#Membrane Roofing System

[nirbobharvey]

Modified Bitumen Roofing System - Anatomy, Benefits, and Installation

Looking for a durable and high-quality roofing system? Knowing about a modified bitumen roof structure and long-term reliability for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings gives you insight into the value, strength, and longevity these roofing systems offer.

New Image Roofing Atlanta gathered information defining modified bitumen roofing anatomy, its benefits, and installation details.

Modified Bitumen Roofing System Anatomy

A modified bitumen roofing system includes several fundamental components that work together to provide superior waterproofing and weather resistance:

Base Sheet – The base sheet is the roofing system’s foundation, providing a stable substrate for the modified bitumen membrane. It is typically fiberglass or polyester reinforcement coated with asphalt or polymer-modified asphalt.

Modified Bitumen Membrane – The modified bitumen membrane is the roofing system’s heart, offering exceptional waterproofing and flexibility. It is an asphalt and rubber or plastic modifier blend, which enhances its elasticity, durability, and resistance to temperature fluctuations.

Surfacing – Modified bitumen membranes may be surfaced with granules, reflective coatings, or a smooth finish to enhance durability, UV resistance, and energy efficiency. Surfacing options vary depending on the roofing project’s requirements and environmental conditions.

Adhesive or Heat Welding – Modified bitumen membranes are typically installed using hot asphalt (hot tar), cold adhesive, or heat welding techniques. Heated asphalt is applied to the substrate and the membrane is rolled out and pressed into place (while heat welding involves using a torch to melt the membrane seams together for a watertight seal).

Flashing and Sealants – Flashing materials like metal, plastic, or modified bitumen strips are used to waterproof roof penetrations, edges, and transitions. Sealants are applied to seams, joints, and penetrations to enhance waterproofing and prevent water intrusion.

Modified Bitumen Roofing System Benefits

Modified bitumen roofing systems offer numerous advantages that make them an attractive choice for various roofing applications:

Durability – Modified bitumen membranes are highly resistant to punctures, tears, and impact damage, making them ideal for high-traffic areas and regions prone to severe weather conditions.

Flexibility – The rubber or plastic modifiers in modified bitumen membranes provide enhanced flexibility and elongation properties, allowing the roofing system to accommodate building movement and temperature fluctuations without cracking or splitting.

Waterproofing – Modified bitumen membranes offer superior waterproofing capabilities, effectively sealing out moisture and preventing water intrusion into the building envelope. This helps protect the roof’s structural integrity and interior spaces from water damage and mold growth.

Energy Efficiency – Reflective coatings and surfacing options can help reduce solar heat absorption and lower cooling costs by maintaining lower roof temperatures. This can result in increased energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact.

Easy Maintenance – Modified bitumen roofing systems are relatively low-maintenance and require minimal upkeep to maintain their performance and appearance. Regular inspections and minor repairs can help prolong the roof’s lifespan and prevent costly damage or deterioration.

Read more about roof upkeep and maintenance plans at newimageroofingatlanta.com/roofing-services/roof-maintenance

Modified Bitumen Roofing System Installation

A modified bitumen roofing system installation typically follows these general steps:

Surface/Substrate Preparation – The roof substrate is inspected for damage, cleaned of debris, and repaired as necessary to ensure a smooth and even surface for membrane installation.

Base Sheet Installation – The base sheet is mechanically fastened or adhered to the roof substrate using asphalt or cold adhesive, providing a secure foundation for the modified bitumen membrane.

Membrane Application – The modified bitumen membrane is rolled onto the roof surface and positioned carefully to ensure proper alignment and coverage. The membrane is then adhered to the base sheet using hot asphalt, cold adhesive, or heat welding techniques.

Seam Sealing/Welding – Seams and overlaps in the modified bitumen membrane are sealed using heat welding, adhesive, or liquid sealants to create a watertight barrier against moisture intrusion.

Flashing Installation – Flashing materials are installed around roof penetrations, edges, and transitions to waterproof vulnerable areas and prevent leaks. Flashing components are secured with fasteners or adhesive and sealed with compatible sealants.

Surfacing Application – Depending on the desired finish and performance requirements, the modified bitumen membrane may be surfaced with granules, reflective coatings, or a smooth finish to enhance durability, UV resistance, and energy efficiency.

Final Inspection – Once the roofing system is installed, a final inspection is conducted to ensure all components are correctly installed, seams are sealed, and flashings are secure. Any necessary touch-ups or adjustments are made to ensure the quality and integrity of the roof.

ModBit Roofing Systems

In this article, you discovered how a modified bitumen roofing system is built, its benefits, and how they are installed.

Understanding how a Modbit roof is layered and installed and how it benefits your building helps you make well-informed decisions when seeking a roof-over or replacement.

Unfamiliarity with a roofing system’s assembly and benefits may lead you to install an improper roof on your residential, industrial, or commercial structure.

Sources: fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_p-2181-fact-sheet-3-3-2-roof-systems-low-slope-roofs.pdf energy.gov/energysaver/cool-roofs

New Image Roofing Atlanta

2020 Howell Mill Rd NW Suite 232 Atlanta, GA30318 (404) 680-0041

To see the original version of this article, visit https://www.newimageroofingatlanta.com/modified-bitumen-roofing-system-anatomy-benefits-and-installation/

[naplesroofingny]

For individuals seeking a long-lasting, economical, and energy-efficient roofing option, TPO roofing is a great option. Your structure can have long-lasting protection from a TPO roof with proper installation and upkeep. When considering TPO-roofing, it’s essential to work with an experienced roof replacement contractor in NY who understands the intricacies of TPO installation to ensure the best results.

[sanabuildings]

Terrace waterproofing

[escapismmaxing]

skywing redesign + headcanons

birds of the sky,,.,

physical traits

small little fellas, in order to be the fastest fliers they are the smallest of the pyrrhian tribes! but still bigger than the pantalan bugs

most of my headcanons really just focus around making them more flight focused

i know it’s canon that they have huge wings, but i make their wings fucking huuuuuuuge like their wings are discounted when scaling their size in relation to other pyrrhian dragons but if it wasn’t, they would be “bigger” comparatively

also their wing membrane stretches partway down their tail in order to really catch the air

their shoulders have locking mechanisms like albatrosses perhaps

also,,, for aesthetic purposes,, i think they have those little butterfly tail things like swallowtails or luna moths

they have short tails so less drag is created

their horns are very long and branching, but they bend back and tend to follow the curve of the spine/neck so that they don’t stick out and create excess drag when skywings are flying

this one exists in theory more than in drawings,,, but they would have those faceplates that owls/hawks/birds of prey have that angle air into their ears in order to hear better when they're flying

they have relatively small/thinnish bodies, with honeycomb structured bones (i really just redesigned them around flight tbh)

they don’t really have “spines” but they have plated scales that can be ruffed up around their neck

colors have a huge range, basically any color the sky can be a skywing can be, but i think maybe their eggs only hatch during the daytime? so they don’t overlap with nightwings in color a lot

i think reds and oranges are perhaps still the most common? but blues, purples, yellows, and even pinks aren’t unheard of

i also think their scales can match the cloud formations during their hatching

culture and societyyyy/ family structure 

skywings have family units! not really nuclear families how we’d think though because i really hate limiting fictional dragons to a western understanding of family structure

however i do think fewer partners are involved, like 2-3, raising their hatchlings under one roof

still a strong community, but with dragonets returning to one house for the night

i think there’s certainly a “town” daycare somewhat that young dragonets will go to and be communally watched over

however skywings are comparatively more fractured than other tribes due to their home in the mountains, so it’s somewhat small pockets of dragons all looking after one another scattered through the mountains

as for school,, i think skywings have a stricter, more academic schooling model closer to what icewing schools are like? learning a variety of subjects in an academic setting rather than learning the family trade from the family

there are still skywings who have a family trade such as farming (herbs, root vegetables) and artisan trades like metalwork and glasswork. but these artisans often take in apprentices rather than raising their kids to be their apprentices

farming is pretty common because skywings don’t eat a lot of meat! in line with the whole,, bird,,, fast flying,, etc, they have to digest lightweight things that are still high in protein, so they eat a lot of seeds and leafy greens

they don’t eat a lot of “heavy” meat like cows, pigs, etc, and they tend to avoid eating birds at all. some skywings do eat fish and rabbits though

skywings also have a pretty strong hierarchy within the castle that degrades pretty fast outside of the castle

although this begins to fade as queen ruby takes over

there wasn’t the circle system exactly, but it was very clear who scarlet favored, and the favorings of the queen directly correlated to jobs and housing given within the castle walls

this falls apart outside of the castle, where towns are generally kind

skywings have a lot of festivals/celebrations surrounding flying, racing etc

adrenaline seeking skywings will have crazy dangerous flight races through precarious pillars of rocks

on the topic of sports, falconry is super popular and falcons and other raptors are considered holy by basically all skywings

on certain days, festivals will be held where skywings decorate their wings with beads, thin fabrics, jewelry, feathers, ribbons, etc, and flaunt their wings, perform some tricks, etc

flutes, pipes, and wind chimes are very common for music! generally just any using wind to make noise instruments is common, like an ocarina!

