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Just Leaks is Now Hiring Experienced Roofers

If you are an experienced roofer, here is what the Just Leaks team is seeking:

3 to 5 years of flat roofing and some carpentry are needed for an industrial flat roofing co. You must perform a wide range of tasks. You must have the following:

  • A clean DMV record
  • Pass a background check and a drug test
  • Have good communication skills
  • Be self-motivated and a team player

We will provide your tools, truck, lunch, a friendly work environment and some benefits. Pay is based on ability.

We are an industrial flat roof maintenance and repair company. We mostly do service type work. In the Winter and Spring, we do leak calls. In the Fall, we do maintenance. During Summer, we do whole roofs using cold process built-up, coatings, SPF foam and SA systems. We also have a General Contractor’s license so we can take on anything we want. Our work is very diverse.  We do a bit of carpentry, rot repair, new framing, and structural upgrades.

We are a medium size outfit in San Jose whose workers try hard to work together as a team. We are looking for someone who can hit the ground running. We also want a person who cares about the work he is doing, the company he is working for, and the people he is working with, knowing his care and attention will be reciprocated. We tend to work year round with little down time. You would need to be willing to do whatever is needed at the time, (and there is quite a list). You will not get bored.

If you believe you are a great fit for this position, submit your cover letter and resume to Craig Siemer at craig@justleaks.com.

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Five Ways To Lower The Energy Bill for Your Commercial Building

Many owners and tenants of commercial buildings are interested in finding ways to lower their energy bills. Here are five easy ways to reduce the energy consumption in your industrial building.

  1. Install automatic shut-off light switches. Even if you are using low-voltage lighting, it’s smart to install automatic shut-off light switches that power down a room when it’s not occupied. Encourage all building tenants to turn off the lights before they leave work.
  2. Use Energy Star appliances and other energy-saving equipment. Not only do you save by lowering your energy costs with Energy Star appliances, but some equipment can earn you rebates, too. Check into all the energy-saving equipment available on the market for your commercial building and tenants’ industry requirements. The equipment you choose could make a big difference in your power bills.
  3. Install water-saving devices. Lower your building’s water consumption by utilizing water saving devices on all sink fixtures. Replace older toilets with newer low-flow tanks. Encourage all building tenants to reduce water usage when possible.
  4. Reduce air conditioning usage at night. If your commercial building is not required to keep electrical equipment and perishable goods at a lower temperature, consider turning off the A/C at night. The morning air should be cool enough to keep the inside comfortable when the air conditioning is turned on for the day.
  5. Install or maintain a cool roof coating. Just Leaks helps many commercial property owners and tenants save big time on energy costs by installing cool roofs. Coated with AcryPly Polyester Membrane Systems or Spray Polyurethane Foam Systems, flat industrial roofs stay significantly cooler. Not only will a cool roof lower your energy bills, but it also benefits the environment.

For more information about cool roofs and how they can help lower the energy costs on your commercial properties, contact Just Leaks for a consultation. Our phone number is 408-249-4646, and we will be happy to assist you.

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Our Recent Work: New HVAC Curb and Framing

A recent project was a new HVAC curb and framing on a flat, commercial roof in the Silicon Valley region. Here are a few photos showing the progress of the project.

These photos show the new HVAC curb and framing. The new underlying frame supports the new HVAC and curb from under the roof.

Just Leaks April blog photo 1

The next photos show the top of the roof where the HVAC unit will go. We cut away the roof, framed in a level curb base, installed metal factory curb, insulate, and cant the curb.

Just Leaks April blog photo 2

After the foundation of the HVAC unit was built, we primed the roof curb and tie in area, installed base ply and capsheet roof membrane.

Just Leaks April blog photo 3

To finish off the new HVAC curb and framing installation, we reinforced the edges and seams so they would tie into existing roof membrane. This reinforces the bond at the transitions for a more durable seal.

