Message from the President The growth of the Roof Consultants In¬ stitute has been nothing short of phenomenal! With over 370 members in seven regions and a brand new chapter in Or¬ lando, Florida, our or¬ ganization continues its dynamic growth pattern. We look forward to another year of unsurpassed development in all areas. As an international organization for roof consult¬ ants, the number one association representing the roof consultant professional and pioneers in our industry, we must continually strive to maintain the dynamics of growth that have been our trademark since 1983. The lead dog is the only one to see a change in the scenery while the second is very highly motivated to effect a change! It will take all of us working together to pro¬ vide the necessary direction and focus of goals for con¬ tinued success. Our immediate goals are: 1. Sponsor a very successful 1990 Convention in Chicago on March 19-21, 1990, at the Ramada O’Hare. The convention will be put together by the Headquarter’s staff and the Convention Committee. A minimum of 50 exhibitors and leading edge technical presentations will be the agenda. 2. Develop a brochure describing RCI and its goals. 3. Continue the liaison that has begun with NRCA, the AIA, and CSI. 4. Publish at least one technical document for use by RCI members. 5. Activate the Waterproofing Committee. 6. Each member contribute in some way to RCI’s success. This goes beyond paying dues and includes things like thanking exhibitors at the National Conven¬ tion for their time and effort, recruiting a new member for RCI, or explaining to someone in the industry about continued on page 7 THE AMERICAN PLYWOOD ASSOCIATION Fire-Retardant Treated (FRT) plywood, as defined in building codes, is plywood that, when pressure -treated with fire-retardant chemicals, or treated by other means during manufacture, and tested in accordance with American Stand¬ ards for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard E-84 for 30 minutes, shall not develop a flame spread greater than 25 without evidence of significant progressive combustion. Plywood meeting that definition is used in many areas country for roof sheath¬ ing to satisfy building code fire protection re¬ quirements of institu¬ tional, industrial and multifamily residential occupancies. FRT plywood is treated in ac¬ cordance with treating standards developed by the American Wood Over the past several months, the American Plywood Association (APA) has been made aware of field problems with some FRT plywood installa¬ tions. Preservers Association (AWPA). The fire-retardant treating of plywood is accomplished after plywood is manufactured. It is a process performed by treating companies using proprietary chemical formulations and treating methods, and quality assurance agencies of their own selection. Consequently, the treating process introduces variables outside of the control of any plywood producer and the APA. Our current understanding of fire-retardant treat¬ ments is that most impact the structural and moisture absorp¬ tion properties of wood. Span Ratings and load capacities published by APA are based on untreated panels and may not apply following fire-retardant treatment. Over the past several months, the American Plywood As¬ sociation (APA) has been made aware of field problems with some FRT plywood installations. The problems are generally reported to involve degradation of the wood cellular com¬ position. To our knowledge, all of the cases have involved in¬ terior fire-retardant treatments, but it should be noted that not all treating companies’ products have been involved in the problems reported to APA or that APA has observed. The U.S. Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has revealed information on the mechanism that may cause the degradacontinued on page 6 Newsletter of The Roof Consultants Institute 2 ROOF CONSULTANTS INSTITUTE S FOURTH NATIONAL CONVENTION The Roof Consultants Institute (RCI) held its Fourth Na¬ tional Convention at the Sheraton Washington in Washington, D.C. on March 15-17, 1989. Members from across the nation and Canada attended the three-day event. The Credentials Committee offered the third seating for RCI’s certification examination on the first morning of the convention. Sixty-nine applicants sat for the four-hour exam hoping to join the 34 members who have passed the exam so far. After enduring the exam, the