By Dan Lee, TeamCraft Roofing.

One missed detail during installation could mean the difference between a secure home and total roof failure.

It takes just one major storm to remind us how vulnerable a building’s roof can be. Whether it’s a historic hurricane or a freak weather event, the roof bears the brunt of nature’s fury — and a single oversight during construction or maintenance can lead to catastrophic consequences. The dramatic roof damage serves as a wake-up call for homeowners and contractors alike: Are you truly prepared to weather the storm or is your roof an accident waiting to happen? TeamCraft Roofing is here to help ensure your roof is secure, offering expert guidance and solutions to protect your property before disaster strikes.

What’s a metal roof cleat?

A cleat is a separate piece of metal that’s one gauge thicker than the exposed metal edge. It’s nailed in place and the edge metal locks onto it. It helps the roof resist wind uplift and adds protection from winds getting under the metal.  

The metal cleat is installed prior to the finished metal edge. The finished metal locks onto the cleat to provide enhanced wind uplift resistance.

In the pictures below, no cleats were installed on either building. The installation of a cleat costs just a few dollars per lineal foot for both labor and material. In other words, less than $500.00 would have saved both of these roofs.  

While the missing cleats started the failure, there were other factors at play. In the first picture, it is evident that the original installer didn’t use the proper amount or spacing of adhesive to secure the membrane. In the second picture, wind got under the edge (where the cleats should be), subsequently pulled the nails out of the wood and lifted off the membrane.

Due to the lack of metal cleats on both roofs, it wasn’t a matter of if they would fail — but when and how bad. Sign up for TeamCraft’s ShelterCare Program and make sure your roofs are clean and secure before the storm hits.

Original article and photo source: TeamCraft Roofing

By TeamCraft Roofing.

Learn how to keep your cold storage roof in good condition with this informative guide!

Cold storage roof systems often require monitoring and moisture management to stay in good condition.  They undergo extreme temperature environments and need further consideration beyond installment. TeamCraft knows all about cold storage roofs and will teach you what you need to know in the informative guide below. 

What are cold storage buildings?

Cold storage buildings are processing or holding facilities maintained at reduced interior temperatures. These buildings are broadly classified as large space coolers (>32ºF) or freezers (<32ºF). Examples of cold storage buildings include food processing plants, holding facilities for refrigerated or frozen foods, horticultural buildings and warehousing for pharmaceutical products.   

What are the risks?

Cold storage buildings create extreme temperature differentials between interior and exterior environments. This clash presents risks of condensation not typically seen with conventional roof systems. Related problems include corrosion, mold, material degradation and reduced service life.  

Condensation forms when air within or against building materials can no longer hold additional moisture at a given temperature – a condition referred to as the dew point temperature. Relative humidity expresses how much water vapor is in the air compared to how much it could hold at a specific temperature. Think of it like a sponge - a dry sponge can hold a lot more water than a wet sponge. Warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air. So, even if the amount of water vapor in the air stays the same, the relative humidity will be higher on a warm day than on a cold day.

Condensation arises from conditions governed by temperature. So, keep these fundamental concepts in mind when understanding associated risk to your cold storage roofing systems:  

• Heat moves from warmer temperatures to cooler temperatures.  
• Water vapor moves from high to low vapor pressure.
• Air moves from high pressure to low pressure.

Understanding thermal and vapor gradients in cold storage roofs

By design, cold storage buildings provide low interior temperatures that generally change very little over time.  Therefore, in all but the coldest climates, the prevailing heat flow is from exterior to interior. In other words, the top of the roof assembly is generally warmer than the metal deck below – at least for most of the year.  This causes a pronounced temperature gradient across the roof’s insulation layers.

Vapor drive within cold storage buildings is a bit more complicated. Exterior relative humidity is constantly changing but is generally higher than humidity set points in cold storage buildings.   Because moisture moves from high water vapor pressure to low pressure, a prevailing vapor drive is established from exterior to interior – similar to the prevailing heat flow. Assuming the roof membrane prevents inward vapor drive, a water vapor gradient is established by the insulation itself. In other words, a gradient forms because warm air holds more moisture than cold air.  The roof therefore experiences lower relative humidity towards the upper insulation layers (warmer temperatures) and higher relative humidity towards the lower insulation layers (cooler temperatures). Under proper roof design, this moisture gradient is established by the respective temperature extremes, not by vapor drive from interior and exterior spaces.     

How does it work?

The most straightforward means for preventing condensation involve the Exterior Envelope System Method (The ASHRAE Handbook: Refrigeration, Chapter 23, 2018). This method achieves three fundamental objectives:

• A vapor barrier installed above the insulation effectively prevents unwarranted vapor drive from the exterior environment. The roof membrane generally serves this purpose.
• Insulation thickness is optimized to thermally buffer the cold storage interior from the warmer exterior.  Insulation requirements generally increase with decreasing storage temperatures. 
• The metal deck, though perforated and imperfect, still partitions the interior space from the greater roof assembly, including the all-important insulation layers. The insulation is therefore semi-isolated from potential vapor drive originating from both exterior and interior environments.  Essentially, the insulation layer has its own vapor gradient, safely shunting vapor within itself over the course of changing exterior temperatures.   