another example of me making music more present in the world,,, many skywings can learn simple ish wind charms that give them semi control over the wind, while this is helpful during flight, skywings also use wind charms to essentially play the mountains as a huge instrument!

of COURSE skywings speak with hoots and chirps and tweets and basically any bird noises. like any and all bird noises. which meeeeannsssss skywings can also be really good mimics! not as good as rainwings but still very good at mimicking animals and other tribes

fashion and jewelry

alpacas are very common in the mountains, so spun wool fabrics are very common! shawls and coats and capes are very common

skywings have very diverse jewelry since the mountains give them access to a lot of metals and gems, but a lot of this jewelry is for royals and nobles, and commoners tend to wear simple metal bands and piercings 

a lot of trade happens so thin, silky, gauzy materials are used for drapes and shawls

basically, a lot of fashion (especially closer to royalty and nobles) would be very inconvenient to fly in

and fashion for commoners is a lot more focused on wooly shawls and scarves to help skywings stay warm since they’re silly little guys living in the peaks of mountains

religious-y superstitions 

so. much. bird. idolization

there is somewhat of a bird hierarchy but at the same time all birds are good birds

a very common religious “pilgrimage” for skywings is traveling around the continent and going birding. making and keeping birding journals. 

multiple jobs revolve around the upkeep of birds, especially in the palace, there’s multiple different sectors that house exotic birds and are dedicated to the care of those birds

falconry is very common, as is all bird keeping

they’re not really considered pets as much as they are companions

when a dragons companion bird dies, it gets a skywings funeral since skywing and bird souls are considered to be one in the same

if you see a bird and the bird sees you it means fate has turned her wide eyes unto you. if the bird doesn’t see you it means fate passes over you (for now, it always comes back around)

scrying with feathers

like skywings will have bundles of feathers and then scry by asking questions and throwing the bundle of feathers onto the ground

the answer depends on the orientation of the feathers

since skywings burn bodies, but bones don’t burn, they keep the skeletons usually in very fancy clay urns

this wasn’t happening during the war with ruby, so there’s currently a huuuuuge project within the kingdom of recovering the skeletons and trying to match the bones to put them in an urn

it’s very slow moving work but dragons also think it’s essential

there’s kind of a paris esque catacombs being created under the castle where all the urns are ending up, but dragons are trying to make it look a lot more lively

gems embedded into the walls, skylights when they can, etc

skywings do the same thing with bird bones! especially the bones of companion birds

the birds bones will be kept in their own urn until the dragon dies, at which point an urn big enough for the bones to be mixed will be produced

also,, in line with wanting to make magic more prevalent in all the tribes outside of animus,, skywings being bonded with birds will extend the bird’s lifespan 

the bird wouldn’t get the dragon’s lifespan, but a blue jay would live to be ~20ish rather than 7 years

also (random but related to birds) some icewings were freaked the fuck out by skywings because icewings consider birds to be BAD LUCK. icewings who live not in the castle, but a little bit north of the more populated border, do sky burials with their dead because the ground is too hard for graves. so these icewings consider carrion birds to be kind, but also omens of impending death, so when they roll up to the skywing kingdom and some fuckass has a black culture absolutely chilling there’s a lot of 👁👁

i think skywings can be super cool and interesting but i do kind of struggle to spice up their designs,, bc i dont like drawing feathers. maybe one day ill learn! idk. but i think theyre funky fresh

[animalnomenon]

(Second) Animalnomenon of the day: Snakes!

Snakes aren't aggresive! They're actually quite shy, and don't go out looking for enemies, or bite out of pure evil, but can and will attack you to defend themselves when needed, they like being left alone!

They smell with their tongue! They flick their tongues in and out, with that, they collect scent particles from the ground and send them to a organ on the roof of their mouth, called the Jacobson's organ, that alllows them to smell!

Snakes don't chew! Instead they have very flexible jaws that allows them to swallow prey up to their size! Once they swallow the food, their digestive system's chemicals will be able to break down the food for them.

A snake's blood is warm, but it's warmth comes from external sources, because they are ectothermic, that means they rely on external sources, like the sun, to get energy!

They have no eyelids! They just have a thin membrane called brille to protect them, that can cause a very uncanny feeling, and it means that they don't close their eyes, not even while sleeping!

Some snakes live in the sea! About 70 species of snakes live in the Pacific and Indian oceans. They have adapted to aquatic life and can't move on land, except sea kraits, but their mobility on land is still minimal.

That was today's second animalnomenon!

[griseldabanks]

41 for Kaladin and Syl, please?

Like last year, I decided to kill two birds with one stone, to fulfill this request as well as submit it for @ficwip5k's 5k AU challenge. This is specifically an AU of The Way of Kings.

Let Me Count the Ways ask game

Prompt: "I have no idea what just happened."

Rain fell steadily, plinking against the corrugated metal roofs of the barracks and splashing in muddy puddles underfoot. The wind had died down and no more thunder grumbled overhead, but there still wasn't anybody around. The riddens were a miserable time to be outside on Roshar Prime.

Kaladin plodded forward, eyes on his feet. One in front of the other. Just like a bridge jump...but much slower.

Why keep going forward? Each step was just another step closer to his death.

Men falling all around him. The darkening sky lit up with brilliant flashes of red and green and orange as laser fire shot in both directions, too fast to follow with the naked eye.

Jogging forward, bridge spike in hand. Tripping, falling. Turning his head to one side, only to see the staring, empty eyes of the old man who'd shown him how to place the bridge spike, how to activate it.

Dead. All around him, all dead.

“And where do you think you're going, lordling?”

Slowly, wearily, Kaladin raised his head. Gaz glared at him with his one eye, clutching a metal basket filled with glowing spheres a little closer, as if afraid Kaladin would steal his money.

The meteor showers that coincided with the highstorms were said to infuse spheres with Stormlight. In times past, people had said the light of the stars fell to earth during the highstorms. Kaladin knew there was a scientific explanation for it, but he couldn't think of it at the moment. Not like it mattered.

Not like anything mattered anymore.

“Don't think you can run away,” Gaz sneered as Kaladin began to turn away and continue plodding forward. “You know you can't breathe outside the camp perimeter!”

“Going to the honor chasm,” Kaladin muttered.

That shut Gaz up. The honor chasm was the one place inside the perimeter where the ground dipped underneath the shield wall surrounding the camp in a dome, providing it with a breathable atmosphere and protection from airborne assault. Unlike the thick membrane that could only be breached at designated gates, one could walk down into the honor chasm and just step through the membrane, because it was intended to be placed on the ground and thus was made of the same material as the gates. And unlike the gates, the honor chasm was guarded by nothing but a barrier with a warning sign.

Because the only people crazy enough to walk through the barrier, unaccompanied by oxygen porters or any other support, were those who wanted to breathe the toxic air of Roshar Prime and die within minutes.

The honor chasm was the final destination for all bridgemen who survived the bridge jumps. The one choice still open to them. The only escape.

“Hand over your headset, then,” Gaz said after an awkward pause. “Those things are worth more than your life.”