Just Leaks April blog photo 4

If you are a property owner or business owner that needs to replace a rooftop HVAC unit, you can rest easy knowing that Just Leaks will do a complete and reliable job. To learn more about our roof HVAC installation, roof maintenance, or roof waterproofing services, give us a call at 408-249-4646. We’ll be happy to help.

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Our Recent Work: A Difficult Integrated Gutter Repair

When a gutter gets clogged, it can cause problems throughout the entire system. The following photos show a recent project, where the Just Leaks team made a difficult integrated gutter repair on a commercial building in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Our team was called because built up debris and defects in the integral gutter system caused leaks in the overhang soffits.

March WO29369 Pg1

As you can see from the photos below, the built up debris and constant flow of water from condensation deteriorated the metal gutter. The deterioration of the gutter would eventually cause leakage.

March WO29369 Pg2

The Just Leaks crew began the gutter system repair by removing all debris first. Then, we cleaned and prepped the defective gutter areas. You can see quite a difference in the before and after photos below.

March WO29369 Pg3

Next, we located the open breaks in the gutter and repaired them.

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The repair required us to apply RustEnder anti-oxidizing agent to the metal gutter. Then, we sealed the gutter with urethane and polyester membrane to reduce corrosion.

March WO29369 Pg5

On this project, our team was happy to repair this integrated gutter system and our client was equally pleased to see no more leaky gutters.

To prevent your commercial building from developing a leak, contact Just Leaks for a complete roof system inspection. To learn more about our roof HVAC installation, roof maintenance, or roof waterproofing services, give us a call at 408-249-4646. We look forward to serving you.

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Our Recent Work: Squirrel Damaged Roof at UCSC

Sometimes we get nutty roof repair requests…but not in the way you might think.

In this roof repair case, squirrels wreaked havoc on a roof flashing when they decided to use this college dormitory roof as their food storage pantry. Here are a few photos of how Just Leaks saved the day for the students attending The University of California, Santa Cruz campus.
Feb 2016 squirrel repair 1

As you can see, the pipe jack flashing was dislocated by the squirrels, and they stored their nuts underneath. We have to admit, these squirrels were pretty smart! However, we needed to immediately repair and protect the college dorm roof from further damage.


Feb 2016 squirrel repair 2

After the Just Leaks team removed the acorns, we then removed the roof jack flashing, replaced the deteriorated underlayment, re-installed the jack flashing, and sealed it all up.

No squirrels were harmed during the process, but they were a little perturbed that we removed their convenient roof-top nut stash. UC Santa Cruz students and staff members, however, were thrilled that we repaired this dormitory roof. There was concern about potential leaks and other roof damage during the El Nino winter storms if this damage was ignored.

UPDATE:  The squirrels are fine living in a neighboring tree, and they appear to be healthy and happy. We could have sworn during our last visit, however, that they were barking insults at us. But hey, hat’s off to our resourceful, furry, nut-loving friends. 🙂

If you are concerned when local wildlife causes damage to your commercial roof, you can rest easy knowing that Just Leaks will do a complete and reliable roof repair. To learn more about our flat industrial roof leak repair, dormitory roof maintenance, or commercial roof waterproofing services, give us a call at 408-249-4646. The Just Leaks team will be happy to help.

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Our Recent Work: A Roof Leak Repair

We are proud of the work we do here at Just Leaks, so to kick off 2016 with a bang, we thought we would share photos that highlight the work we do during the rainy season.

