Structural Concerns With Retrofitting a Standing Seam Roof System

Slope

• All metal roofing, including standing seam roof systems, require a slope, or an incline. These roofs have no drainage systems and therefore require the help of gravity. Standing seam panels manufactured by Architectural Building Components, for instance, require at least a 1/4-inch of vertical rise per every 12 inches of horizontal distance covered by a panel. In order to meet slope requirements when retrofitting a flat-roofed building, you must create a sloped surface by building a triangular steel frame on top of the existing flat roof.

Roof Structure

• As with any roof, a flat roof is designed to support a specific amount of weight. Flat roofs require very specific ratings, when it comes to load-bearing capacity, because snow can accumulate quickly on them. Structural concerns arise, during the retrofitting process, when a flat roof has inadequate load-bearing capacity to hold the new structure required to install a standing seam roof. A roof with adequate load capacity presents no problem, but an inadequate roof may collapse under the weight of the new, retrofitted system. Companies that offer retrofitting services can help you overcome load support concerns by customizing the materials and methods used in retrofitting to meet your needs.

Support Structure

• Building construction requires that each part of a structure connects to numerous other parts. The roof, for instance, connects to joists, rafters or trusses beneath it, as well as walls. These parts, in turn, connect to other walls, floors, joists and, eventually, the foundation. A situation may arise where the existing roof has the ability to hold a retrofit structure, but weight support methods prove inadequate. For instance, the weight of a retrofit structure transferred from the roof to wall may exert too much pressure on that wall, which can cause it to bow, crack, crumble or even collapse. Because of this, it is important to investigate the structural integrity and capacity of the entire building before undertaking a retrofit project.

Material Compatibility

• Problems with material compatibility in retrofitting procedures may give rise to structural concerns. For instance, concrete can become very moist on the outside in certain climactic conditions. If the concrete is adjacent to metal, the moisture on the concrete can lead to corrosion in the metal. Corroded components on a standing seam roof can damage the retrofit structure or lead to moisture penetration, which may weaken the roof beneath. However, solving this problem proves relatively simple for professionals, who can create buffers and other dividers between incompatible materials or substitute potentially dangerous materials for others.

Additional Considerations

• Various concerns other than the structural affect standing seam metal roofing systems. For instance, flat roofs often contain vents, electrical wiring or components of HVAC systems, such as heaters or air conditioners. These elements require a frame between them and the standing seam retrofit structure to protect one from the other. Furthermore, workers require access to these elements on the roof,so the retrofit structure must have adequate space within it for a person to walk around and work. Hiring a professional to design and help you construct your retrofit system can help you work around these problems.