent, even though it approaches. PVC can be “mechanically recycled”, a pro- is the 11th most common of the 107 elements, and it is cess in which it is cut into very small pieces. Since PVC found widely in both living and non-living things. In the is a thermoplastic material, these pieces can be readily form of chloride ions, chlorine is necessary to all known melted to form new products. (The word thermoplastic species of life. Chlorine helps to blast apart pathogen bacmeans that PVC becomes malleable when it is heated, and teria and viruses in the water supply; human civilization

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would suffer greatly and exist in a very diminished capacity without chlorine.

One of the reasons that chlorine may have gotten a bad reputation is that fact that chlorine gas, in concentrated form, is indeed dangerous. With that said, the chlorine that is used in PVC manufacturing actually comes from sodium chloride (common salt). This is a highly stable

form of chlorine that should not be confused with chlorine gas. Though the chlorine gas and the caustic soda are both chlorines, per se, they represent chlorine in two distinctly different forms, and to confuse or conflate the two forms – one volatile and toxic, and the other a stable powder – is to misunderstand these important distinctions. You cannot obtain chlorine gas from burning PVC. The chlorine

TRENT COTNEY

B O A R D C E RT I F I E D B Y T H E F L O R I D A B A R I N C O N S T R U C T I O N L AW • National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) Gold Circle Award for Service to the Roofing Industry, 2014 • General Counsel, Chairman of the Public Relations Committee and Director of Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA); FRSA Education and Research Foundation Governor Endowment • West Coast Roofing Contractors Association (WCRCA) Byron Curry Award for Service to the Industry, 2009 • FRSA Earl Blank “Heart” Award for Service to the Roofing Industry, 2011 and FRSA President’s Award, 2008 CONSTRUCTION LITIGATION

BID PROTESTS

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CONTRACTOR LICENSE DEFENSE

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CONTRACT REVIEW & DRAFTING

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used in PVC production poses no more of a health threat Myth #7 – Plasticizers used in the manufacture of than the chlorine used to purify water coming from your PVC pose a health issue, cause asthma, and are a bio-accumulative toxic substance. household tap.

PVC is naturally rigid when it is manufactured. In applicaMyth #6 – PVC is very expensive to manufacture, tions where the material must be malleable, like roofing, in part because of the exotic chemicals that must PVC manufacturers will add phthalates (plasticizers) to the PVC to soften the product. Phthalates not only make be used in its creation.

PVC is made from two very common chemicals, chlorine PVC flexible, but they can provide transparency and du(common salt, a.k.a. sodium chloride) and ethylene (de- rability as well. In fact, to cite a typical quote, this one rived from natural gas), and there is nothing expensive or from a 2001 study on plasticizers by the Swedish National exotic at all about the PVC manufacturing process. To de- Board of Health and Welfare, “The risk in connection with termine the relative costs of PVC, stop in to a home center plasticizers is clearly exaggerated.”

There has been a great deal of debate about phthalates or building material supplier and compare the price of a and their potential health risks. An enormous amount of 10-foot piece of ½-inch PVC piping to the same pipe made research has gone into determining if phthalates are hazof copper. The PVC will cost you under $2, and the copper ardous. Today, after four decades of study, and an equal will run over $15. The retail prices of these items reflect number of years in which phthalates have been pervasive the substantial differences in the price of manufacturing in the environment, no party has shown that phthalates and the cost of shipping. (A copper item is orders of mag- used in today’s PVCs cause harm to humans when used nitude heavier than a similar one made from PVC.) as intended.