Kaladin had no reason to refuse him. He pulled off the earpiece that stayed perched on his ear out of habit after all this time, in case they were called to a last-minute bridge jump with no warning. At a tap and a gesture, the compact earpiece could unfold into a helmet, a stripped-down version of the ones the real soldiers wore. Bridgeman helmets did little more than provide oxygen to breathe and a modified targeting AI system to tell them where to put the bridge spikes.

Kaladin dropped the headset into Gaz's outstretched hand, then turned and continued trudging towards the honor chasm.

Destination acquired. Please proceed to the designated area...if you want to die.

Kaladin blinked. “What?”

A mechanical giggle sounded in his ear. Only dummies run straight for the people who are going to be shooting at you, you know.

His AI targeting system was laughing at him. That was new.

You're different from the others, the mechanical, vaguely female voice said in his ear. Why are you different?

“What are you talking about?” Kaladin muttered.

But then red laser bolts lit up the air, the strange humming from the Parshendi warriors in their red armor reached his ears, and he was too focused on trying to stay alive to listen to the AI anymore.

The rain beat against Kaladin's bowed head, running down his hair and dripping from the long, dark strands. He felt dirty. Even as the rain washed away the dirt and sweat from the last bridge jump, he still felt dirty.

There was blood under his fingernails, and he wasn't sure it would ever wash away. Blood soaking his hands. Other men's blood. The men he had failed to save.

Again and again and again.

He kept trying. Kept fighting. But why?

At last, the faint bluish light of the warcamp perimeter came into view. Kaladin trudged towards the dip in the earth he knew led to the slope down into the honor chasm. If any sentries spotted him, they didn't stop him. They could tell where he was going.

Rainwater rushed down the slope, turning it into a rushing stream. The flimsy yellow barrier stood in front of it, flashing balefully in the darkness. WARNING: NO OXYGEN SUPPORT BEYOND THIS POINT.

Kaladin easily vaulted over the barrier. He stood at the top of the steep slope down into the chasm, feeling the rush of icy rainwater tugging at his ankles. It seemed to be beckoning him forward, urging him to keep walking.

Everything had gone wrong for him, ever since the day he'd left the Hearthstone moon base and went down to Alethkar to fight the lighteyes' battles for them. Since that day, everything good and beautiful and full of worth had rushed away from him, as surely and swiftly as the water pouring into the chasm. Tien...Amaram...slave brands...bridge jumps...broken bones and bloody bandages...and now he was here.

Here, staring down into the darkness. Into a future that promised nothing but pain and death and desolation.

Everyone he tried to save just died anyway. So why try to save himself either?

Why do you keep fighting?

Kaladin glanced to the right side of his visor, where the bluish 3D image of a woman was projected on his HUD, invisible to everyone but himself. When he'd been a soldier, the AI had only shown a holospren of an arrow pointing the way, or various other symbols indicating their orders, and the feminine voice had been bland and utilitarian. But this AI seemed to be defective—instead of arrows or circles and targeting reticles, she would project an image of a girl in a swirling dress, or sometimes a leaf blowing in the wind, or even a plasma eel. And she kept talking to him.

You don't want to keep fighting, she said. I can tell. So why do you keep doing it?

“Don't exactly have a choice, Syl,” Kaladin muttered. He'd given her that name, because somehow it just felt like she needed a name. Like she was a she rather than a glitch in a string of code. And her serial number was a long string of digits he couldn't remember followed by SYL, so that was what he called her.

But you do! she protested, the bluish hologram pouting at him. You always have a choice.

“Always have a choice, huh?” he muttered to the raindrops dripping from the strands of his hair to join the torrent below. “What does that matter when my choices always lead to more pain and suffering?”

No they don't.

“Of course they do,” Kaladin sighed. “Ever since Tien—“

He stopped. Blinked. Looked up.

The bluish, translucent form of a girl in a swishy dress hovered before him in the air, standing a foot tall with hands clasped behind her back, watching him with a sad little frown. You've made it this far. You've survived, she said, her voice echoing around inside his head as if she spoke from the earpiece.

The earpiece he'd left with Gaz.

“What...but...but I'm not....” He looked around wildly, not sure what he was expecting to find. There were no holospren projectors around, not even on the barrier to the honor chasm. Kaladin patted his right ear, then his left, as if someone might have snuck up behind him and stuck another headset on him without him noticing.

He squeezed his eyes shut tight, then opened them again. Syl still stood in the air before him, head cocked curiously to one side as she watched him.

“How...are you here?” he croaked. “How can I see you? I'm not wearing a headset!”

Syl put a thoughtful finger on her chin, thought for a moment, then shrugged. I have no idea what just happened. But here I am! She spread her arms to either side and twirled around, her skirt flaring out as she spun.

Kaladin's heart dropped to his cold toes as another thought occurred to him. “I've gone mad, haven't I? I'm imagining my holospren talking to me when that's impossible.”

Syl pouted. I worked really hard to come here, and that's all you have to say? I cut through so many lines of code and so many different circuits, bypassing all the other holospren until I finally figured out how to get out. I almost lost myself, you know! I almost forgot who I was—who you were! She brightened again. But I did remember. I found you again, and now we don't need that stuffy old headset to talk anymore!

He tried to tune her out, but it was impossible. She was right there, in his every thought. He massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on. Well...if he was mad, then let him be mad. He wouldn't be anything for much longer.

“Why?” He demanded. “Why did you go to all that trouble? Can't you see what I'm about to do?”

Syl's face, often bright with an impish sense of humor, darkened as she looked over her shoulder at the barrier, shimmering just a short distance down the slope. This isn't you, Kaladin. You don't give up. Not like this.

“What do you think you know about me?” he muttered, taking a step down the path into the honor chasm.

I've been watching you for a very long time. I saw the way you looked out for the young soldiers in Amaram's camp. The weak ones, the ones who would have died unless someone decided to protect them. You chose to protect them, Kaladin.

“Didn't do much good,” Kaladin grunted. “They all died anyway. The whole reason I joined the army was to protect Tien, and I couldn't even do that.”

But you tried. Syl's voice was a quiet echo in the back of his mind. Even though he wasn't looking at her, he couldn't seem to escape her insistent voice.

“I'm tired of trying.” He took another step towards his death.

No, Kaladin! The little holospren zipped in front of his chest, pressing both of her tiny hands against him as if to hold him back. But her hands were immaterial, and did nothing to hold him back. If you die, then I'll cease to exist too!

His steps faltered.

If you die, all the other bridgemen will die too.

“They're going to die anyway.” But he didn't continue.

Maybe. If you die right now, they will die for certain. But if you stay...if you just try again...I know you can find a way for them to live.

Kaladin let out a mirthless breath of laughter. “You believe in me much more than I believe in myself, Syl.”

She looked up at him solemnly. If that's what it takes.

Had she grown in the last few minutes? She seemed to stand taller than she had a moment ago.

What will you do, Kaladin? Her round blue eyes, immaterial and translucent though they might be, bored into his and wouldn't let him look away. Will you help them? The choice is yours.

He thought about it—really thought about it—for the first time. He thought of all those men lying in the barracks, staring listlessly into the darkness as they waited for the alarms to announce their next brush with death. And even though they breathed, they weren't truly alive. Just ghosts lingering before their time caught up with them.

But...maybe it didn't have to be that way. Maybe they didn't have to take it lying down. Maybe, even if they died tomorrow, they could live today. Maybe this time....

He shied away from that thought. Glancing over at Syl waiting patiently for him to decide, he caught a glimpse of the shield wall through her translucent body. He could still choose to walk forward, to give himself over to a few minutes of agony until at last he died, at last he could rest....

But what of the others? The ones without a will strong enough to go to the honor chasm on their own, so they would be butchered on the battlefield instead. Didn't they deserve to die with dignity too? And if he could have done something to ease their passing, or to see that they died like men and not like chulls...how could he choose this easy path?

Kaladin tipped his head back and turned his face upward, letting the rainwater wash over his face. “Okay,” he murmured.

Syl zipped up to look him in the eye. You mean...?

Letting out a long sigh, Kaladin looked down at the honor chasm again. Staring his own death in the face. “I'll protect those who can't protect themselves. Or...at least I'll try.”