What happens at high interior humidity?

Many storage facilities are maintained at high relative humidity (>70%).  In those scenarios, a vapor gradient is established from interior to exterior.  This vapor drive is typically mitigated by the roof deck or by an additional vapor barrier applied over the underlayment/deck. That which isn’t managed by the deck assembly (through perforations and seams) is subject to warming conditions found within upper portions of the insulation.  As this air/vapor warms, its capacity to hold moisture also increases, lowering RH and preventing unwanted moisture accumulation. Though some conditions and climates may warrant additional vapor controls, these represent exceptions and are not the norm.

What vapor does not move on its own, it needs air to move.  As such, sealing the facility from air movement is the most important consideration when designing cold storage facilities roofing systems, they must be protected against vapor migration. Water vapor can’t move through the roof system to the cold building interior and condense if it never makes its way into the roofing system. Water condensation is where problems will arise.  It is worth mentioning that air can move through the blocking and under gravel stops and copings and force its way through the building components and into the building.  

Additional considerations

The above discussion assumes that vapor moves solely by vapor diffusion. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Moisture transported by air leakage can have devastating effects to interior storage conditions as well as the roof assembly itself.  Achieving an airtight enclosure is therefore paramount. Specific considerations involve proper air sealing of roof deck seams, deck penetrations and adjacent parapet and wall connections.

Thermal bridging and insulation gaps create unwarranted heat loss and increased potential for condensation. Insulation boards are therefore installed as two or more layers with offset joints. Upper insulation layers are typically adhered to the layer below to prevent thermal bridging and condensation at penetrated fasteners.       

No two buildings are exactly alike.  Therefore, cold storage roofs must be designed according to the unique demands posed by the required conditions. Space use, humidification, dehumidification and nuances of air circulation can have profound impacts on assumed roof performance.    

Original article source: TeamCraft Roofing

By Lane Farrell, TeamCraft.  

Ensuring your roof's longevity.

Understanding your new commercial roof warranty is crucial to protecting your investment and ensuring a long lifespan for your roof. TeamCraft’s guide delves into the two primary types of warranties—contractor and manufacturer—highlighting key aspects and providing essential tips for maintaining these warranties. Also explore common exclusions and offer solutions to help you manage your warranty effectively. 

Understanding your new commercial roof warranty 

Investing in a new roof for your commercial property is a significant decision. Like any major purchase, it comes with warranties to protect your investment. This guide explains the different types of warranties and how to maintain them to ensure a long roof lifespan. 

There are two primary types of roofing warranties 

Contractor warranty: Typically covers workmanship for two years. It's crucial to discuss the specifics with your contractor and request biannual inspections during this period. 

Manufacturer warranty: Varies depending on the warranty type. 

NDL (no dollar limit) warranty (15+ years): This is the preferred warranty. It covers defects in materials and installation for the warranty term, excluding leaks caused by maintenance issues, natural disasters or other trades' work. Maintaining this warranty usually requires biannual inspections by a certified installer of the manufacturer. 

Material warranty (10 years): This limited warranty only covers material failures and excludes installation issues. 

Maintaining your warranties 

Schedule biannual inspections: Regular inspections by a certified professional are crucial for maintaining both contractor and manufacturer warranties. These inspections help identify and address minor problems before they become major issues. 

Keep records: Maintain detailed records of all inspections and maintenance performed on your roof. This documentation will be necessary when filing a warranty claim.  

We offer Sheltercare as a one stop product to make sure you are compliant with these requirements and recordkeeping items. In addition to your detailed photo inspection, we also do light debris removal, caulking and gutter cleaning on these visits. 

Understanding warranty exclusions 

It's important to understand what your warranties don't cover. Common exclusions include: 

Normal wear and tear: All roofs experience wear and tear over time. 

Acts of god: Damage caused by severe weather events like hail, tornadoes or hurricanes. 

Lack of maintenance: Failing to perform regular inspections and maintenance can void your warranty. 

Damage caused by other trades: If plumbers, electricians or other contractors damage your roof during work, it likely won't be covered under your roofing warranty.  

Another thing to note is that a long-term warranty will not replace your roof. Most warranties specifically state that they will repair leaks. For example, it will not replace wet insulation caused by the leak or damage in the building that result. The best prevention is timely inspections, which are solely the building owner’s responsibility! 

TeamCraft Roofing: Your trusted industrial roofing partner 

TeamCraft Roofing is a licensed installer for all major roofing manufacturers. We offer a comprehensive range of services to ensure your roof reaches its full lifespan, including: 

• Sheltercare for your biannual preventative maintenance inspections 
• Emergency leak response 
• Roof repairs 
• Re-roofing 

Our goal is to leverage our expertise to help you get the most out of your existing roof and develop cost-effective long-term solutions for all your roofing needs. 

Contact us today 

Let TeamCraft Roofing's experienced team create a customized preventative maintenance plan for your commercial property, regardless of the roof's age. 

Original article and photo source: Teamcraft Roofing