5 Lessons Learned in 2020

Commercial roof maintenance programs are a great way to expand your business and build long-term relationships with school facility managers. You may already be offering commercial roof maintenance services, or perhaps you're interested in branching out. Providing roof maintenance to K-12 schools and universities can be a good source of reliable, ongoing work. But you'll need to consider these facilities' nuances.Schools' Current Roof Maintenance ChallengesIn an educational environment, students' safety and comfort come first. Buildings must be secure and functional, and they must provide an atmosphere conducive to learning. Creating this environment starts with the roof, but this can easily be put off or forgotten about as many school facility managers focus on day-to-day maintenance issues. If students and teachers complain about a lack of hot water or classroom temperatures that are too hot or cold, facility managers swiftly address these issues.However, facility managers should prioritize regular roof maintenance in addition to addressing the most immediate facility concerns. Even something like a small leak from deferred roof maintenance can lead to much larger, and more costly repairs, creating headaches for everyone involved, that could have been avoided.The Value of Commercial Roof Maintenance ProgramsThe roof protects everything inside the school—from books and computers to shop equipment and musical instruments. If a roof leaks, many items could suffer damage. At the end of the day, ensuring a quality roof through regular maintenance not only protects everything inside the building, it can also help extend the life of the roof. Moreover, some roofing system manufacturers may require regular roof inspections to maintain warranties or guarantees. A roof maintenance program can meet this requirement, providing inspection records and evidence that any issues were addressed.How to Develop a Maintenance Program for SchoolsA commercial roof maintenance program for schools isn't much different from what you already do for other commercial buildings. And while regular maintenance inspections can be completed anytime, a neglected roof can often end up requiring repairs that need to align with the school's calendar to plan for minimal disruptions to the students. This can cause inconvenient delays, or date changes that could be avoided with regular inspections and maintenance.GAF Senior Product Manager Benjamin Runyan says that it's important to identify the manufacturer of the existing roofing system to ensure you are using compatible products that won't void the warranty or guarantee. "You want to be looking at this from a maintenance standpoint," says Runyan. "What does the roof look like? How was it built? How have they been maintaining it?"To start, Runyan recommends that you inspect the entire roof system and document its condition with photos and notes. Pay particular attention to the more vulnerable areas, such as seams, fasteners, flashings, edge metal, drains, and gutters. Look for cracks, missing roofing materials, evidence of ponding water, or of birds or other animals, and signs of moss or algae. An infrared scan of the roof can determine if any moisture is present and help pinpoint areas that need immediate attention.Your program should include basic tasks such as clearing debris from drains and gutters, removing leaves or branches, and making minor repairs where existing sealants are losing pliability or are showing signs of deterioration. If you identify larger concerns, you can document that with photos and provide an estimate for the repairs. Also, note how long the repairs should take and what products you'll use.Getting Started with SchoolsPreventative maintenance programs aren't just a benefit to the schools, they can also lead to other school roofing work including re-roofing opportunities. If you're ready to add school commercial maintenance programs to your business plan, GAF has the resources you need to get started. Runyan explains, "Your first step should be talking with your GAF Territory Manager as they will likely already have established relationships with school districts, colleges, roof consultants and architects in your service area."From commercial roofing system specifications to WellRoof® Guarantee Extensions, plus roof restoration options, GAF meets all your needs for stepping into the world of educational buildings.

The GAF Roofing Academy is making a difference in the lives of its students and in local communities throughout the U.S. The program offers both classroom and on-the-roof training at no cost to participants, and whenever possible, the on-the-roof training portion helps provide roofs to those in need, working hand in hand with GAF's non-profit partners.As part of GAF Community Matters, GAF led a special initiative in the Gulf Coast region to help build resiliency following the devastating hurricanes that impacted families and communities. This was a perfect opportunity to offer a GAF Roofing Academy class in the area that would train community members, like Louisiana native Andre Henson, in essential roofing skills and contribute toward repairs and reroofs for affected homes. Additionally, the class was joined by acclaimed actor, and New Orleans native, Anthony Mackie to work alongside the students to help reroof a home in their communityWe had the chance to speak with Henson, who graduated with this special GAF Roofing Academy class, about his experience with the program, its impact on his life, and how giving back to a veteran in the Gulf Coast community affected him.Q&A with Andre HensonWhat was it like growing up in New Orleans?Growing up in New Orleans, everybody was close. All my family would stay right down the street from each other. I would see them every day, and we just had that relationship that was very tight-knit.I'm super blessed. My mom was in the military. We were down here probably a year before Katrina hit, and then we moved up to north Louisiana. She invested in real estate, so we were always just out at the houses cutting grass, fixing places, and we stayed active.What are some of the challenges you faced after being relocated by a storm?I'd say the biggest challenge was getting out there to meet new people and understanding different walks of life. People from Louisiana are different than people from Texas; people from Texas don't act like people from California. It's just getting used to different surroundings and interacting with different people.How did the storms that hit New Orleans affect your family?My mom's part of the family all came up to north Louisiana. It was just like a big family reunion. I had cousins that I didn't really know well, and now we were going to school together, so it was like the storms brought us closer together. That was the upside of the storms.They were out of their homes for about a year and a half. But my mom had real estate houses, so she put them in the houses and [told them] whenever you're ready to leave, you can leave.Why did you decide to take part in the GAF Roofing Academy?The reason why I decided to join the GAF Roofing Academy was because I wanted to find a new trade. I've done fitness, I've done construction, I've done demolition, but not roofing—roofing was new for me. I joined the class, and the instructors were very knowledgeable. I loved the course—he was very hands-on. That's what I really liked about the course.How does it feel to be able to give back to others affected by the storms through GAF Community Matters?It's an unforgettable feeling. [The homeowner is] a veteran, and my mom's a veteran, so I know the toll that takes on them. Having the community come out and reach out their hand—I know that he's going to sleep good at night knowing that his community cares about him.Were you surprised to see actor Anthony Mackie at the project?I was like, wow! He comes up, and I was thinking he's probably here for publicity, but he actually knows about roofing. His parents owned a roofing company, and he's been doing this since he was eight years old. He was up there teaching me some things I didn't know. I just got done with the class, and he's an expert. So, I'm just taking all the pointers he can give me.How do you think learning the skill of roofing will impact your future?I feel like it's a lifelong trade that I will forever know, and I'll be able to pass it down to my kids, my cousins, and my family members. My mom is in real estate, so if she has a roofing problem, I can go up there. I know how to [install] shingles. GAF has taught me a whole lot about everything I need to know.I am looking to start a career in roofing. I want to learn from the inside out how roofing works, and they are setting us up for interviews.Getting InvolvedWant to know more about how you can learn a new trade at the GAF Roofing Academy while supporting your community? Find training near you and sign up to take a class today.

