omagic12

I hope you're right. The floor is solid and seems to be free of any hydro-static pressure issues. If a buyer raises a concern about it I can do another plastic sheet test for them or possibly find a company to evaluate it.

I've done the major improvements over the course of the 13 years I lived in it. Besides cleaning the grout in my kitchen and bathrooms the garage flooring issue is my last concern. If you were looking to buy and saw stains like that wouldn't you be concerned? I would be. I forgot to mention I think the satin may have been caused by leaking radiator coolant., but I don't know that for sure.

Hope this is the correct forum for garage flooring as there isn't a specific category for them. I have attached images of my garage floor in it's current state. The images with the circles were foolishly made by me, a set of steel weights and bottle of Ospho http://www.ospho.com/ . The other stain is of more concern and thought it may from a plumbing leak. I turned off all faucets in the home and checked my water main and the meter was not spinning at all, so that ruled out a travelling water leak from the main line 6 feet from the foundation. The water main meets the home's incoming plumbing in a room 10 feet away from the garage and is also leak free. I was told by a plumber if it were a drain leak it would leak further into the ground and not upwards towards the garage floor. I tried removing the rust stains with one treatment of 10 (water) : 1 (muratic acid) solution. It did remove some of the lighter rust stains but not the denser ones. I also used 80 grit sand paper and that helped remove some too. If I continue on with this I will use "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner since it's in gel form and easier to isolate. I also used the acid/water mix on two of the Ospho circles and it made it worse (pictured) in the form of a white circular area. I taped down a 3' x 3' sheet of visqueen overnight on top of the questionable water leak stain and there was no water or condensation on the floor or the visqueen. Typically, if those stains weren't present I wouldn't do anything decorative wise to the garage floor other than clear seal it every 10 years or so. However, I am looking to sell my home soon and it my be a concern for a potential buyer. I've researched a lot concerning floor coverings and most post recommend for durability and looks to hire a professional to do a professional grade epoxy coating. I don't think I can afford that at this point and don't want to put a lot of cash into a home that I intend to sell. I've done enough painting and read enough post to realize that if I DIY it, it's the prep work that is the most important part. I am leaning towards using a semi-transparent colored acid staining, but concerned that the stains may come through or show in the pattern. Other options would be: 24" x 24" porcelain tiles (not in budget) Epoxy coating (regular grade) Floor primer then two coats of top coat flooring paint Water based stain Seeking comments/suggestions for prepping steps and which floor covering I shoulo use and use and why. Also, if I were to use a clear sealer over those stains (after rust is removed) would they fade from white to color of the rest of the garage floor? Download Attachment: GFP1.jpg 121.83?KB Download Attachment: GFP2.jpg 114.22?KB Download Attachment: GFP3.jpg 78.52?KB Download Attachment: GFP4.jpg 93.54?KB Download Attachment: GFP5.jpg 93.83?KB

I live in west central Florida.Pool is screen enclosed and has a few plants (inside of screen) around the perimeter. Residential home with in-ground 12,000 gal. pool/spa combination. The pool/spa is 20 years old and originally marcite. I had it renovated 8 years ago with diamond-brite, new water-line and perimeter tile, 2.5 hp pump, pump chlorination and paper filter housing. I do not use solar panels and there isn't a heater for the spa. Chlorine/acid care (no salt). I have done the maintenance since three months after renovation. I am not a fanatic when it comes to pool care, but I am not a total slacker either. I brush it and vacuum it roughly every two weeks and generally test the water once a month or more. Last year I was getting mustard stains more than I cared to and my father-in-law suggested I use 1 chlorine tablet for the pump's chlorine dispenser and 1 in a float dispenser. I have been doing that since the beginning of this year with very good results. Fewer mustard stains and less need for other chemicals (stabilizer, alkalinity increaser, sodium). The pools been forming crystals for the past few years due to 1) our local water and 2) bad advice (water test) form a pool store to add 10 lbs. of sodium when none was needed. For the past few months there looks to be increased pitting and yellowing stains (not mustard) that doesn't brush off. The yellowing is on the side that gets the least amount of sunlight. I did some research on-line and seems this is somewhat common to diamond-brite as it nears the 10 year mark. My questions are: 1) Is this common to diamond-brite or other surfaces 2) Anything I can do to slow the pitting, yellowing and crystals. 3) Can it and/or should it be acid washed

Passed inspection/mitigation and approved for two credits. No mention from the insurance company concerning the roof. Thanks for replies.

My insurance agent is labeled as an Allstate office, but I am not directly insured through Allstate. I have a feeling the insurance company may view mod-bit the same as shingles as there's not many residential homes with mod-bit in this area. I should know by the end of the week concerning the wind mitigation/inspection. Thank you Marc and Kurt for your replies.

