“When it comes to metal roofs, details are where your money is made or lost,” said Vaughn Bacon, manager of Technical Services for MBCI NCI Building Systems, during his METALCON seminar titled “Metal Roofing: The Devil Is in the Details.”
In his seminar, Bacon explored common leak points with metal roofs, including penetrations, curbs, side laps, and end laps. Bacon showed some photos from jobsites of details gone horribly wrong to prove his point, along with photos documenting the proper way to do the job.
Bacon urged designers to think long-term. “Metal roofs should last 20 years or more, so don’t count on exposed sealant to solve a problem,” he stated. “The trim and fasteners have to last as long as the roof. Make sure you use long-life fasteners and long-term details.”
The lesson for designers: Plan ahead. Don’t take the chance on someone improvising in the field with a handful of fasteners or a tube of sealant. “Details should be planned in advance and down in writing on the drawing board before you go out into the field,” said Bacon.
Other tips Bacon shared at the seminar included:
- Monolithic curbs are best.
- Make sure pipes and other penetrations don’t penetrate a panel seam.
- When HVAC units and lightning protection equipment is considered, make sure copper or copper runoff does not come into contact with galvalume.