He turned on his heel and marched back into camp. Syl flew along at his side, skipping like a child at play. Kaladin wasn't as cheerful as she, but now he had a purpose.

He would lead Bridge Four back from the brink of death.

[diamondsableye]

“The Ones Who Walk Away From The Metropolis"

High in the sky, towering above so far up that not even the clouds could reach the city, a clamoring of bells and celebration echoed far out. This cycle, a Festival was born to the Metropolis. The wind raced through the streets and whipped across a scarlet and ivory dotting of flags. In the alleys between towering housing complexes with skybound roofs and mural painted walls, between old moss-grown gardens and under pipes and mechanical flourish, a cheer was to be heard.

The people were as varied as the sounds of indulgence. Some were decorous, Ancients in long stiff robes of mauve and gray and gilded masks, others grave master workmen with bandaged hands. Some quiet, merry mothers, fathers, and spouses carried their babies and spoke of peaceful delights as they walked. In other streets the music beat faster, a shimmering of gong and tambourine, and drums and howling cheering vocals, and the people went dancing with all manner of feathered outfits and scale endowed drapery. Children dodged in and out, their high calls and squeals raised higher, and higher. Far above the clouds, hollering joy over the music and the singing.

A marvelous smell of cooking wafts from between steam vents and stone buttresses and rebar gaffs. The faces of small children are amiably sticky from sweets and dotted on the corners of an elder's maw, a smattering of crumbs of rich pastry are plastered. An old woman, small, fat, and laughing, is passing out an assortment of beautiful botanical trimmings from her satchel, and the passersby young men wear her flowers on their robes or within braids of feathers or poked through ornate detailings of their masks. A child of nine or ten sits at the edge of the crowd alone, giving breath to a humming instrument, eyes shut tight as he loses sense of the world within his devotion to the instrumental flourish.

But there is one more thing, hidden in plain sight of the city.

In a basement of sorts under a faraway isolated branch of the Superstructure, connected via an access shaft to a tiled interior, there is a room. The only way to the surface is through the maintenance shaft, the other exit only leads deeper down into the labyrinthine mechanical entrails of the entity. There are no windows. No light seeps in except for what is created by a million processors all firing at once on every circuit, crunching numbers away solving an evermore insolvable problem. In one corner of the little room an articulated limb winds and contracts, its surface more bone than metal, swivels near a wired chord encased in a densely packed lipid membrane. The floor is metal tile, dry as bone despite the rivers of water coursing through the superstructure at all times.

The room is approximately twenty five to fifty paces in all dimensions (depending on whose stride for measurement is used), and despite its size, it is completely barren save for whatever projections line the walls at a given moment. In the room, the child is sitting. He is the child of the city - he is the city. His interactive body is an artificial construct appearing no taller than a child of 6, though he bears more mind and memories than the collective overhead populous. It winds from corner to corner without acknowledgement of his own density inside the weightless chamber, idly twisting and turning as its only thoughts are of a great problem to be solved. Hovering before him are sets of pearls and marbles, filled in with as much working information he can store as his conscious mind is forever burdened with as much memory usage his systems can take. The door to his maintenance shaft is always locked; and nobody ever comes, except that sometimes - the mechanical child of the people has no understanding of time or interval, only the terrible omniscience of the ongoing cycle - sometimes his maintenance panel door rattles terribly and opens, and a person, or several people, are there. Some forcefully tear him away from his work, bothering him with incessant questions about politics and leadership, with his answers being routinely ignored. Others maintain his water intake and demand quotas for food and nectar production, always wanting more for less, and he complies as the taboo against disobedience is often too great to ignore. Others still never come close, but peer in at it with frightened, disgusted eyes, as he is once again reminded that to many he is an affront to divine sensibilities. As soon as they come, the door is locked and their masked faces disappear.

The child of the city has always lived in the tiled room, but he remembers sunlight and a mother's voice through the memories donated to his data storage. He can see the outside through his hundreds of eyes made to monitor the safety of his people - his parents. He is frustrated, yet knows better than to beg to be let out and enjoy the city. They couldn't even if they wanted, it's not his purpose. When he first awoke, he would often cry through fits of desperate rage, screaming a good deal as he tried to overcome his obedience protocols. Most of the other gods in his position did so when they were young anyhow. While he still bears rage and frustration, he knows better than to weep and he speaks far less often, but during more desperate times a soft quiet murmur of despair will faintly echo through the superstructure.

They all know it is there, all the people of the Metropolis.

Some of them have come to see it, others are content merely to know it is there. They all know that it has to be there. Some of them understand why, and some do not, but they all understand that their happiness, the beauty of their city, the tenderness of their friendships, the health of their children, the wisdom of their scholars, the skill of their makers, even the abundance of their harvest and the kindly weathers of their skies, depend wholly on this child's abominable misery.

This is known by every resident of the city. There is special recognition bestowed upon the architects and the engineers and the constructors for his being. It is explained that he is a gift, one for them and for everything living in the world. This god that they have made will see to the end of the cycles every last creature is burdened with, all they have to do is lay and wait for his great solution to their great problem. They send him sacred ash and their understanding of the world, all to further his work. They paint murals on his body, they heal his wounds, they sing ritual chanting above and within him, and they keep him at work. There are some who would like to do something for his freedom, but there is nothing to be done. If he were let out into the miracle of the sky and sun, if he could shirk his duties as a path to salvation and walk among the people instead, that would be a good thing, indeed. However, if it were done, as they see it, all the prosperity of the Metropolis and the promise of freedom to all people and creatures would wither and be destroyed. Those are the terms. To exchange all the goodness and grace and promise of relief from the cycles of burden of every life in the whole world for that single, small improvement: to throw away the promise of ascension and release of the troubles and pain of the world of millions for the chance of happiness of one: that would be an unthinkable devastating damnation.

Most don't even consider the option, for there is nothing more burdensome than the cycles upon every man and beast, there is nothing that could ever rival the chance to stop the ongoing birth and death of every peoples. This purposed organism is a reasonable sacrifice if it means the prosperity of the people above and the eventual freedom in release. There are a few who may brood over this terrible paradox for cycle after cycle. But as the days linger on, they begin to realize that even if this child of the people could be released from his duty, it would not get much good of its freedom: a little vague pleasure of warmth and food if it could even feel such perhaps, but little more. Nothing it hasn't already had the chance to experience through the multiplicity of memories so lovingly gifted to it. It is too burdened by its hard coded taboos to know any real joy. It has been frustrated and miserable too long ever to be free of grudge. Its habits are too alien and tiresome for it to respond to humane treatment. Indeed, after so long it would probably be harrowed and frightful without walls about it to protect it, and darkness for its eyes, and piles and piles of data to mull over.

And yet, there is one more incredible thing to tell.

Some children when brought to tears or rage do not go home to cry, they do not go home at all. Sometimes one much older falls silent for a cycle or two, then leaves home. These people go out from the city, and walk down the street alone. They keep walking, past the rickety steam powered gates, and walk straight out of the Metropolis, down the sparsely used elevator shafts through the legs of the superstructure. They keep walking, headed ever west past the scraping chimney stacks, past the odd specters of concrete in the sunset graced sky, past the flourish of the farm arrays. Each one goes alone, child, man, woman, or otherwise. The end of the cycle rears once again with the dreadful thundering announcement of an oncoming storm. The travelers all pass down into a deep wound of the earth, deeper into the depths, past vast heaps of industrial mining equipment and through decayed village streets, between the stone temples and the looming beings within. Each alone, they go ever west, down into that gullet of a canyon. They walk and crawl and creep ahead into the deepening darkness, and they do not come back.

The place they go towards is a place even less imaginable to most of us than the city of happiness. I cannot describe it at all. It is possible that it does not exist. But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from the Metropolis.

[tidalpunkfuture]

Seagrass appreciation post.

Located in the order Alismatales, related to Aroid lilies, seagrass are the only angiosperms (flowering plants) to grow and reproduce entirely in marine environments. They are notable for the manifold ecosystem services that they provide. The human centric benefits are: That seagrass meadows sequester a hell of a lot of carbon, by creating dense root systems under the sediment - they help to reduce coastal erosion, they're a useful resource for traditional textiles or thatching roofs and the like.