Any care to take a shot at my previous question? "Do insurance companies consider the manufacturer's material warranty as the mark for service life?"

Do insurance companies consider the manufacturer's material warranty as the mark for service life? Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't mod-bit warranties based in part as to how many sub-plys are put down before the cap sheet? I tore off a small corner piece a few months ago for a repair and struggled to get it off of top of the drip edge. Based on that experience I would opine that it has years of service life left. It is granulated and seems to be in good shape. Insurers in Florida for older homes such as mine are becoming scarce and the ones that do insure are getting pickier.

Thanks for replying Marc. Home is concrete block single story. My concern is that the insurance company may say that they will require a new roof to continue insuring me. I just renewed last month so maybe I am just being paranoid. I had my own mitigation done in early April and was approved for two credits. Being that my home was built in the 50's it's most likely the insurer's intent is just to get a second opinion "proof" of those credits. He took a picture of the county record printout I showed him that shows the roof's permit request and completion record in 2002. If the insurer starts to get picky should my first course of action be a professional roofing company evaluation of my roof to submit to the insurer?

Home is in west central Florida. Low slop hip style roof (no gables) with flat roof over back room(only). Roof was installed in 2002: Single layer base ply + granulated SBS mod-bit cap sheet hot mopped. Decking is 12" wide planks nailed every 3 to 4 inches to 16" rafters on center. My insurance company recently sent a gentleman to evaluate for wind mitigation and "other " documentation. He measured the home's perimeter, checked decking in attic with a stud finder to find nail distance, and took pictures for documentation. He did not go on the roof. He explained that he does not work directly for the insurance company. My concern is how the insurance company may view the mod-bit's life expectancy. From what I have researched (googled) life expectancy can range from 10 to 20 years based on layers (BUR). Also, can granulated mod-bit be re-roofed or will it need to be torn off and replaced?

Can water-based latex be used over shellac based Kilz or plain shellac?

Well, I will B. Moore likely to use B. Moore with future projects. I put a second coat of the Vladspar (cause it sucks) semi-gloss on and it does look better than a single coat (like all paints do), but it has streaks and transparency shows through. The good news is it only used one gallon, so when I paint it again 5 years from now that's all I will need. Now, if someone could please direct me to the best primer for water stains on ceiling tiles. I am ASSuming that good ole' original KILZ oil-based will work better than water-based. My parent's home has a lot of windows and wall fans to help rid the VOC's.

I had a feeling that you or someone else was going to tell me I'd save more by using a better quality paint. My brother use to do part time painting years ago and swore by and only used Porter paints. I started using Behr and Valspar about 15 years ago when they first showed up in the big stores and at that time they were better paints than they are now and for the past few years. I'll do a second coat with the Valspar I have left and then cut bait with Valspar and Behr products. I'll be painting 3 rooms at my parents house soon. The home was built in early 1930's has all heart pine floors and the walls are original bead board. I'll go with B. Moore or Porter paints. Thanks for the reply kurt

Home is in Tampa Bay area of Florida. I am in the midst of painting my home's fascia, gables and soffit. I know the key to a good finish is in the prep work and feel satisfied with that part of the it. I have painted the fascia within the past three years but have not painted the soffits and gable since I purchased the home 11 years ago. I purchased Valspar latex stain-blocking primer and latex semi-gloss from the local big box store. The primer IMO worked well, although not much stain blocking was needed. The semi-gloss seems to not cover as well as hoped. I say seems because I haven't used an expensive brand like Porter paint, Benjamin Moore Sherwin Williams or other high end brands. Can't seem to bring myself to spend an extra $20 or so it takes compared to Valspar or Behr. Anyway, not intending this to be a brand war so here's my questions: 1) As mentioned I have put on one primer coat and almost finished with one coat of semi-gloss. Should I put on a second coat of semi-gloss? 2) Does semi-gloss (no matter the brand) always have some transparency to it? 3) Suggestions for brand(s)

Thanks for the replies... great info. Never thought of using an epoxy, but makes a lot of sense. Fortunately I don't have a lot of quarter round to replace. Also, it looks like there is some extensive old termite damage to the 2" x 6" behind the fascia that will need to be dealt with when a (future) new roof is installed. Very tempted to do the existing roof removal and wood repair myself when the time comes. I have cheap labor (my son 16 year son and his buddies) to get it done quicker. Damn I wish I knew more about construction when I purchased my home 11 years ago.