This past fall, more than 50 students participated in GAF Roofing Academy training week in Southern California. The free, week-long event united roofing leaders, contractors, and aspiring roofers, eager to learn the trade. The event concluded with a career fair, which allowed students to immediately meet with potential employers. GAF is a leading proponent of roofing education and training, providing countless opportunities like this to align industry leaders, reduce the industry labor shortage, and empower communities from the ground up with long-term, well-paying roofing opportunities.Helping the Roofing Industry and Graduates"The roofing industry is dealing with a labor shortage and lack of skilled labor," says Scott Bolt, a third-generation roofer and president of Celoseal Roofing in Orange, California. "GAF is the only manufacturer in the construction—not just the roofing but the construction—industry that is listening to the call that contractors need help. The fact that GAF provides contractors with highly organized events like this, with eager recruits and competent trainers—it means a lot to me."The Roofing Academy was just as valuable to the graduates. "I got a roofing job starting this Monday," says GAF Roofing Academy graduate Joncele Cavona Soto. Soto, a US military veteran born in Puerto Rico, served for years while deployed around the world. Recently searching job sites, he learned about the Roofing Academy training. "I applied, was accepted, and now I have a roofing job just one month after leaving the military. This is big for me," he says.Preparing Students for SuccessThe SoCal training covered three key industry sectors: residential steep-slope roofing, commercial low-slope roofing, and roofing sales and insurance. Students chose one focus, then participated in a five-day course combining in-classroom education and hands-on training. Throughout the event, they gained the necessary basic skills to begin a roofing career. The courses were hosted by three GAF certified contractors, eager to share their expertise with the next generation of roofers.BYLTup from Long Beach, California, taught the residential steep-slope roofing class.Celoseal Roofing from Orange, California, taught the commercial low-slope roofing class.Antis Roofing & Waterproofing from Irvine, California, taught the sales and insurance class."When GAF wants to do anything, Antis wants to partner with them," says Charles Antis, owner of Antis Roofing & Waterproofing. "Yesterday, GAF donated 60 squares of shingles to the Sister League of San Diego that we installed." The GAF Community Matters ethos matters to Antis. "We can go into communities across the country and bring people into the trades that otherwise wouldn't get here. I'm super gung-ho about the GAF Roofing Academy," he says. His business has partnered with GAF on seven roofing classes over the years, plus the roofing sales and insurance course at the Roofing Academy event.Students weren't required to have experience—just a passion to learn the trade. "I saw GAF Roofing Academy scrolling through Instagram," says 22-year-old Angelique Mojina from Fontana, California. "I clicked and I signed myself up. I wanted to leave warehouse work and this was my opportunity." Now that Mojina has graduated, the ability to put a roof over someone's home gives her a feeling of gratitude and accomplishment.Securing Jobs and Reducing Labor ShortagesWorkers and companies who participated in the GAF Roofing Academy training week enjoyed immediate benefits.At the career fair, Nathan Blackburn, general manager at Celoseal Roofing, says, "We've hired 20 people today. It's amazing. We've complained for years about not being able to find qualified employees, and now I've got 20 eager people knocking on my door who just spent a week learning how to roof. They want to work; they want this opportunity."The academy also fostered mutually beneficial relationships. Bolt of Celoseal Roofing worked side by side with students in his commercial low-slope roofing class. One student in the class brought him a job application, and he offered him a position with Celoseal Roofing on the spot. "Over the week, I had seen his natural potential, ambition, compassion for co-workers, and leadership skills," he says. "He's looking for a career and a change of direction in his life, and we have something to offer him. He'll onboard Monday, so we have our first recruit."Fostering a Rewarding Career PathThe GAF Roofing Academy offers a new path forward for students of all walks of life. Jacob Mosprey from Anaheim, California, worked in security for 17 years. "In security, you secure property and protect life, but you're not held in high regard. And there was no growth opportunity," he says. "I have a wife and three kids. I want my wife to know she has a husband who has a respectable career."Mosprey's journey is a powerful and hard-won story of perseverance. "During my life, I did go through homelessness, and I was incarcerated a couple of times," says Mosprey. "Now... I appreciate my struggles." Participating in the Roofing Academy has given him a new skill set and an opportunity to improve his own life, as well as the lives of others.Interested in participating in the GAF Roofing Academy and changing your trajectory? Enroll as a student today or partner with GAF Roofing Academy as a contractor.