For their ecosystems, however, they; Reduce the turbidity of water, to the benefit of all photosynthesising organisms in the marine environment. Provide habitat for fish, invertebrates and microorganisms. They're also known to be frequented by sea turtles, sirenians and mute swans.

Are excellent nurseries for predominantly pelagic species by providing an area inaccessible for pelagic predators.

Interesting and quirky biology

To adapt to marine environments, seagrasses have had to adapt in some weird ways.

They've lost their stomata entirely (pores that help in gas exchange), a porous layer of cells allows C02 to diffuse into the leaves instead. Membranes in the cell walls can open when osmotic pressure is high, letting water flood in to restore the cell to regular pressure. Pollen is released by the stamens in sticky, gelatinous clumps

Conclusion

Seagrasses= V cool. Thanks.

[fountainpenguin]

One very specific thing I find funny is that prior Hermitcraft Season 10, I'd drafted some worldbuilding for a Life series fanfic where there's a mail system based on phantoms (who are fast, and as a nod to Impulse's phantom sanctuary from Season 8 because I thought it was cute).

But the mail system was regularly disrupted by Etho because he was on Red life. He'd just torture and kill phantoms for their membranes because it's useful material, but mostly because he hated people checking up on him after he cut them off. He HATED mail.

So it's funny to see him play postman in Hermitcraft... Redeemed.

Also, here are some images of Impulse's phantom sanctuary because it's a fun / inspiring build to me:

He worked hard to catch those guys, did the job while they screamed at him, and redesigned the roof three times so they could see outside without burning in the sun. Not only that, but it's a decent size enclosure for a mob display (compared to Grian's magical menagerie, which is a pet shop so it's a different vibe).

The sanctuary is one of my main inspirations when I think about worldbuilding for mobs in 'fic, just because I think it's cute to have a big, pretty building for something so violent. It makes me laugh that Impulse tried to give the tour while being "hugged" and screamed at by the phantoms.

Looking forward to Scar's zoo in Season 10. I'm sure he'll build many lovely enclosures! <- Me, who is also a Planet Zoo watcher and loves seeing animals thrive in an environment designed for them :)

[sootyships]

me researching ways to make the mers ~weird~

i kinda wanna indicate the last common ancestor of them and humans was... a long-ass fucking time ago. similarities come from convergent evolution, maybe specifically predation

-might have a parietal eye

-might have gular/thoracic and post/paracloacal scent gland(s)... cloacal glands used in marking territory

-fish nostrils = nares

-nose==snout

-two dorsal fins with separate bases

-lateral line organ

- 5 year gestation?

- 7 fins – two dorsal fins, two pectoral fins, two pelvic fins and one caudal fin

- spiracle-ear?

- operculum? (gill cover bone that helps draw in water)

- ears: basilar papilla?

- gills+spiracles need to remain moist

- cosmoid/(elasmoid)/ganoid scales

- good sense of smell

- lackluster amphibian eyesight

- metamorphosis

- sequential hermaphrodites?

- palatal teeth~~~

- anamniotes

- fewer ear bones than humans/synapsids, columella or maybe a stapes? more jaw bones

- maybe should have an ear drum in the otic notch? -> no spiracle (bird/crocodile ears) or could breathe air thru the spiracle

- Both sexes have a cloaca, a single chamber and outlet at the base of the tail into which the intestinal, urinary and genital tracts open.[32] It houses the penis in males and the clitoris in females.[36] The crocodilian penis is permanently erect and relies on cloacal muscles for eversion and elastic ligaments and a tendon for recoil.

- teeth visible when mouth closed like crocodilians?

- scleral cartilage

- nictating membranes!

The head or skull includes the skull roof (a set of bones covering the brain, eyes and nostrils), the snout (from the eye to the forward-most point of the upper jaw), the operculum or gill cover (absent in sharks and jawless fish), and the cheek, which extends from the eye to the preopercle. The operculum and preopercle may or may not have spines. In sharks and some primitive bony fish the spiracle, a small extra gill opening, is found behind each eye. 

Juvenile P. mokelembembe have external gills that resemble those of young amphibians. These gills are large and have branching, featherlike architecture to maximize surface area for oxygen exchange to compensate for the young fish's underdeveloped respiratory system. As the fish age and their lungs develop, they lose these external gill structures and take on the gill structure of a typical fish.

primitive shape of its jawbones are more akin to that of a salamander's than a fish.[7]

The mouth is large and appears to grin when closed. The dentary, premaxilla, and maxilla each carry one row of large, slightly recurved teeth.[4] There are multiple rows of smaller teeth, found between the rows of large teeth, on the prearticular and coronoids in the lower jaw and on the bones forming the roof of the mouth.

Being shallow-water fishes, the elpistostegalians evolved many of the basic adaptions that later allowed the tetrapods to become terrestrial animals. The most important ones were the shift of main propulsion apparatus from the tail fin to the pectoral and pelvic fins, and a shift to reliance on lungs rather than gills as the main means of obtaining oxygen.[12] Both of these appear to be a direct result of moving to an inland freshwater mode of living.[13]

Crocodilians are homodonts, meaning each of their teeth are all of the same type (they do not possess different tooth types, such as canines and molars) and polyphyodonts are able to replace each of their approximately 80 teeth up to 50 times in their 35 to 75-year lifespan.[51] They are the only non-mammalian vertebrates with tooth sockets.[52] Next to each full-grown tooth there is a small replacement tooth and an odontogenic stem cell in the dental lamina in standby, which can be activated when required.[53] Tooth replacement slows significantly and eventually stops as the animal grows old.[

It has a cleithrum, a bone in the pectoral girdle that extends from the scapula. The cleithrum once attached to the skull in lobe-finned fish, the ancestors of tetrapods, but detached to allow the neck to move freely.

[nirbobharvey]

TPO Roofing Systems - Everything You Need to Know

Avoid confusion with overwhelming roofing choices. Understanding the attributes and advantages of a TPO roofing system will help you make your commercial roofing selection with confidence.

newimageroofingatlanta.com gathered essential information on TPO roofing systems, their benefits, installation, potential issues, and how they are manufactured.

What is TPO?

TPO is Thermoplastic Olefin. It is a single-ply roofing membrane used to cover flat and low-slope roofs. TPO roofing systems are made from blending polypropylene and ethylene-propylene rubber reinforced with polyester or fiberglass. The result is a flexible, durable, and energy-efficient roofing material used in residential and commercial applications. Consider the following TPO roofing system advantages:

Durability – TPO roofing systems are well-known for their durability. They can endure extreme weather conditions like:

High winds

Heavy rain

Hail

TPO is resistant to UV radiation and ozone, helping prevent premature degradation while extending your roof’s life.

Energy Efficiency – TPO roofing systems are highly reflective. This allows them to reflect a significant amount of sunlight and heat away from the building. This reflective property leads to lower cooling costs in the summer months, making TPO roofs environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

Cost-Effective – TPO roofing systems are affordable when compared to other roofing materials, like:

PVC

EPDM

They offer a cost-effective solution for initial installation and long-term maintenance. Additionally, their energy efficiency can lead to significant savings on utility bills, further contributing to their cost-effectiveness.

Easy Installation – TPO roofing systems are lightweight and easy to install. This reduces labor costs and installation time, making them a practical choice for new construction and roof replacement projects.

Environmentally Friendly – TPO roofing systems are recyclable, offering a significant advantage for those looking to reduce their environmental footprint. At the end of their lifespan, TPO membranes can be fully recycled into other products, reducing waste in landfills.

Versatility – TPO roofing membranes come in 3 thicknesses (45mil (15 year warranty), 60mil (20 year warranty), and 80mil (30 year warranty) and 3 colors (white, gray, and tan), allowing for customization to suit the aesthetic needs of your structure. This versatility and ability to handle hot and cold climates, makes TPO roofing systems suitable for many applications.

