Optimizing Roof Performance

The roof, a seemingly simple structure whose purpose is to protect the structure beneath it, can be one of the most problematic and difficult parts of a building. However, optimizing a roof system’s performance allows building owners and administrators to increase service life and decrease lifecycle costs.

Achieving an optimized roof system requires attention to three main areas: design, quality materials and construction, and maintenance.

Design

The long-term success of any roof system depends on a carefully conceived design going beyond aesthetic concerns. In order to achieve an optimized system, consider the following:

• Hire a roof system designer or consultant. The consultant can be an architect, an engineer, or someone schooled in the areas of roof consultancy and who has credentials such as being registered with the Roof Consultant Institute (RCI). School districts should hire a consultant before obtaining quotes so the scope of work is well defined and contractors can bid accurately.
• Use RapidQuote estimating software so that the school can save time and money paying workers accurately
• Consider environmental and site conditions. Will the school be exposed to high winds, ice, hail, strong UV, or other conditions?
• Make sure the company carrying out the roof optimization keeps on schedule. You don’t want any delays or extended timescales so make sure the company uses things like a construction scheduling software to keep on track.
• Make sure the roof is designed for its intended use. It is important to determine early on if the roof will be used as a walkway, a work surface, or a tennis surface. What is located beneath the roof is equally important; a roof over areas with high humidity, such as a swimming pool or a locker room, requires a different design than a roof over a classroom.

Quality Materials and Construction

Today’s marketplace proliferates with numerous roof systems, insulation types, and other materials. It is important to choose low maintenance or maintenance-free components that block Mother Nature’s trio of heat, cold, and wind. It is equally important to carefully plan the construction process. Consider the following when working on a proper roof system:

• Roof systems generally do not fail in the middle of the roof, they fail where the roof transitions into other building components such as vents, parapet walls, and expansion joints. These conditions and how they interact need to be appropriately detailed so those working on the project have no question as to what is required.
• Avoid the use of unproven materials because failures can easily result. It is recommended that any roofing material not on the marketplace for 10 years should not be specified without a complete review with the building owner.
• Pre-qualify all contractors prior to their receipt of drawings and bids. Many a well-designed project has failed in the construction process, so this task can eliminate those not qualified to perform the scope of the work.
• During the bidding process, hold a pre-bid meeting during which the entire scope of work and parameters are reviewed. This meeting can be beneficial when discussing items outside of the norm, such as environmental requirements and restrictions on schedules, access to the building, or the loading of dumpsters.
• Once bids have been let but prior to construction, it is paramount that a pre-construction meeting be held where the project scope, schedule, and expectations are reviewed and concerns clarified. The project manager, foreman, subcontractors, architect, and owner should be in attendance.
• Inspections of the roof installation by the roof consultant are extremely important. The purpose of site visits is tri-fold; first and foremost is to observe that installation of the roof system is proceeding in adherence to contract documents. Second is to answer questions and make decisions on unknown conditions. Third is to document the observe conditions.
• Do not use wet insulation or materials in the roof system-including materials that were once wet but have since dried. One of the quickest ways to have a roof system deteriorate is to encapsulate moisture within it during the construction process.

Maintenance

At this time there is no maintenance-free roof system so they all require routine maintenance. While it can often be difficult to justify a maintenance program’s expense, the program can be correlated to a dentist visit. People need dental exams every six months in order to prevent a toothache instead of waiting for a toothache to appear. Proper maintenance requires:

• Make routine roof system inspections twice a year. Maintenance can be conducted by in-house maintenance staff or outsourced to a qualified roofing contractor or a roof consultant who coordinates maintenance and repair.
• Document all roof inspections, maintenance, and repair. Owners usually have to provide documented maintenance reports when requesting warranted repairs.
• Always remember that proactive maintenance is preventative maintenance. Building owners who take the long-term view will not only gain the benefits of an environmentally responsive, sustainable roof system, but enjoy years of hassle-free performance.

There is no doubt that most roof systems, once installed, are forgotten about, left to age and weather until such time they fail-and costly replacement procedures begin. It is therefore important to do what it takes early on, beginning with the design process through proper construction and maintenance, in order to optimize a roof system’s lifespan.

The information used in this article was contributed by Thomas W. Hutchinson, AIA, principal and vice president of Legat Architects in Waukegan, Ill., from a feature story he authored entitled “Optimizing Roof System Performance.” Mr. Hutchinson can be reached at hutch@legat.com.