This January, we received a call from a commercial property owner with a flat roof that had developed a leak. This is a photo of the leak we found on an exterior wall in the area of a side-wall scupper drain.
Just Leaks Jan blog photo 1

This is one of those repairs we are often called out on after several unsuccessful repair attempts have been made by others, or the owners. The roof often deteriorates at the drains due to stress and the drains need to be re-sealed. Here you see the effects of the deterioration at the mouth of the scupper.
Just Leaks Jan blog photo 2

What also often happens, and is often not noticed is that there was not enough of a drip edge to stop water from back-flowing at the outer wall. This backflow can go into the building if the leader head clogs, or if the drip edge is not extended far enough into the leader head. If not repaired properly, the leak will continue, even if the drain is sealed at the roof. In the photo below, you’ll see what a complete and reliable leak repair looks like.
Just Leaks Jan blog photo 3

These photos show how we removed the old mastic and sealants, rebuilt the roof around and through the scupper, and extended the drip edge. This is an example of how, by having the experience to know what to look for, and by being thorough in investigating all of our leaks, we have a very high success rate in completely stopping leaks.

We realize this article is a bit technical for people who are not roof enthusiasts like we are, but we wanted to clearly illustrate the steps we take when servicing roof leaks. Our years of experience with flat, industrial roofs help commercial property owners secure their buildings against water leaks that could damage the structure, furnishings, electronic equipment, or products located inside the building.

If you are a property owner or business owner that dislikes losing money on their investments and believes in preventive maintenance, you can rest easy knowing that Just Leaks will do a complete and reliable roof repair. To learn more about our roof leak repair, roof maintenance, or roof waterproofing services, give us a call at 408-249-4646. We’ll be happy to help.

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Just Leaks and Cool Roofs

Did you know that Just Leaks specializes in Cool Roofs? A Cool Roof, as defined in the Energy Star Program, is any type of roof system that effectively reflects the suns warming rays. For flat roofs – the minimum qualifying reflectance index is 78%.

Just Leaks installs several types of Cool Roofs including spray foam insulated Fluid Applied Membrane Systems. Our system have a reflectance index of 88 to 92% for maximum protection. These roofs are proven to be the most sustainable, green, durable, and energy savings solution for flat industrial roofs.

Most building owners know that they will save on their cooling power bills when a Cool Roof is installed. Since the Cool Roof shields the building from the suns heat, the HVAC equipment runs less frequently and at lower levels.

What many building owners do not consider, is the additional savings on maintenance and lifecycle costs for that equipment. Less demand means longer lasting HVAC units. On most commercial buildings, the cost of the HVAC units is, by factors, greater than the cost of a new Cool Roof system.

Not only is a Cool Roof able to keep energy costs down, it has other benefits, too. Some of the advantages to having a Cool Roof installed on your building are:

  • They provide superior waterproofing
  • Cool Roofs do not degrade like other roofs
  • They provide long term performance and sustainability
  • Guaranteed for up to 20 years

If you manage or own a building with a flat industrial roof, Just Leaks would be happy to provide you a free estimate for a Cool Roof system. Contact Just Leaks when you need an energy-saving Cool Roof, emergency roof leak repair, annual maintenance programs, roof condition reports, new equipment waterproofing, skylights, waterproofing, drains, roof scuttles, and new roof systems. Call us anytime at 408-249-4646 for prompt service.

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Tar Roofs to Acrylic Coatings: A History

Sometimes our Just Leaks staff will receive calls asking if we can help maintain or repair their “tar” roofs. Although tar has historically been used with gravel on flat roofs, there is almost no tar in roofing anymore. That is why we have decided to talk about the evolution of tar roofs to acrylic coatings in today’s blog article.

Tar is a byproduct of coal when coal is processed into coke to fuel –smelting furnaces. Thanks to all the steel production in the Industrial Age, lots of coal was turned into coke, so there was plenty of tar, or coal tar, to use for other purposes. One use for tar was to use it as a waterproofing layer on roofs.

For a long time, tar was used on rooftops, but tar had its problems. First, because tar’s natural state is as a sticky liquid, it never really set completely. Second, tar is quite caustic and can cause harm to skin and lungs. Third, the hot sun would cause the tar to liquefy and run down the drains, so roofers began to use gravel on top of the tar to protect and stabilize the tar by holding it in place.