applicants and other mem¬ bers spent the afternoon attending RCI Committee meetings. Everyone was ready to relax at the RCI reception to wel¬ come the exhibitors and the RCI Hospitality Suite later that evening. Day number two started an excellent technical program with speakers representing all segments of our industry. This excellent program is covered in depth on pages 4 and 5 by D. B. Young. D. B Young and Associates. Altamonte Springs. Florida. Thanks to our many exhibitors, our Trade Show was a tremendous success. We appreciate the manufacturers and suppliers who have donated their efforts to RCI during the years. Our appreciation goes to: Metal-Era, Incorporated; Siplast, Incorporated; Roofer Magazine; Seal-Dry, Incor¬ porated; Samafil, Incorporated; Creative Construction Com¬ ponents, Inc.; Wood Fiber Industries; Washington Roofing Products Company, Inc.; Westpoint Pepperell/Bond Cote Roofing Systems; Pittsburgh Coming Corporation; Owens- Coming Fiberglas Corporation; Tarmac Roofing Systems, In¬ corporated; Firestone Building Products; Huis America; Gencorp Polymer Products; JPS Elastomerics Corporation; Olympic Fasteners; Rawlplug Company, Inc.; Kelly Energy Systems; NRG/Kamak; Goodyear Roofing Products; East Coast Reps; GAF Corporation; Dow Chemical Company; North American Roofing Systems; ITWBuildex; Seaman Corporation; Thermo Materials, Incorporated; Manville Sales Corporation; HICO, Inc.; Carlisle Syntec Systems; In¬ ternational EPDM Rubber Roofing Systems, Inc.; N.T.B. Fastening System, Incorporated; U.S. Intec, Incorporated; Duro-Last Roofing. Incorporated: and the Barrett Company. Huis America & Trocal Roofing Systems hosted a Hospitality Suite for RCI on Thursday night. Approximately 100 members and guests enjoyed the Presidents Banquet and Award Ceremony. One of the high¬ lights at the Banquet was the awarding of the title “Certified Roof Consultant” (CRC) to eight members. These eight join Newsletter of The Roof Consultants Institute 3 the eight who were honored at last year’s convention to form an elite group of 16 persons who have completed all require¬ ments to earn the coveted title. The eight new RCI Certified Roof Consultants are the following: George F. Kanz, RE., Shive-Hattery Engineers, Inc., Cedar Rapids, I A; James E. Magowan, Roof Industry Consultants, Dublin, CA; Alan D. Benson, Taylor Associates Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA; Michael C. Bode, Neyer Tiseo Hindo, Farmington Hills, MI; Kevin E. Emster, Taylor Associates Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA; John L. Gimple, Chen-Northern Inc., Denver, CO; Phil R. Klapp, Phil Klapp Inc., Mayfield, KY; and Mark C. Vanderslice, Roofing Forensics, Yorba Linda, CA. Another highlight was awarding the RCI Fellow of the Institute to D.B. (Ben) Hales, CRC, out-going President of RCI. Mr. Hales joins five others who have been so honored. The RCI Annual Meeting was held the final day. A new slate of RCI Officers was elected: George F. Kanz, PE, CRC as President; James E. Magowan, CPRC, CRC as First Vice President (President-Elect), Donald E. Bush, CRC as Second Vice President; Richard M. Horowitz, AIA as Secretary; and Wells T. Jackson as Treasurer. We can take only a few moments to glow in the success of our 1989 Convention before we have to focus on our 1990 convention. The RCI Fifth National Convention will be held March 19-21, 1990 at the Ramada O’Hare in Chicago, Il¬ linois. We look forward to seeing our members, prospective members, exhibitors, and friends in Chicago. Newsletter of The Roof Consultants Institute 4 RCI FOURTH ANNUAL TECHNICAL PROGRAM By D. B. Young When asked by Bob Phillips, RCI’s Executive Director, to write an article on the RCI Fourth National Convention in Washington, D.C. held March 15-17, 1989, 1 did some think¬ ing that it would be easy to just share thoughts as an atten¬ dee. However, upon convention end, I found myself with more than a pocketful of notes on each speaker. Now I find myself with the task of putting these notes down in a com¬ prehensive article. Our first speaker was Andrew B. Willett, consultant with the Kellogg Corporation. Mr. Willett spoke on “Malad¬ ministration, As it Affects the Professional Roof Consult¬ ant.” The thrust of this presentation was a discussion of maladministration. Through a course outline, Mr. Willett ad¬ dressed the actions or inactions by the Owner’s unreasonable interference with