A study entitled “The Economic Benefits of Polyvinyl Phthalates have also been falsely attributed to the Chloride in the United States and Canada”, conducted by rise of asthma. Although asthma is undeniably a growWhitfield & Associates, found that the cost per foot of duc- ing concern today, there have been wide-ranging studies tile iron and concrete may be comparable to PVC; however, to determine if phthalates contribute to it. The Institute installation costs are higher, particularly for concrete, of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences has resince many more pipe joints are required. “Replacement searched this topic, and as a result of its inquiry, phthalate and repair costs are much higher for concrete than for PVC plasticizers are not on the Institute of Medicine’s list of pipe as well. Additional costs are imposed by the loss of more than a dozen chemical and biological agents where water due to main breaks and pumping costs may be high- there is a known risk for asthma. Indeed, there is no suber for these substitute materials,” the report stated. It went stantive evidence to suggest that phthalates contribute to asthma. on to say that “the net cost to consumers in the United Another anti-phthalate argument claims that phthalStates and Canada for the substitution of alternative maates persist in the environment and that they accumulate terials for the PVC-based products that they currently in the tissue of humans and other animals. The EPA, an use would be almost $17.7 billion dollars per year. In ad- organization that is known for its conservatism and bias dition to these costs, we estimate that consumers would for consumer safety, does not list phthalates as persisbe forced to pay additional costs because producers of the tent, bioaccumulative, toxic substances, also known as substitute materials would need $5.6 billion in new invest- PBTs. Today, PVC with phthalates is a widely used matement to manufacture the incremental volume of substitute rial in many medical products, which are highly regulated material, and incur the associated $2.8 billion per year in by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These capital recovery charges. The avoidance of these costs is medical products have been used safely with patients part of the benefit that PVC brings to consumers. Thus, the over long stretches of time where evidence of phthalate total direct and indirect benefits of access to PVC to con- poisoning would surely have emerged. Another aggressumers in the United States and Canada amount to over sively cautious group, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, examined the risk of phthalates in plastic $20 billion per year.”

The chemicals that make up PVC are not exotic in any toys and found “no demonstrated health risk”. Numerous regard. PVC contains 57 percent chlorine and 43 percent studies have shown that phthalates used in PVC represent no risk to manufacturers, installers, or end users. is ethylene. The chlorine is created through a process that For years, the migration of phthalates from PVC has chemically separates it from industrial-grade salt, or sodibeen blamed for the “fog” that accumulated on the inside um chloride. The ethylene is derived predominantly from of windshields of automobiles. Phthalates have little to natural gas. (Ethylene is also the chemical given off by rip- no odor and have very low volatility, which means they ening fruit.) do not easily evaporate. In two recent studies, two auto Although chlorine in various forms can be an irritant interiors were exposed to elevated temperatures. A reand an oxidizing agent, the form of chlorine used in PVC port published in 2001 by Australia’s Commonwealth manufacture is in a very stable form. And once PVC is Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) made, it is inert and no chlorine off-gases from the finished discussed the “new car smell” and suggested that the product, because it is chemically locked into the PVC. sources might present some risks to health. The CSIRO

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report listed nine substances found in new-car interior air that could be problematic in high concentrations. Neither vinyl nor phthalates are on the CSIRO list. The majority of these contaminants were from the adhesives in the carpeting and the foam in the seats.

In conclusion, after reading through the above sections of this article that dismantle and discredit the common myths surrounding PVC, it’s surprising that these myths endure at all. The information that counters the myths is widely available, and it invariably includes reputable third parties, many of which have no vested or commercial interests in the studies’ outcomes.

The idea that the alternatives to PVC are greener or more sustainable is easily countered by looking at the embodied energy of likely alternative products, all of which depend on extractive practices that degrade the environment.

The notion that PVC manufacturing is highly poisonous due to the release of dioxin can be readily refuted by the studies of very credible agencies such as the EPA and the FDA. There are widely cited reports that show that dioxin risk comes not from PVC production, but from the inefficient combustion of many products that also include PVC in poorly regulated or under-regulated circumstances.

The myth that PVC is highly flammable is readily countered by the fact that chlorine contained in PVC actually acts as a fire retardant, which inhibits the spread of flames. Plus, when the source of flame is removed, PVC is self-extinguishing.

The idea that PVC can’t be recycled is countered by the wide recycling of PVC in its many forms and product incarnations. Indeed, there are few products more recyclable than PVC. Some PVC critics claim that PVC can’t possibly be a green product, because it is not natural and contains

harmful chemicals, but those same critics can readily look at the chemical processes of the manufacture of PVC and see that chlorine and ethylene are two very common products that pose little to no risk when used as intended.

As for the claim that PVC is very expensive to manufacture, a simple comparison of the cost of PVC products to their copper, iron, steel, or many other alternatives will quickly explode that myth, as PVC is remarkably affordable by any comparison.

Finally, the most pervasive and consistent myth about PVC, that the plasticizers used in the manufacture of the product are harmful, has been disproved repeatedly in peer-reviewed journals and third-party studies in the United States, the European Union, and elsewhere.

Indeed, in its many forms, PVC has proven to be a marvel of modern manufacturing science.