As petroleum surpassed coal as our primary energy source, tar was replaced by asphalt on roofs. Asphalt is a byproduct from when gasoline is removed from crude oil. Since asphalt became more common and cost effective, roofers switched to using asphalt and gravel on rooftops. However, many people still call their roof “tar and gravel”, even though it’s really asphalt and gravel that would protect a rooftop for 30 – 50 years. With that length of roof longevity, asphalt proved to be a significant improvement over tar.

In more recent years, asphalt and gravel is being replaced by something even better because the quality of the crude oil has declined. The asphalt is not as good as it used to be, and the roofs don’t last as long. What used to last for 30 – 50 years is lasting more like 20 years, so roofers searched for an even better waterproofing solution for rooftops. One of the best solutions available is acrylic coating systems.

Now, we can replace asphalt and gravel with white acrylic and polyester membrane roof systems from suppliers like National Coatings. White acrylic coatings protect the roof even better than asphalt, are less caustic, less costly, and deflect heat better thanks to advances in solar reflectant materials technology.  Acrylic has many advantages, so it has become the modern solution for industrial rooftops. The National Coatings AcryPly Roof is Energy Star Certified and Title 24 Compliant.

At Just Leaks, we use the latest technologies and can help clients with the most modern solutions for their industrial roofing needs in San Jose, CA and the entire San Francisco Bay Area. If you have questions about your roof, or if you would like to consider the options made available by the newer fluid applied roof systems, please contact the Just Leaks team today.

Just Leaks, Incorporated

1101 South Winchester Boulevard, Suite H188

San Jose, California, 95128

Phone: (408) 249-4646

Fax: (408) 249-4645

Website: http://www.justleaks.com

President – scott@justleaks.com

Office Manager – norma@justleaks.com

Project Manager – craig@justleaks.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Just-Leaks-Inc/118006798258641

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Spring Is Here – Time To Maintain Your Roof

Spring has sprung, and hopefully your roof has not sprung any leaks at this time. To make certain your roof remains in good shape, take advantage of the season, for Spring is the best time of the year to maintain your flat industrial roof and install a rooftop cooling system.

During the Winter, most people don’t want to even think about roof maintenance. The only time it crosses their minds is when there is a major storm, followed by water damage. However by Spring, the sun comes out, the temperatures are warmer, and thoughts of maintaining the roof begin to sprout. However, thanks to tax bills and other economic reasons in the Spring, most owners of industrial roofs put off roof maintenance and the addition of a rooftop cooling system until Summer.

Unfortunately, if owners don’t plan ahead, Summer could possibly be the worst time of year to plan for roof maintenance. Most roofers are fully booked with roofing projects by Summer, and the prices rise like the summertime temperatures. Fall remains a busy time of year, so Spring is truly the perfect time to start roof maintenance.

Fortunately, Just Leaks offers incentives for industrial roof owners to take action during Spring. Sometimes, we can offer discounts for work performed in the Spring months. We can also stage the work in sections and spread out the cost over a longer period of time. For example, if the roof is very large, or if you own several buildings with flat industrial roofs, we can do one quarter of the roof the first year; the second quarter of the roof the second year; the third quarter of the roof the third year, etc.

If your flat industrial roof is smaller, you may still benefit from the Just Leaks Spring discounts. Sometimes we can arrange it with the roof owners to spread payments out over a few months to help stretch out the roofing budget.

Lastly, Spring is a terrific time of year to install your new rooftop cooling system. The roof is cooler in the springtime, which makes working on the roof a little easier. Plus, new cooling system installations completed in the Spring help lower the Summer power bills. A rooftop cooling system installed in Spring will help both your bottom line and your building’s inhabitants stay cool in the Summer.

If you’re interested in roof maintenance and rooftop cooling system installation in the Spring, contact Just Leaks for an estimate at 408-249-4646 or contact Scott Siemer at scott@justleaks.com.

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