The Lookout Housing and Health Society Makes a Difference in the Lower Mainland

 

 

 

The Lookout Society provides housing and a range of support services to adults with low or no income who have few, if any, housing or support options. Because they have challenges in meeting needs and goals,  barriers to accessing their services are minimal. The Lookout Society has 1,750 housing and shelter units in 55 buildings including 23 emergency shelters. They serve thousands more people through programs in 15 municipalities.

This Organization transforms peoples’ lives. They help people with all kinds of issues that have led them to become homeless: issues like poverty, disabilities, mental illness, addiction and social integration issues.

They provide health services and help people gain skills and find employment. Check out their website to find out more.

Giving back to the community is important to us and we’ve been supporting the Lookout Housing and Health Society as they make a big difference in the Lower Mainland.  On January 19th we donated $10,000.

A Message from Design Roofing on COVID-19

 
 

 

 
Safety has always come first at Design Roofing and we are paying close attention to the current public health situation related to COVID-19. Design Roofing is open and operating for all services: repairs, maintenance and roof replacements. To ensure your tenant’s health and safety, as well as our employee’s and their families, I want to assure you that we have implemented the following measures:

 

  • All Roofing Technicians have been given gloves and respirators to use at their discretion.
  • Each truck is equipped with extra sanitizing material including alcohol-based hand rubs to use frequently.
  • All employees are practicing prevention measures as set out by BCCDC.
  • Employees are staying home if they are ill or meet any self-quarantine criteria.
  • We are minimizing interior access whenever possible.
  • If in-suite service is required, our scheduling team will be asking questions to the tenants:
  • Have you been sick?
  • Have you or anyone in your household been out of the country?
  • Have you been around anyone with symptoms?

Please understand that we may not be able to attend in-suite if technicians could be at risk.

 

While working outside, our technicians are able to keep a safe distance of 6′ to anyone and we are confident that there is no need to hold off on roof work at this time. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any reason.

Roofing Specialists Recommend Maintenance over Repairs

For anyone who has been in charge of building maintenance in any capacity, it is not exactly breaking news that the roof over your head is absolutely critical to the building’s usefulness and safety. And for those who are in charge of commercial properties, the stakes are even higher. Not only are roof concerns a matter of safety, they are a crucial component of many people’s livelihoods. Any shut down due to building safety concerns means that revenue is not being earned, and the bottom line is being hurt.

For this reason, most roofing specialists strongly recommend implementing a regular maintenance schedule to monitor and address any problems long before they become an emergency situation. With the help of an expert eye, even the smallest permeations can be detected before they have a chance to accumulate.

Once water has permeated the building, there is no limit to the damage that accrue. The most obvious danger is that that the water itself will simply seep into stock, purchases, or outgoing orders, rendering them a complete loss. But beyond that, the water can easily freeze and expand within the building’s structure, causing severe safety concerns over potential collapses. And even of these dangers are avoided, the build-up of mold can cause serious long-term concerns for employees and customers.

To nip this problem in the bud, the only solution is a twice yearly inspection; usually in the spring and fall. This will allow for small repairs to be completed long before they have a chance to grow into larger concerns. By far, the easiest way to fix water damage is to avoid it altogether…but in order to do that properly, you must trust in a team of qualified experts. As the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

“Stay on Top of Roof Maintenance” – Vancouver Experts

According to experts on roof maintenance, Vancouver represents a very challenging physical environment when it comes to the proper care and upkeep of both commercial and residential roof tops. With balmy summers featuring wave after wave of heat, and often times drought, the province can be as challenging as any warm climate for the months of July and August. Of course, the notorious rainy weather is also a challenge, with constant dampness and dry interior heating all becoming factors.

During the summer months, the main reasons for concern most often center around two factors–animal activity and weather patterns. Birds and other small animals often find Vancouver rooftops to be a perfect environment for nesting. For obvious reasons, these nests can become a problem very quickly, allowing interior access to exterior elements as well as blocking drainage paths–simply creating a mess. Weather patterns also allow for the accumulation of things such as small branches and leaves, that can also trap water in place where it will eventually seep through to the interior, causing water damage both along the way and at its final destination. The key to avoiding these summer time hassles is the regular performance of roof maintenance, Vancouver experts say.

Of course, the summertime is actually the less worrisome of the two worrisome seasons. The regular performance of inspections is also recommended in order to help avoid roofing problems at the worst possible time–during the bone chilling dampness of winter. When moisture has entered the building through small crevices, created by either natural wear and tear or by animal activity, this water will seep into the roof after a certain period of time.

According to experts, twice yearly is the minimum recommended frequency for roof maintenance. Vancouver, in particular, has a climate which would be best served by performing this maintenance once in the early spring and then once again in the early fall, allowing building owners time to react to any potential problems long before they have a chance to accumulate.

Source: Image Courtesy of Flickr's Marcus T Ward.

Source: Image Courtesy of Flickr’s Marcus T Ward.