Weathercraft Roofing

Over the past six months, we have identified two failed TPO roof membrane in Colorado Springs.  Both systems exhibited the exact same mode of failure; and we suspect they were manufactured by the same membrane manufacturer.  After consulting with several leading roof membrane manufacturers and the National Roofing Contractors’ Association (NRCA), it appears that some TPO manufacturer’s will need to revise their formulation. 

 Two possible reasons for the failures 1) The membrane must be able to withstand more heat than originally anticipated and 2) the membrane needs an adequate thickness of TPO over the reinforcement. 

We have already seen manufacturers offer “new” “extreme” weathering packages to handle higher temperatures.  Because the TPO membrane is white (in most cases), the membrane was expected to reflect much of the heat and remain cooler.  What has been determined is that roofs do not stand alone.  Building components, methods, and materials can subject the membrane to much higher temperatures than originally believed. 

It has always been our philosophy to avoid the minimal thickness sheets.  Specifically with the reinforced TPO membrane; the membrane lacks the waterproofing or thermoplastic material on the weathering side of the reinforcement.  We recommend single ply membranes of 60 mil thickness or greater.  The thicker sheets have more of the waterproofing material over the reinforcement. 

It is suspected that American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) will revise ASTM D6878 to dictate the amount of TPO waterproofing that is on the exposed side of the sheets reinforcement. 

As with any new product, there are lessons learned.  TPO membranes are not the exception.  Choose a good manufacturer, don’t skimp on the thickness and use a reputable, commercial, roofing contractor.  Your roof will have a better chance of lasting the test of time. 

 John Fleming

Okay, let’s step back and take an objective look at the difference between Brand X and Weathercraft Company.

The roofing industry has changed and grown in the last 125 years.  Innovations in materials, equipment, regulations, and insurance keep the professional roofing contractors busy.  However, there are some variables that will always remain the same.  One of the most prominent and challenging is educating our friends and customers to look beyond the cheapest price and find the best value. 

We maintain that there are many things that differentiate Weathercraft Company from Brand X and the “fly-by-night” contractors that litter our industry.  First, longevity and stability are, often times, great indicators of a reputable business.  Two, find out if Brand X owns or leases their offices or has no office and works out of a truck.  Does Brand X require a sizable advance (deposit) before the project’s start?  If so, they may not have the capital or financial backing of a lender.  Weathercraft has been in business since 1982.  Our offices have been in the same location for almost two decades and owned.  Lastly, we have the capital to operate our business and provide service after the sale. 

A professional roofing contractor has all full time employees not subcontract labor.  This allows Weathercraft to have more control over quality, safety, and how the project is managed.  Unfortunately this degree of professionalism has additional costs.  We provide state mandated worker’s compensation insurance, benefits, social security and other payroll taxes, and routine training.  In addition, we provide an ongoing safety program, contribute to the local community, operate out of an office / warehouse, and provide a general liability policy with a multi-million dollar umbrella.  The professional roofing contractor assumes the risk and resolves any problems for one, two, or even five years after the installation.  Do these characteristics sound reasonable?  Absolutely!  Unfortunately these expenses are frequently absent from Brand X’s operating expenses – in order to provide the “best” or cheapest price. 

Finally and quite possibly the most important is accountability.  When you invest in a roof system, you are purchasing more than just a roof – you are purchasing the security of knowing your building is water tight.  You may know this as “service after the sale,” quality, or “service recovery.”  We call it accountability!  The difference is rarely noticed in the bid phase of the project.  Only after the work is complete and the checks have cleared are these characteristics discovered.  Only then do you find that Brand X never completed the punch list, failed to provide you with close out documents (manufacturer’s warranties) or provides an excuse to why your leaks are always excluded from the warranty. 

With the above in mind, I ask, “Was it a better price or did Brand X not include everything you expected?”

John Fleming

Over the past six months, we have seen more than one severe wind event. These events have caused damage to residential and commercial properties and roofs are no exception. Missing or damaged shingles are sometime expected – but commercial roofs? That only happens during a hurricane – right?

Wrong, Colorado Springs lost a half dozen or more commercial, low sloped roofs in late 2005 due to wind. Most of these were not poorly constructed or poorly designed roof system. All were designed by an architect or a roof consultant but due to the conditions of the day these roofs failed.

I encountered three misconceptions about roof losses. The first is the term “blow off”. Low sloped roofs (asphalt-built up, EPDM, TPO systems) typically do not blow off but fail from negative pressure at the perimeter. Similar to the lift created by an airplane wing, negative pressure forms as the wind meets a building its velocity increases as it flows over the vertical surface, and rolls over the parapet. Directly behind the parapet wall (edge), the negative pressure pulls on the roof membrane and flashing.

The second misconception: Isn’t this covered by the roof warranty. Not typically. Most manufacturers’ warranties exclude winds over 54 miles per hour (or gale force winds). While the roof may be designed for heavy winds, your roof warranty does not cover “acts of God” meaning natural disaster. I tell most of my customers “always remember; their lawyers wrote the warranty”. This loss should be covered by your insurance provider.

Over the past decade several manufacturers have developed Increased Wind Speed Warranties. Prior to installation, the roof system must be designed to specific specifications approved by the roof membrane manufacturer. [Note: All four of the roof systems installed by Weathercraft Company after the wind failures were designed, installed, and warranted for 90 mph or more.] The design takes into consideration the building height, parapet height, deck type, area wind speeds and other design factors.

The last misconception is that concerning Factory Mutual FM I-90. Factory Mutual is an insurance company that tests building component for its insured customers. Many designers reference the FM I-90 in their specifications. Until hurricane Andrew, I-90 was the highest wind uplift design criteria at Factory Mutual; but the nomenclature has become standard in many specifications. While I-90 is an adequate design for most of this area of the country, the 90 does not stand for 90 mile per hour but for 90 lbs of uplift pressure (negative pressure).

Finally, we must remember that the roofs lost were only a small portion of the square footage installed in Colorado Springs. Most – performed as they were designed. My recommendation is to develop a relationship with your roofing contractor and set up a plan for disaster response plan. Whether the roof is “blowing off” or snow threatens to over load the structure, a good roofing contractor should be there when you need assistance.

John L. Fleming, Jr.
Weathercraft Company