the Contractor’s right to enjoy least-cost performance. Such actions or inactions by the Owner often entitle the Contractor to recover damages, as presented by Mr. Willett. “Thermoplastic Single-Ply Roofing Systems” was the topic of our second speaker, Rene M. Dupuis, president of Structural Research, Inc. Mr. Dupuis’ presentation spoke to the advantages and disadvantages of the “thermoplastics” as they related to other roofing systems. There was a significant discussion and related questions and answers regarding Mr. Dupuis’ work in thermoplastic seam technology as it related to adhesive vs. solvent or heat welding. George C. Courville, with the U.S. Department of Ener¬ gy Roof Research Service, our third speaker, presented, “The First Year.” Mr. Courville spoke on the work being done at the Roof Research Center at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Through an informative slide presentation, Mr. Courville was able to convey the current work at the Re¬ search Center as well as the future of roofing research at the Center. Newsletter of The Roof Consultants Institute 5 Our next speaker was Richard P. Baxter, President of Carolina Roofing Service, addressing the “Best Methods and Procedures for Conducting Quality Assurance In¬ spections on Built-Up Roofs.” Without benefit of slides, Mr. Baxter delivered an excellent presentation that consisted of two aspects: first, “establish criteria” to provide the roofer with the project requirements; second, “criteria review,” as to what review methods will be utilized. Mr. Baxter stressed the importance of full-time continuous qualified inspectors “Improving Roof Condition Assessment Through Roofing Research” was the topic of Walter J. Rossiter, Chemist with the National Institute of Standards and Tech¬ nology. Mr. Rossiter spoke on his research group work with SPM roofing system seams. As a direct parallel with Mr. Dupris’ presentation, Mr. Rossiter spoke on seam technology as it related to thermoset roofing systems. Wayne Tobiasson, Research Civil Engineer with the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory was our last speaker, speaking on “Moisture in Roof Insulation: How Much is Too Much? Then What?”. Through a very comprehensive slide presentation, Mr. Tobiasson presented first an overview of moisture in roofing, followed by the con¬ cept of “wet”. The questions posed to Mr. Tobiasson reflect concern over moisture in existing roofing systems, with his answers addressing methods of reroofmg. In summary, the convention speakers are today’s leaders in all sections of roofing technology. They provided to those in attendance the most current information available, as well as stimulus for further thought. Newsletter of The Roof Consultants Institute 6 continued from page 1 tion which has been observed. FPL staff has indicated that some of the fire-retardant chemicals currently in use are reac¬ tive in the presence of heat and moisture. This is important to reduce the combustibility of wood when exposed to fire. However, the combination of elevated temperature and mois¬ ture in some instances may cause acid hydrolysis of the wood and may lead to severe cellular degradation over time. Moisture is naturally present from attic humidity or from rain exposure during construction or from water leakage. to solar radiation, roof temperatures fre¬ quently reach 150- 170 degrees F at the interface of the roof covering and roof sheathing. The in¬ gredients for degradacan thus be present in the construction environment. The potential for field problems with some types of fire-retardant treated plywood is significant. At the onset of the recent claims history, the problem ap¬ peared to be general to the treating industry. Several ele¬ ments in that industry have since asserted that interior fire-retardant formulations are varied and, therefore, degrada¬ tion and performance may be different depending on which proprietary interior FRT product is used. Because of legal requirements that APA be generic in its recommendations and promotion of FRT plywood, we are precluded from identifying products of individual treaters. Therefore, the user or specifier should check with the treater for recommendations concerning use of the treater’s proprietary product. Because of widespread concern by many in the plywood and treating industries, chemical manufacturers and plywood manufacturers are cooperating with a National