How to Deal With Penetrations Through Your Standing Seam Metal Roofs

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Standing seam metal roofs are very popular in commercial setups. They are great because they represent durability, sustainability and eco-friendliness. The only problem which is common for these roofs is that, at times, they fall victim to the attachment of essential equipment which typically rests on the rooftop. Ideally, the top of the roof should be clear from any clutter or unnecessary equipment. However, it might be impossible to eliminate everything from the top of the roof, such as HVAC units, satellite dishes and lightning arrestors. If you follow these tips in installing and servicing the rooftop mounted equipment, you will not interfere with your metallic roof.

Getting penetration-free attachments

If you want to preserve the structural integrity of your metal roof, you have to think about the value of penetration-free attachments. Avoid the use of adhesives to attach any equipment to the top of the roof because they might not be strong enough to withstand the weight of the equipment. When mounting hardware, use attachment clamps made from materials which are rust and corrosion resistant. The best attachment clamps are made from metals such as aluminium and stainless steel. When securing the attachment to the seam, use round point screws. Finally, make sure that the clamp is strong enough to handle the weight of the item to which you are attaching it.

Safe penetrations through the roof

When the roof has to be penetrated, you must make sure that the holes have been waterproofed and that the roof does not become a problem for the HVAC system of your building. One of the best ways to create these penetrations is using pre-created equipment curbs. When the wiring or other material is pushed through the seamless roof, the curb is sealed on the roof. The sealing waterproofs the hole and maintains the thermal cycling ability of the roof. The curbs should have diverters and upslope flanges. The seals should be attached in a way that does not expose them to sealants of any kinds.

These are two simple measures you can make to ensure that your metallic roof does not get ruined by the attachments placed on it. Besides these points, ensure that you get an elaborate system that you can use to access roof mounted structures such as satellite dishes. Proper walkways reduce the pressure of the feet on the roof and eliminate the possibility of the roof collapsing or developing leaks. If you do have problems with your roof, contact a professional for roof repairs.

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30 January 2018

Roofs: Repair, Re-shingle, Replace and Other Roofing Ideas

Hi and welcome to my blog. My name is Jules, and several years ago, I bought an old house. As it needed so many repairs, we learned to compromise and prioritise our goals. That included the roof. Although the house needed a roof, we spent a few years working on other elements of the house, and during that time, we repaired and patched parts of the roof or added shingles as needed. Finally, we were able to replace the entire thing. I learned a lot through the process and wanted to create a blog about it. If you are interested in anything to do with roofs, please check out my posts.