–RFM– John C. Greko was first introduced to PVC in 1982 while designing non-reinforced PVC pool liners for in-ground swimming pools. His experience in roofing and especially reinforced PVC roofing materials extends for 35 years.

During John’s tenure in the PVC roofing industry he was Vice President of Engineering and Quality Assurance for a roofing manufacturer; Faculty Member of RIEI (Roofing Industry Educational Institute); Certified Roofing Instructor in Michigan for BOCA (Building Officials and Code Administrators); Member of ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials); Consulting Editor for “Architecture” magazine; Published a white paper for the “Low Slope Roofing Workshop” at Oak Ridge National Laboratories; hold four (4) patents for products and/or processes used in single-ply roofing including several article for various trade journals; and now currently is PVC Product Manager for Carlisle Construction Materials.

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION (Required by USC 3685) 1.Publication title: ROOFING FLORIDA Magazine; 2. Publication No. 0191-4615; 3. Filling Date 10/30/15; 4. Issue Frequency: monthly; 5. Number of Issues: 12; 6. Annual Subscription Price: $24; 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 7071 University Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32792; 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 7071 University Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32792; 9.

Full Names and Complete Mailing Address of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association Inc., 7071 University Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32792; Publisher: Lisa Pate, Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Association Inc., 7071 University Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32792; Editor: Lisa Pate, 7071 University Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32792; Managing Editor: Lisa Pate, 7071 University Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32792; 10. Owner: Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association Inc, 7071 University Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32792; 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders: None; 12. Tax Status-The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months; 13. Publication Title: ROOFING FLORIDA Magazine; 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September 30, 2015; 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: 15a. Total Numbers of Copies: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 4,600; 15a. Number of copies of Single Issue Published Nearest Filing Date: 4,600; 15b.

Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution: b.1. Outside-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: 4,175/4,175; b.2.

In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscription Stated on PS Form 3541:225/225; b.3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS: None; b.4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS: None; c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 4,400; 15d. Nonrequested Distribution; d.1. Outside-County Nonrequested Copies included on PS Form 3541: None; d.2. In-County Nonrequested Copies Included on PS Form 3541: None; d.3. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail: None; d.4. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: None; e. Total Nonrequested Distribution: None; f. Total Distribution: 4,400; g. Copies Not Distributed: 200; h. Total: 4,600; i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 100%; 16. Electronic Copy Circulation; a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies: None; b. Total Requested and Paid Print Copies + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies: None; c. Total Requested Copy Distribution + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies: None; d. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: None; 17.

Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requestor Publication is required and will be printed in the October 2015 issue of this publication.

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Single-Ply Roofing – Just the Facts What is Meant by the Term Single-Ply Roofing?

The class of commercial roofing membranes commonly described as "single-ply" are flexible sheets of compounded synthetic materials that are manufactured in a factory to strict quality control requirements.

Single-ply roof systems provide strength, flexibility, and long-lasting durability. The inherent advantages of pre-fabricated sheets are the consistency of the quality of the products that are manufactured, the versatility in their attachment methods, and therefore, their broader applicability.

What Kinds of Products are Considered Single-Ply? SPRI, the Single-Ply Roofing Industry, identifies three major categories of single-ply membranes: thermosets, thermoplastics, and modified bitumens.

Thermoset membranes are compounded from rubber polymers. The most commonly used polymer is EPDM (often referred to as "rubber roofing"). Another thermoset material is neoprene, although this particular formulation is no longer widely used for roofing. Thermoset membranes are successful for use as roofing materials because of their proven ability to withstand the potentially damaging effects of sunlight and most common chemicals generally found on roofs.

Hypalon is a unique material because it is manufactured as a thermoplastic, but, because it cures over time, it becomes a thermoset. Hypalon materials are heat sealed at the seams.

Thermoplastic membranes are based on plastic polymers. The most common thermoplastic is PVC (polyvinyl chloride) which has been made flexible through the inclusion of certain ingredients called plasticizers. A number of different products in this category are available, each having its own unique formula.

Thermoplastic membranes are identified by seams that are formed using either heat or chemical welding.

These seams are as strong or stronger than the membrane itself. Most thermoplastic membranes are manufactured to include a reinforcement layer, usually polyester or fiberglass, which provides increased strength and dimensional stability.