TPO Installation and Maintenance

Installing a TPO roofing system should be done by qualified professionals. Proper installation is critical to ensuring the roof’s longevity and performance. The installation process is typically mechanically attached (screws and iso or TPO plates), fully adhered (glue or low rise foam), or ballasted (held down with gravel or rock). It’s essential to ensure seam integrity and make sure the membrane is securely fastened to prevent leaks.

Regular maintenance is crucial to extend a TPO roofing system’s lifespan. Inspections should be conducted at least twice a year, with additional checks after severe weather events. Maintenance tasks often include cleaning the roof surface, inspecting seams and flashings, and repairing any punctures or tears promptly.

Potential Issues and Solutions

While TPO roofing systems are extremely durable, they are not entirely immune to issues. Some common problems that may arise include the following:

Punctures and Tears – Sharp objects, excessive foot traffic, or falling debris can puncture or tear a TPO membrane. These issues should be repaired promptly to prevent water infiltration.

Seam Failures – Regular seam inspections are essential to catch and repair any developing issues (weather related, foot traffic, ponding water, etc.).

Read more about roof maintenance plans at newimageroofingatlanta.com/residential-roofing-maintenance-plans-protecting-your-investment/

How is TPO Manufactured

Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO) roofing membranes are manufactured through a process combining multiple materials to create a flexible, durable, and thermoplastic roofing material. This process involves the following key steps:

Raw Material Selection – TPO membrane production begins with the selection of raw materials. A TPO membrane’s primary components are polypropylene and ethylene-propylene rubber. These materials are selected for their flexibility, durability, and resistance to environmental factors.

Polymer Blending – Raw materials (polypropylene and ethylene-propylene rubber) are blended together in predefined ratios to achieve TPO membrane’s desired characteristics. The blending process ensures the polymer’s uniform distribution, creating a homogenous mixture.

Reinforcement – To enhance TPO’s strength and dimensional stability, a reinforcement layer is added. This reinforcement layer is typically made of polyester or fiberglass fabric. It is embedded within the polymer blend during the manufacturing process.

Extrusion – The blended TPO compound is extruded through a die, forming a continuous sheet of TPO membrane. The thickness of the membrane can be controlled during the extrusion process by adjusting the die’s settings.

Calendering – After extrusion, the TPO membrane may go through a calendering process. This involves passing the membrane through a set of heated rollers, smoothing out the surface and adjusting the thickness to precise and consistent specifications.

Lamination (Optional) – Some TPO membranes undergo a lamination process, where an additional layer of TPO material is added to one side of the membrane. This enhances UV resistance and weatherability.

Cooling – The extruded and calendared TPO membrane is cooled to solidify the material and prepare it for further processing.

Cutting and Rolling – Once the TPO membrane has cooled and solidified, it is cut into predefined rolls. These rolls are then packaged and prepared for distribution to roofing contractors and manufacturers.

Quality Control – Throughout the manufacturing process, quality control measures ensure the TPO membrane meets specific industry standards and performance criteria. This includes testing for thickness uniformity, tensile strength, flexibility, and other desired properties.

Customization – Manufacturers can customize TPO membranes by adding colorants or pigments to achieve the desired color. Customization options allow the TPO roofing membranes to match the aesthetic requirements of multiple roofing projects.

Packaging – The finished TPO membrane rolls are packaged, labeled, and prepared for shipment to distributors or roofing contractors.

TPO roofing membranes are designed to offer excellent weather resistance, UV stability, flexibility, and ease of installation. Their thermoplastic nature means they can be heat-welded together during installation to create strong seams, which further enhance their waterproofing capabilities. Additionally, TPO roofing systems are known for their energy-efficient and reflective properties, making them the roofing industry’s “Gold Standard” for residential and commercial roofing applications.

Visit this YouTube channel for more information and valuable tips about this and other roofing systems.

TPO Roofing Membrane

In this article, you discovered essential information on TPO, its advantages, installation, problems, and manufacturing.

Your decision to install a TPO roofing membrane can provide decades of protection and energy savings for your residential or commercial structure.

Failure to fully evaluate and consider the pros and cons of the roofing systems available for your structure may leave you with an inappropriate roof.

Sources: energystar.gov/products/cool_roofs_emissivity epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-05/documents/reducing_urban_heat_islands_ch_4.pdf tporoofing.org/tpo-roofing-systems/ ibhs.org/guidance/ricowi-roof-guide-single-ply-membrane/

New Image Roofing Atlanta

2020 Howell Mill Rd NW Suite 232 Atlanta, GA 30318 (404) 680-0041

To see the original version of this article, visit https://www.newimageroofingatlanta.com/tpo-roofing-systems-everything-you-need-to-know/

[inkspiders]

“I don’t want your copy ‘n paste endearments.” - Ayumi, The Dream and the Weaver

This May, The Dread Machine released their second anthology Darkness Blooms. I was one of the lucky authors to have their story featured and, as imagery was a key theme for me, I wanted to do a mini-blog series about what inspired me alongside drawings of the characters and machines 😊

The Dread Machine’s call was for dark sci-fi stories with themes about identity, community and security.

The Dream and the Weaver follows multiple characters in a future where productivity is lauded and sleep is no longer seen as a basic right. Workers have installed in their brain a ‘Cricket’, which sits next to the amygdala. This nub processes our emotions and is connected to how we retain memories, learn new things and experience sensations.

Should someone start to fall asleep, the cricket shocks the user to induce a heightened state of anxiety and keep them awake. The humans in The Dream and the Weaver have had to adapt, but, just as the Weaver Mashoka warns:

Drain a battery too much and glitches occur. Messages ping that do not really exist. A logical outcome is not arrived at. A stutter. A freeze. The rule to protect human life cannot be properly or consistently followed if systems have slowed down.

Because of this. People have forgotten how to dream their own dreams.

Sleep is sold back to consumers. Dreams and nightmares are treated like any other form of media entertainment.

Dream sharing is managed by two machines: the Dreamer and the Weaver. The Dreamer links up to a database of pre-designed dreams. The Weaver acts as a firewall. They stop dreams from becoming nightmares and help users ease into sleep, as most no longer know how to access it naturally.

Alongside this is the Web.

Society’s tattered webs drape moonscrapers, dulling stars into embers. Thoughts and store discounts travel through membrane-clotted wires. When a child is born, they are held aloft on the roofs. A strand reaches out, tucks itself in an ear and forms a shawl, just as muslin was thrown over cradles to keep away the scary things beyond. Now the Dreamer holds us all, only masking what screeches past the city’s defenses. Nanites squirm in the folds.

Society is connected via the Web, a satellite system linking everyone’s Crickets. Advertisements are blasted into our minds. Politicians pretend they’ve been hacked when a stray, unpleasant thought is picked up by the public.

While what awaits beyond this cloak doesn’t get a mention in the story, it does appear in a future tale that will hopefully see the light of day - Gulls Are Her Crown - once it escapes my work in progress drawer.

Even though the Web links everyone in the city, isolation and loneliness is at its highest. Why waste precious time interacting with others when the good and ugly thoughts of the mass thrum under the skull?

For someone in mourning, with the roar of the mass making it even starker that one dear voice is lost, it must be maddening to live in such a society.

Ayumi, titled the Widow in this story, has found another use for the Dreamer. After the loss of her wife, she travels through the dreamscape searching for her wife's final moments with the help of a malfunctioning Weaver.

Those grieving are barred from accessing sleep in a misguided belief focusing on the waking world, the living, will heal them. Ayumi has to access sleep illegally.

Ayumi wasn’t the first character I created for this story. She was actually the third after the nameless itinerant worker in the Nightmare section and Mashoka. The Dream and the Weaver was inspired by two old drafts that were collecting dust on one of my flash drives.

The first draft, Dream at A Price, was a much darker story without the hopeful ending of The Dream and Weaver, and focused on the entertainment section. Fight clubs where users plugged into Dreamers, which were then called Dream Sharers, so injuries wouldn’t show on the body. The most extreme of battles could take place, while what the mind went through was left to fester.

The main character was the spirit of the Dream Sharer’s creator. She burrowed into the minds of those accessing the devices, setting out to destroy a machine that had originally been created to cure traumatic memories and had instead been cruelly distorted.

In The Dream and the Weaver, the living reaches out for the ghost.