You are wise Sir. The fascia does extend about 1/2" past the quarter round in all areas except about a 3 foot section. I will caulk that section. I have a tube of DAP Dynaflex 230 (hope it's not crap) that should work. Another ? if care to answer. Is wood spackle okay to use to fill chipped paint on exterior wood or would Bondo be better? Thank You

My house has two foot extend eves from the main frame. The fascia is 8"(h) x 3/4" thick and soffits are 1/4" plywood. Quarter round molding is used were soffits meet fascia and is finish nailed. I have replaced areas of rot and wondering if I should use caulking throughout for the new and old quarter round or will it cause rot if I do by trapping moisture. Caulking was not used previously.

Maybe ABC stands for Always Bullsh!$ Customer. I am kidding they didn't try to push any products on me and actually discouraged use of coatings for granulated cap sheet. I showed them the alligatoring pics on my cell phone and they probably didn't zoom it in enough. The cracks are slightly deeper than the granules. They did mention a system named Hydro-Stop and a man I can contact if I am interested. I've seen videos on youtube about it and most were made in Chicago. If anyone has any first-hand knowledge or recommendations on Hydro-Stop, they are much appreciated. I will say I am very leery about any claims of miracle roofing solutions as manufacturers will always point to poor application if issues arise. Good luck suing a contractor that applies it as they will claim they followed the manufacturers suggested application technique, and the only person who ends up getting paid is the lawyer you might use.

I didn't know peel and seal has been around so long. I told my son the white peel and seal we laid down should last about 15 years, if it goes 35 it will most likely outlive me. 10 years ago when I was getting estimates for the roof I was told I basically have two choices due to the low slope: BUR tar and gravel or Modbit. When I bought the home it had a tar and gravel roof and I hated mowing and trimming over pebbles that had fallen from the roof, so I went with modbit and glad I did. Looks like I have a little bit more fascia and soffits to fix, but I can"t complain too much as it could be worse after 10 years.

Well, curiosity got the best of me today and I broke down and bought a gallon of silver seal 300 for a whopping $20. I used it on the top of the cement/adhesive (3-coursing) used during the recent repair two months ago and on areas near intakes and vents that granule loss. Hopefully, it will help it last longer. I also used it near the peak over the alligatoring and will evaluate it every 6 months to see if has any benefit. I can see where aluminum coating may work well with non-granulated cap sheet, but for granulated I can't see it helping much and would take a lot more to cover compared to non-granulated. So, now I know the answer to the question that was eating at me.

I am moderately handy and leaning a lot about roofing materials and issues through great sites as this and others around the web. Trouble is lately I feel I might be over-thinking the process through to much Internet researching. I have never tried using a torch, but comfortable using cement, trowel and mod-bit roll. My son and I just finished peel and seal(ing) the aluminum patio roof, 3-coursed an area of concern and asphalt primed some of the (top) of exposed drip edge and cap sheet to ready it for adhesive cement. Probably over-kill but at this point I am settled on function vs. looks. Thanks again for your responses Kurt.