Modified bitumen membranes are interesting hybrids that incorporate the high tech formulation and prefabrication advantages of single-ply with some of the traditional installation techniques used in built-up roofing. These materials are factory-fabricated layers of asphalt, "modified" using a rubber or plastic ingredient for increased flexibility, and combined with a reinforcement for added strength and stability.

There are two primary modifiers used today: APP (atactic polypropylene) and SBS (styrene butadiene styrene). The type of modifier used may determine the method

of sheet installation. Some are mopped down using hot asphalt and some use torches to melt the asphalt so that it flows onto the substrate. The seams are sealed by the same technique.

Which Type of Membrane Should I Use? That depends on several factors, the most significant of which is cost. The decision, however, should not be made on the basis of cost alone. Other important considerations are building height, wind exposure, anticipated roof traffic, and aesthetics. In any case, the track record of the supplier and the reputation of the roofing contractor should be investigated.

Which type of the Attachment System Should I Choose?

Again, that depends on your particular situation. If the structural part of the roof (the deck) is able to withstand the weight, and is code compliant, a ballasted roof may be the best option. But if the slope of the roof is greater than 2" in 12", then this system may not be appropriate. There may be other limitations to the use of a ballasted system, such as roof height, proximity to shorelines and other high wind zones, and availability of ballast. A deck that accepts fasteners easily, such as steel or wood, makes a good substrate for a mechanically fastened membrane. These systems can be designed to provide the necessary resistance to known wind forces and are not subject to slope limitations.

Another alternative is the fully adhered system, in which the membrane is attached to the substrate using a specified adhesive. Depending on the membrane, the adhesive may be solvent- or water-based, or asphalt. The finished surface of an adhered roof is smooth. Colored membranes may be used which may make an attractive aesthetic contribution to the building's appearance.

Where Should I Go to Get More Information About These Products?

If there is a particular product in which you are interested, it's always best to start with the manufacturer. They are the ones who know the most about when and how their products should be used. Professional roofing contractors, design professionals, and roof consultants may also be of help.

SPRI is an excellent resource for objective information about various products and systems. They offer many valuable documents and publications to help educate contractors, architects, and building owner and maintenance personnel about roofing and the many options that are available today. SPRI publications range from generic technical guidelines for design and application to general information about roof maintenance and emergency repairs. Give them a call or visit www.spri.org.

–RFM– www.floridaroof.com

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SEO and SEM Chelsea Welsh, MBA, Southeastern Metals and DOT Metal Products

SEM (Search Engine Marketing) There has been a lot of discussion around the subject of SEM (Search Engine Marketing) and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). You can ask 100 different people and often get 100 different answers. It can be a very confusing subject that is worth reviewing.

These terms are interchangeable, which makes this discussion even a little more confusing. I feel that it’s important to review the differences and understand how we need to properly use SEO and Chelsea Welsh SEM in our overall marketing mix.

According to Wikipedia “Search engine marketing (SEM) is a form of Internet marketing that involves the promotion of websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising. SEM may incorporate search engine optimization (SEO), which adjusts or rewrites website content to achieve a higher ranking in search engine results pages to enhance pay per click (PPC) listings.”

According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Search_engine_marketing) “There are five categories of methods and metrics used to optimize websites through search engine optimization.”

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1. Keyword research and analysis involves three “steps”: ensuring the site can be indexed in the search engines, finding the most relevant and popular keywords for the site and its products, and using those keywords on the site in a way that will generate and convert traffic. A follow-on effect of keyword analysis and research is the search perception impact. Search perception impact describes the identified impact of a brand’s search results on consumer perception, including title and meta tags, site indexing, and keyword focus.

As online searching is often the first step for potential consumers/customers, the search perception impact shapes the brand impression for each individual.

2. Website saturation and popularity, or how much presence a website has on search engines, can be analyzed through the number of pages of the site that are indexed on search engines (saturation) and how many backlinks the site has (popularity). It requires pages to contain keywords people are looking for and ensure that they rank high enough in search engine rankings. Most search engines include some form of link popularity in their ranking algorithms. The following are major tools measuring various aspects of saturation and

link popularity: Link Popularity, Top 10 Google Analysis, and Marketleap’s Link Popularity and Search Engine Saturation.