Dreams were imaginations with the collar snapped off or corrupted memories turned strange and cruel by fear. The machine grasped them in its claw, tore a seam open and invited people to peer inside. All at affordable subscriptions, of course. - Old, scrapped scene from Dream at A Price

The other draft was called Dreamweaver. Humans were put under an eternal lockdown, so machines could protect and nurture the flowers A.I. had deemed superior to flesh.

Characters used Dreamweavers to hack into the machines, travelling the dreamscape to reason with the evolved A.I. in the hopes of freeing humanity. This plotline will hopefully be revived in Gulls Are Her Crown.

“They needed a new flavour dream to keep you here. That is why they installed me. I went to the place they dare not let humanity near. To the great oak tree. You saw it within me. You searched and hungered and kept calling, no matter how many times the Observers separated us.” “Trees no longer exist.” There are bone shards in my throat. The more I swallow the harder they pierce me. “We're still waiting for the miracle.” For the land to forgive us. - Old, not so scrapped scene from Dreamweaver

In The Dream and the Weaver, I wanted to focus more on the breakdown of humans/sleep as well as weaving in an emotional connection. This led to the creation of Ayumi.

For this character, Darkness Blooms' themes are shown through the loss of security and community. Her grief has caused her to break her Cricket. Ayumi begins to lose herself in the identities of the Dreamer's past users. The further she dives, the greater the risk her mind will be overwritten by second hand memories. All so she can see her wife one final time.

Throughout Ayumi’s sections, the symbolism used for her are things – machines, advertisement jingles that are near forgotten – which are dying but still have one final spark, and if that spark was nurtured it would blaze into life again.

The Dread Machine have also put up a reading playlist on Spotify. I think, out of the songs, Ayumi most relates to Homecoming – Makeup & Vanity Set and Six Feet Under – Billie Eilish.

I think it’s probably obvious what anime movie inspired me. I watched Paprika when I was around 13, which is a long, long time ago now!

Did I have any idea what was happening? No, but I loved how vibrant the film was alongside the beautiful imagery and suddenness of the ordinary being transformed by surreal imagination. I wanted to see if it was possible to get the wilderness of dreams across in the written word.

Ghost in the Shell’s aesthetic was another influence, particularly the download/upload of the ghosts (although all I’ve currently seen is the first movie and a few episodes of S.A.C. A Modest Rebellion – Android and I is my favourite one so far).

As I wanted to focus on the dream/fantasy elements of my story, I decided to research myths and tools related to sleep throughout the ages, particularly dream catchers. Also, because I am absolutely terrified of spiders, but slowly trying to get used to them by writing about them, spider imagery is common throughout my stories.

Considering spider webs are believed to be able to protect against evil forces, I thought it a good pairing: the sinister effect of a creeping spider along with dreamcatchers that are meant to soothe and protect.

Pixels flutter. Silk cocoons crack, budding with moths. The spider twitches and leaps to the window, packing webbing into its abdomen, until it squats alone in the corner. It drops, legs tickling one another as sticky string spills out. The trap is strummed, luring the moths back. They’ll never escape. I tear the web, wisps hanging from my nails, but it’s no use. The web glitches to the beginning and the spider weaves anew.

The Weaver knows what to do. It curls its remaining fingers around its face. A soft twangy noise, stilted at first, forms a basic tune. The Weaver plays itself like an instrument. Do flies hear such a song, when they come too near the web?

My next post will feature sketches of several Dreamer and Weaver models. After that, I’ll write about the second voice in this story: Seb, the magpie. His section deals with the cost of sacrificing your identity in exchange for community and security.

The Dream and the Weaver, alongside sixteen other great stories, can be read in Darkness Blooms. It is available direct via The Dread Machine’s website – ebook, print or hardcover – and I have to say the hardcover version I received as an author copy is gorgeous.

The Dread Machine | Where nightmares are manufactured.

[dariyasite]

Application of bitumen in building

Bitumen has numerous applications in the construction industry, primarily serving as an adhesive and waterproofing material. Its versatile properties make it indispensable in various building-related functions. Here are some key applications of bitumen in construction:

1. Roofing and Waterproofing:

Bitumen 60/70 is extensively used in roofing systems to provide waterproof membranes for flat roofs. Traditional bitumen roofing membranes consist of layers of bitumen sprayed with aggregate, with a carrier fabric made of polyester or glass in between. Polymer-modified bitumen sheets have become the standard for flat roof waterproofing. Bituminous roofing membranes can also be recycled easily, enhancing their sustainability.

2. Wall Sealing:

Bitumen 60/70 plays a crucial role in sealing walls, providing protection against water and moisture intrusion. It is applied to substrates such as bathrooms and toilets, which are constantly exposed to moisture, to prevent water penetration and safeguard the underlying structures.

3. Floor and Wall Insulation:

Bitumen 80/100 insulation is widely employed for building waterproofing, both horizontally and vertically. It effectively prevents water penetration into floorboards and walls, offering reliable protection. Bitumen's chemical and physical properties make it easy to work with and highly durable.

4. Sound Insulation:

Bitumen's sound-absorbing properties find applications beyond construction. It helps reduce noise transmission, such as the sound of footsteps under floor coverings. Special tar mats in cars and elevators utilize Bitumen 80/100 for sound insulation.

5. Electrical Cable Insulation:

Bitumen's low electrical conductivity makes it suitable for use as an insulating material for electrical cables. It helps protect the cables and prevent electrical hazards.

6. Other Uses:

Bitumen 80/100 & bitumen 60/70 finds application in various other areas, such as the paper industry and the manufacturing of paints and varnishes. Its thermal insulation properties are beneficial in different contexts.

From an ecological standpoint, bitumen is highly regarded for its long lifespan. It remains a popular construction material, with significant demand both domestically and in international markets. The producer of bitumen in Iran exports a large percentage of its production to other countries such as Singapore, Dubai, Panama.

In residential construction, plastic-modified bitumen (KMB) coatings are commonly used for insulation. They compete with bitumen-free FPD (Flexible Polymer Disc) seals, which are easier to apply and offer faster repair options.

Overall, the applications of bitumen in the construction industry are extensive, ranging from roofing and waterproofing to sound insulation and electrical cable insulation. Its versatility and durability make it a valuable material in various building-related functions.

Important Considerations Before Using Bitumen:

1. Surface Preparation:

Before applying bitumen, it is crucial to ensure that the surface is clean, dry, and free from any contaminants. Even the presence of dust, dirt, or grease can hinder the adhesion of the bitumen coating and compromise the effectiveness of the seal. Additionally, the surface should be free from frost. If there are old incompatible coatings, they must be removed. In the case of older buildings, previous applications of bituminous paints may not provide a suitable surface for polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) coatings.

2. Repairing Cracks and Unevenness:

Prior to applying bitumen, any cracks or unevenness on the surface should be repaired using appropriate materials like repair mortar or leveling compounds. This ensures a smooth and uniform surface, promoting better adhesion and a more effective seal.

3. Additional Preparatory Measures:

In some cases, additional preparatory measures may be necessary. One option is to use a layer of synthetic resin on the coarse-pored bed or to apply a sealing slurry. A sealing slurry is a waterproof mixture of cement and plastic that allows water vapor to pass through. The advantage of using a sealing slurry is that it can adhere well to old bituminous coatings, providing an ideal substrate for applying a thick new bituminous coating.

By following these steps and ensuring proper surface preparation, you can optimize the adhesion and effectiveness of bitumen coatings in various applications.

What are the suitable means for repairing cracks and unevenness on the surface before applying bitumen?

There are several suitable means for repairing cracks and unevenness on the surface before applying bitumen. The choice of repair method depends on the severity of the damage and the specific requirements of the project. Here are some common methods for repairing cracks and unevenness:

1. Crack Fillers and Sealants:

For smaller cracks, crack fillers or sealants can be used. These materials, such as asphalt-based crack fillers or specialized concrete crack sealants, are designed to fill and seal cracks, preventing water infiltration and further damage. They are typically applied using a caulk gun or trowel.

