As he directs one of his crews in the blazing Fort Worth sun, Paul Ramon, owner of Ramon Roofing said that roofing underlayment has a major impact on productivity—especially in the 110 degree (F) heat that he and his workers were currently enduring. "What I’ve found especially in a record-breaking heat wave, is that Opus® Roof Blanket is an underlayment that allows us to work longer, safer and more productively than felt paper."
Ramon's firm specializes in tile, slate and metal roofing systems due to regional preferences and says Opus Roof Blanket works very well under all three types of roofing. He has been in the roofing business since 1995 and handles both residential and commercial projects. Ramon runs between five and eight crews per day, mainly in the Dallas Fort Worth area, but his work goes as far as Austin and even New Orleans.
Ramon noted that felt paper gets sticky and tears easily in this kind of heat. And, if left exposed for any length of time, it deteriorates very quickly. "Opus gives us more production value during the installation and because it can be left exposed without incident,” said Ramon. “I can manage my crews more effectively."
Managing several projects at once under the brutal Texas sun, Ramon finds that UV exposure is top of mind. "We can leave Opus exposed without worrying about it breaking down,” said Ramon. “It even held up without tearing in a storm with golf-ball sized hail that would have ripped felt paper to shreds." He noted the tan color also doesn’t blind you like some of the white plastic sheet products.
With a concern for worker safety, Ramon is very pleased with Opus' durability and walking traction. "Whether it’s over a 4 and 12 pitch or 10 and 12 pitch we can walk all over the roof without constantly worrying about slipping," he said. "We love the strength and tear-free guarantee." He pointed out that when temperatures go over 100 degrees (F), oils leach out from the felt paper and it becomes slippery. "That’s not safe," he said. "A builder wanted me to send my workers on a roof with felt paper, but in this heat there was no way I would compromise their safety." Ramon convinced the builder to use Opus since his customers could take two months or more to decide on the final roofing material. "If it costs $300 or $400 more, it’s worth it on so many levels."
In a competitive market and challenging environment for roofing, Ramon feels he has an edge by using top notch products like Opus Roof Blanket. "I know I can rely on it to keep my workers safe and help us be more productive—even in the worst weather conditions," he said. "It’s the only underlayment that meets my needs and keeps my inventories low and manageable."
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