"I'd put that in the basic half-assed install with the usual inadequacies. It'll work OK for some number of years." I hope it holds up, so far the seams are good just a few areas of the drip edge are an issue.i agree with your assesment of a half-assed job. When it comes time for a new roof I want to add a pitched slope over the flat deck.Possibly go with metal througout or in combination. Please share your recommendation for type of (new) roofing. "I can imagine reflective coatings helping a lot; they work. Yes, I know the naysayers, give them some props, but my experience tells me UV inhibiting coatings work, and common sense says silver reflective coatings have to be better than black.Reflective coatings would work here in all the little cracks and crazes you can't even see; UV still gets in there and breaks down the material. Yes, the granules reflect most of it, but in terms of area, there's probably some good percentage of area still exposed that doesn't have granule." I have posted on other sites and read others that posted similar questions concerning roof coatings. Mixed responses for and against and for me it is value added (extended roof life and asthetics) versus initial and possible future cost of coating. Roofers and reps I have spoken with said that a good asphalt based fibered aluminum coating should last 3 to 5 years in Florida.Ponding area will need to be done annually. I called Karnak and Henry and they both recommended doing a rubberized asphalt based fibered aluminum coating. The interior of my home is approximatley 2800 sq. ft. with garage included and has 2 foot eves (extended from main frame) around the perimeter. A rough guess in roofing squares is 30.The coatings coverage is 2 gallons per 1 roof square (100 sq. ft) which would equal approximately 12 to 13 five gallon cans, but will probably closer to 15 gallons due to granules. Karnak #298 is $98 (not including tax) and will total to approximately $1300 to$1500.BlackJack Silver Seal 300 at (B)Lowe's is solvent based and sells for $63 ($68 tax include) per 4.75 gallon can which would total just under $1000. I could do this http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Co ... teRoof.htm for about $30 (LOL). I e-mailed the guy and he said it lasted 2 years and through 2 winters and may have been more but had a new roof put on. My fear is that it may accelerate mod-bit and seam detioration, although it shouldn't as it's alkaline based. Also need to wear mask, googles and gloves as it has silica in it. If I knew for sure that aluminum coating it would incease it's life by 3 to 5 years at the cost of $200 to $300 a year I would say it'd be well worth it. Unfortunately, that is the dilema as there is no garauntee it will. I would actually like to coat it for two reasons a) UV protection and likely extended life b) asthetically it will look better as the overflow on the seams won't stand out as much as they have since it was installed. there's a few houses on my street that have recent modbit roof and looks much beter than mine. Most likely is peel and stick cap sheet over a mechanical or peal base sheet. "It's peeling in the corners because of the flashing material. Forget aluminum gravel stops/drip edges/flashing details. Mod bit doesn't weld to aluminum worth a darn. (I'll modify that to, it'll weld sorta ok if you double prime it and go overtime on getting the welds tight, but I'd still be watching it every year.)You want minimum .032 galvanized; if you don't want shiny metal, use Keynar coated material (available in the usual brown, bronze, white colors). Double prime this stuff, and it'll hold forever. Well, almost forever." To clarify: are you recommending I purchase, install and double prime the drip edge (Keynar) now, then lift and reattach the existing cap sheet to it using adhesive cement. Or, are you recommending that when it's time for a new roof? "What about venting? What's the roof structure? Is there an "attic" in there? All that magic membrane that keeps the water out also keeps the water in; I have a hard time imagining a single turban vent does much, but I could be wrong." I understand about trapping mositure and have read some post about elastomerics causing issues. My home was built in 1958 and decking is 12" planks with approximately 1/8" or 1/4" gaps in between nailed to rafters 16 inches apart. The wood looks good from underneath viewed from inside (no ceiling) the attached garage. There are 2 turbines 20 feet apart, no gabel vents, and very small crawl space under peak of roof (little attic room).I had a few roofers out for estimates on the repair pics I posted, they said that the roof decking is attached much better than newer homes and the wood is of much better quality as well. New wood sold at big box store here in Floida is total crap for the most part. Thanks for all the replies so far and look forward to more responses.

Sorry for the delay. Pics attached. Recent eves repair was done using Polyglass polyfex peel and stick modbit cap sheet over(asphalt) primed existing roof with old roof cut back 18 inches from edge. In the process of applying peel and seal to seams on insulated aluminum patio roof. I will also apply 12" peel and seal where the flat roof adjoins the aluminum patio roof. Plan to attach it to flat deck's drip edge facing and cover seams and old peel and seal on aluminum patio roof to form an L-shape avoiding any gaps. Click to Enlarge 94.79 KB Click to Enlarge 65.02 KB Click to Enlarge 54.04 KB Click to Enlarge 41.54 KB Click to Enlarge 53.49 KB Click to Enlarge 37.78 KB Click to Enlarge 36.47 KB Click to Enlarge 55.53 KB Click to Enlarge 67.19 KB Click to Enlarge 98.96 KB

My name is Mike, first time posting here, not an inspector. I have read through several roofing post and answers and I am very impressed with knowledgeable members here. I have a few questions I hope to get answers to. My home is in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. The roof is 9 years old low slope that was initially installed using mechanically fastened single ply base sheet with hot-mopped adhered granulated SBS mod-bit cap sheet. The roof has minor water curling issues in the corners (2 foot extended eves), but no leaks within the home. The roof looks to be in good shape other than alligatoring at the peak and a few other small areas, and a few areas where the cap sheet is lifting up from the drip edge. Also there is an area of ponding that is less than a 1/2" deep. Reading through some of the post here concerning flat roofs there is mention that alligatoring isn't necessarily an issue as long as there are no flaps and it isn't through the base ply. Also mention that water less than a 1/2" deep isn't much of a concern as well. However, the local ABC roofing supply company has advised me that alligatoring is a sign of the roofs near end and suggested that I can three course it with mesh and cement topped with granules to hopefully get more life out of it. The also said don't bother coating it as is has the embedded granules and those help reflect heat. I have been searching through many sites and posts to try and make a sound decision. I don't want to sink money into coatings that may not extend the life of the roof. Yet, a lot of people on forums have suggested using a good asphalt/rubber aluminum coating (such as Karnak) to prolong roof life. Another more expensive option is Hydro-stop or Soy Expandothane. Unfortunately, there are few reviews on those products. All feedback and suggestions much appreciated.