3. Back end tools, including Web analytic tools and HTML validators, provide data on a website and its visitors and allow the success of a website to be measured. They range from simple traffic counters to tools that work with log files and to more sophisticated tools that are based on page tagging (putting JavaScript or an image on a page to track actions). These tools can deliver conversion-related information. There are three major tools used by EBSCO: (a) log file analyzing tool: WebTrends by NetiQ; (b) tag-based analytic tool: WebSideStory’s Hitbox; and (c) transactionbased tool: TeaLeaf RealiTea. Validators check the invisible parts of websites, highlighting potential problems and many usability issues and ensuring websites meet W3C code standards. Try to use more than one HTML validator or spider simulator because each one tests, highlights, and reports on slightly different aspects of your website.

4. Whois tools reveal the owners of various websites, and can provide valuable information relating to copyright and trademark issues.

5. Google Mobile Friendly Website Checker: This test will analyze a URL and report if the page has a mobilefriendly design”

kissmetrics.com

How can we utilize these categories in our local businesses; has been a question that I hear often.

There are several components that we need to implement to ensure that our local websites are ranking properly in your local marketplace.

Choosing the right keywords is a critical component in an effective SEM/SEO strategy. Your consumer is utilizing various keywords in the search trying to find our product or service. They may be searching for “metal roofing Orlando” or “roofing Orlando” for example. Then the search engine will start providing them with relevant results.

The SERP (Search Engine Results Page) will include Paid Search Results which are normally on the top and right hand side of the SERP and Organic results which

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are those in the center and below the fold. The paid results are generated based on cost per click PPC (pay per click) programs that companies have set up to secure top positions on the SERP. Organic results are generated based on the relevance of local, national website content that helps to create a solution for a potential consumer. There is another very important category that we need to pay attention to, an announcement that came about in April from Google that we should pay close attention to, it’s called mobile friendly websites or reactive design websites. Google announced that on April 21st, it would change its search algorithm that

would begin to factor in mobile friendly sites as a ranking signal, which meant that if your website was not mobile friendly would begin to see your ranks downgraded as a result. Make sure that you have identified if this is a challenge with your site and correct as soon as possible.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Search_engine_optimization) “Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine’s unpaid results - often Waterwind_HP-FRSA.qxp 10/6/15 3:50 PM Page 1 referred to as “natural,” “organic,” or “earned” results. In general, the earlier (or higher ranked on the search results page), and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine’s users. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search, academic search, news search and industry-specific vertical search engines.”

Now that we have identified and talked about the ® differences of SEO and SEM, are there ways we can monitor some of the categories we discussed? Absolutely! There are Google Analytics reports that we can review periodically as needed to determine Duro-Last’s industry leading warranties are supported how effective our SEO and by prefabrication of roof panels and membrane SEM strategies are. accessories in a factory quality controlled environGoogle Analytics is a free ment. This eliminates up to 85% of field welding.

Google product your web deOur highly trained technical field team inspects the veloper or you can install that field welded seams. Once you put a Duro-Last collects visitor data from your roof on, you can put it out of your mind. website. This data is used to create reports that provide insight into how visitors are Visit duro-last.com using your website. There are or call to find out more. a few areas on these reports 800-248-0280 Edge-to-Edge that you should pay close at& Deck-to-Sky™ tention to:

Duro-Last ; the most water, wind and worry-resistant roof in the business.

“Duro-Last” and the “World’s Best Roof” are registered marks owned by Duro-Last, Inc. WaterWind_E2E_11.19.13_1

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Acquisition Overview Find this report through Acquisition -> Overview. The Acquisition Overview report details how many people visited your site and where they came from.

Social Overview Find this report through Acquisition -> Social -> Landing Pages. Your business probably spends a lot of time and energy on social media, Google Analytics’ Social Overview will help you determine what social networks are providing the most ROI. Top Landing Pages Find this report through Behavior -> Site Content -> Landing Pages.

We’ve looked at how people are finding your site, but this report tells us the exact pages visitors are landing on. Knowing how visitors are entering your site is important for creating a successful sales funnel. I met a very well versed professional named Sally Falkow from Mertius Media at the PR News Google Boot Camp this month. She had a very useful checklist that I have included in this article that will help guide you on your SEM and SEO journey.

There are so many ways that we can utilize digital media in order to help us increase our overall engagement in the marketplace. By implementing a few of these tips and being proactive by reviewing your Google Analytics reports, this can help your company continue to increase ranking and relevance with search engines.

–RFM–

www.floridaroof.com

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