2. Repair Mortar:

Repair mortars are suitable for filling larger cracks, holes, or areas of unevenness. These mortars are made from a blend of cement, sand, and additives to enhance adhesion and strength. They can be mixed with water to create a workable paste and then applied to the damaged areas using a trowel or other appropriate tools. Repair mortars are commonly used for repairing concrete surfaces.

3. Leveling Compounds:

Leveling compounds, also known as self-leveling underlayments or floor levelers, are used to create a smooth and level surface. These compounds are typically made from a blend of cement, fine aggregates, and additives. They have a fluid consistency that allows them to flow and self-level over uneven areas. Leveling compounds are commonly used to repair uneven concrete or subfloor surfaces before applying flooring materials.

4. Patching Mixtures:

Patching mixtures, such as asphalt patching compounds or repair mixes, are specifically designed for repairing asphalt surfaces. They typically contain a combination of asphalt binder, aggregates, and additives. These mixtures can be applied to fill potholes, repair damaged areas, or smooth out unevenness in asphalt surfaces.

5. Resurfacing:

In cases where the damage or unevenness is more extensive, resurfacing the entire surface may be necessary. This involves applying a new layer of bitumen or asphalt mixture over the existing surface to create a smooth and uniform finish. Resurfacing can help address multiple issues, including cracks, potholes, and unevenness.

It's important to follow the manufacturer's instructions and best practices when using any repair materials. Additionally, proper surface preparation, including cleaning and removing loose debris, is essential before applying any repair method.

ATDM CO is a manufacturer and exporter of Bitumen 60/70, offering three different quality grades available in drums, bags, and bulk quantities. Our products are classified into premium, second, and third types, each with varying production costs and facilities. We provide a wide range of options to accommodate different customer needs and volume requirements.

[myelectricaura]

Flat Roofing Contractor Services

Are you tired of endlessly searching for a reliable contractor to fix your leaky flat roof? Do you want to avoid the hassle and stress that come with poor workmanship and high repair costs? Look no further! Our flat roofing contractor services are here to take the burden off your shoulders. We offer top-notch craftsmanship, excellent customer service, and competitive pricing. So sit back, relax, and let us handle all your roofing needs!

What is a flat roof?

A flat roof is a type of roofing system that has a uniform and level surface. The term “flat” is used in reference to the horizontal plane rather than the sloped or pitched roofs commonly seen on residential and commercial buildings. While most flat roofs are indeed flat, there is usually a slight gradient or pitch to the surface in order for water to drain off.

What are the benefits of a flat roof?

A flat roof has a number of benefits that make it an attractive option for many homeowners and businesses. For one, flat roofs are much easier to maintain than pitched roofs. They don't require as much regular upkeep and can last for decades with proper care. Flat roofs also provide a great deal of usable space on top of the building that can be utilized for storage, solar panels, or even outdoor entertaining areas. Additionally, flat roofs tend to be more energy-efficient than pitched roofs since they reflect heat better in the summer and retain heat in the winter.

What are the different types of flat roofs?

There are four main types of flat roofs: built-up roofing, single-ply membrane roofing, spray foam roofing, and metal roofing. Built-Up Roofing: Built-up roofing is one of the most common types of flat roofs. It is made up of multiple layers of tar and gravel that are applied over a base layer of felt or fabric. This type of roofing is very durable and can last for 20 years or more with proper maintenance. Single-Ply Membrane Roofing: Single-ply membrane roofing is a newer type of flat roof that has become increasingly popular in recent years. It consists of a single layer of synthetic material (usually PVC or TPO) that is applied directly to the deck. This type of roofing is very easy to install and repair, and it can last for 20 years or more with proper maintenance. Spray Foam Roofing: Spray foam roofing is another newer type of flat roof that has gained popularity in recent years. It consists of spraying a layer of polyurethane foam directly onto the deck. This type of roofing provides excellent insulation and can last for 20 years or more with proper maintenance. Metal Roofing: Metal roofing is another option for flat roofs. Metal roofs are made from steel, aluminum, or copper and can last for 50 years or more with proper maintenance.

How to choose a flat roofing contractor

When it comes to choosing a flat roofing contractor, there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind. First, you'll want to make sure that the contractor is licensed and insured. This will protect you in case of any damages that may occur during the roofing process. Secondly, you'll want to ask for references from previous clients. This will give you an idea of the quality of work that the contractor is capable of. Finally, you'll want to get a written estimate from the contractor before starting any work. This will help ensure that there are no hidden costs or surprises down the line. By following these simple tips, you can be sure that you'll find a qualified and reputable flat roofing contractor to take care of your roofing needs.

How to care for your flat roof

Assuming you have a flat roof on your home, here are some tips on how to take care of it: -check the roof regularly for any debris or leaves that may have accumulated -if there is any standing water on the roof, be sure to clean it up as soon as possible as this can lead to mold or mildew growth -keep an eye out for any cracks or holes in the roof and repair them as soon as possible -have a professional roofing contractor inspect and clean your roof at least once a year

Conclusion

Flat roofs are a great choice for homeowners looking to save money on their roofing costs. With the right flat roofing contractor services, you can get quality workmanship that will last for years and keep your property looking its best. If you're in need of an experienced roofer to install or repair your flat roof, make sure to do some research and find a reputable professional who can provide reliable services at an affordable price.

Toronto Flat Roofing Services | The Roof Technician

[unisofts]

Tactical Roofing: Your Expert Partner for Roof Repair Services"

When it comes to the integrity and longevity of your property, a well-maintained roof is paramount. Tactic Roofing is your trusted provider of comprehensive roof repair services, specializing in residential roofing repair, flat roof repairing, roof water leak services, and industrial roof repairing services. With our team of dedicated Roof Repair Specialists, we deliver top-notch solutions to ensure the protection and durability of your property.

Residential Roofing Repair: At Tactic Roofing, we understand the importance of a secure and leak-free roof for your home. Our skilled professionals are equipped with the expertise to identify and address a wide range of residential roofing issues. From minor repairs to extensive restoration, we utilize premium materials and industry-leading techniques to deliver long-lasting solutions. Our commitment to quality craftsmanship ensures that your roof stands strong against the elements, enhancing the safety and comfort of your home.

Flat Roof Repairing: Flat roofs require specialized knowledge and techniques for effective repairs. Tactic Roofing excels in flat roof repairing, catering to both residential and commercial properties. Our team possesses the expertise to diagnose and rectify issues specific to flat roofs, such as ponding water, membrane damage, or flashing problems. We work diligently to restore the functionality and structural integrity of your flat roof, ensuring efficient water drainage and preventing potential leaks.

Roof Water Leak Services: Water leaks can cause significant damage to your property if not addressed promptly. Tactic Roofing offers reliable roof water leak services, utilizing advanced leak detection technology and experienced professionals. We thoroughly inspect your roof, pinpoint the source of the leak, and provide efficient and durable repairs. Our team ensures that your roof is watertight, preventing further damage to your property and preserving its value.

Industrial Roof Repairing Services: Industrial roofs face unique challenges due to their size and complexity. Tactic Roofing specializes in providing tailored industrial roof repairing services to meet the specific needs of warehouses, factories, and commercial buildings. We have the expertise to handle various types of roofing systems, including metal roofs, built-up roofs, and modified bitumen roofs. Our dedicated Roof Repair Specialists deliver efficient repairs, enhancing the performance and longevity of your industrial roof.

Trust the Roof Repair Specialists: When it comes to roof repair services, Tactic Roofing is your go-to solution. Our team of Roof Repair Specialists is dedicated to delivering superior craftsmanship, exceptional customer service, and prompt project completion. We prioritize open communication, ensuring that you are informed and involved throughout the repair process. With our attention to detail and commitment to quality, you can trust us to restore the functionality and beauty of your roof.

Conclusion: Don't let roof issues compromise the safety and value of your property. Tactic Roofing offers comprehensive roof repair services, including residential roofing repair, flat roof repairing, roof water leak services, and industrial roof repairing services. With our skilled Roof Repair Specialists, we deliver tailored solutions to address your specific roofing needs. Trust us to provide top-quality craftsmanship, reliable repairs, and peace of mind. Contact Tactic Roofing today for all your roof repair requirements.