Forest Products Association task force to develop and validate a test protocol for FRT wood products. It is hoped the test protocol will provide definitive, reliable information on the strength reduction characteristics of various FRT formulations caused by high temperature and humidity. The APA Board of Trustees at its December 3, 1988 meet¬ ing adopted the following resolution: WHEREAS the Board of Trustees of American Plywood Association is concerned that an expanding market for struc¬ tural wood panels may be lost because of a developing his¬ tory of deterioration regarding panels given interior fire-retardant treatments, and, WHEREAS the Board intends to take all responsible steps to protect specifiers and users of fire-retardant treated panels and to protect the market for fire-retardant treated structural wood panels for both member manufacturers and the members of the treating industry, now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED that the American Plywood Associa¬ tion staff shall implement the following policy: (l)Pending development of such controls, methods or for¬ mulations by the treating industry that will assure wood panel structural integrity after treating, the APA staff shall not recommend the use of any interior fire-retardant treat¬ ment of any structural wood panel. (2)The APA staff shall immediately undertake comparison testing of exterior treatments currently available, as well as other possible fire-retardant treatment methods or formula¬ tions, with the purpose of meeting the needs of architects, specifiers and users, and assuring satisfactorily performing fire-retardant treated structural wood panels in the marketplace. (3)The APA staff shall cooperate with and assist members of the treating industry and others through research and test¬ ing in support of the treating industry’s development of reli¬ able long-term wood treating methods and formulations that will not impair the structural integrity of wood panels indi¬ cated for fire-retardant use. APA’s objective in this matter, in addition to our obliga¬ tion to apprise you of the potential problems, is to assist the treating industry in every way possible toward an in¬ dustrywide solution which will allow potential users to specify FRT plywood with confidence of long-term service¬ ability. THE TASTE OF FINE WOOD SHINGLES I was called in to assist an able member of RCI on the wood shingle roof part of a project. We were informed by the self-proclaimed resident expert that the locally made shingles were the same kind used to roof Carpenters and Independence Halls when they were originally built in Philadelphia. In fact, he could tell what side of the river they came from by just tast¬ ing them. Try to explain to your spouse, as she pulls splinters out of your tongue, why you were tasting shingles when you didn’t even know what river the guy was talking about anyway. Well, I did some investigating. The shingles tasted by our expert had some knots to the tip. This is the equivalent of No. 4 Western Red Cedar Shingles or No. 3 Eastern White Cedar Shingles-both utility grades not to be used on the roof. The circular blade saw, needed to cut knotty shingles, was not invented until about 1846 by a Shaker lady in New Hampshire. Prior to this, shingles were split from clear material (because you can’t split knots) and draw knifed smooth. The roof on Carpenters Hall was put on about 1750. I envy the able consultant who at the next project meeting gets to lay back with his two 44 magnums loaded with re¬ search and fact, waiting to blow away our tasting expert when he starts his ranting. Some guys have all the fun! Martin L. Obando, Master Roofer, CSI, RCI Cedar Shingle and Shake Bureau Rt 5 Box 153B Elizabeth City NC 27909 919/771-5187 The potential for field problems with some types of fire-retardant treated plywood is sig¬ nificant. Newsletter of The Roof Consultants Institute 7 continued from page 1 RCI and its goals and demonstrating to them the benefits of a teamwork relationship. It is going to take a special effort by everyone to ac¬ complish the things we want to complete. We are also particularly interested in furthering our goal of becom¬ ing effective members of the roofing team. Toward this end, members of the Executive Committee and Region Directors will be participating in the National Roofing Contractors Association’s Convention, The American Institute of Architects’ regional conventions, and the workshop on Uplift Test Procedures for Roofing Sys¬ tems. The Uplift Test Procedures for Roofing Systems Workshop is being sponsored by the Single-Ply Roof¬ ing Institute, the Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Oak Ridge Na¬ tional Laboratory. The Roof Consultants Institute finished last year under the adept guidance of Mr. Ben Hales with an in¬ formative, yet gala, convention in Washington, D.C. The Institute thanks Ben for all his efforts and looks for¬ ward to his continued involvement in RCI. What a year and what a convention! The convention boasted atten¬ dees from every region and even a few areas without region designations, including Canada. We welcome our Canadian members! The 1989 Convention featured: • A ripsnorter of a Certification Test • Committee Meetings Bustling With Activity • Information-packed Technical Program and Ex¬ hibit Hall Within the last year, the Institute has retained an Ex¬ ecutive Director in Robert Phillips, Jr. and an Ad¬ ministrative Assistant in Paula Baker. Both are available to help you with any questions you may have, as well as any input you may wish to provide RCI. We are the independent professional voice in the roofing industry – we are the Bridge Builder between the building owners, manufacturers, and contractors. Be an active part of that Bridge-Building Team and RCI will continue to be on top! George Kanz, PE, CRC Shive-Hattery Engineers 800 First Street NW Cedar Rapids IA 52406 319/364-0227 The “Interface Newsletter” is published quarterly by the Roof Consultants Intstitute. Copyright© 1988 Roof Consultants Institute. All rights reserved. Please address all submittals, subscription requests, advertising, etc. to the Roof Consultants Institute, 7424 Chapel Hill Road, Raleigh, NC 27607. Telephone 919/859-0742. The RCI logo, the name “Interface Newsletter” and the title “Certified Roof Consultant” abbreviated “CRC” are copyrighted by the Roof Consultants Institute and must not be used without permission of the Roof Consultants Institute. Sy Elakman, CRC, Chairman of the Building Codes and Stand¬ ards Committee, submitted the following Code changes: Southern Building Code Con¬ gress International Standard for the Installation of Roof Covering 1988 Edition – Code Changes SECTION 106 – SLATE SHINGLES Slate Shingles shall only be used on slopes of 4:12 or greater, (previously 3:12) SECTION 107 – CONCRETE TILE USING MECHANICAL FASTENERS Physical test requirements are modified. SECTION 111 – METAL ROOFS Materials listed now include requirements for terne coated stainless steel. SECTION 112 – SYNTHETIC SHEET MEMBRANE ROOF¬ ING One & two family residences are now excepted from structural certification requirement. SECTION 113 – REROOFING/RECOVERING Reroofing and recovering are defined. RECOVERING – The practice of preparing the old roof surface (as opposed to removal of the existing roof) and installing a new roof system. REROOFING – The practice of removing the existing roof membrane, repairing any damaged substrate, and installing a new roofing system. Also modified or added to 113: The structural roof components to which the roofing system is to be applied shall be capable of supporting the roof system, ancil¬ lary material, and equipment loads that will be encountered in any reroofmg/recovering operation. Additional roofing may not be applied over two or more ap¬ plications of any type roofing material. There are many otherminor changes in wording in an attempt to clarify and ease interpretation of this Standard. Those members working in areas which adopt the Standard Code should familiarize themselves with it. Sy Elakman, CRC Elakman Davenport Assoc 3859 Bee Ridge Rd #104 Sarasota, FL 34233 813-925-1616. CARLISLE SPONSERS SUMMER ISSUE The summer issue of Interface is made possible by the Leader in the single-ply roofing industry, Carlisle SynTec Systems. For more than 25 years, Carlisle has led the in¬ dustry in manufacturing technology, research and develop¬ ment, innovative training programs, systems and specifications. The most recent introduction of .045 inch polyester-reinforced EPDM membrane utilized in both Mechanically-Fastened and Fully-Adhered Roofing Systems is simply another reason why Carlisle is truly the Leader in the single-ply industry. Newsletter of The Roof Consultants Institute 8 THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF THE EXTERIOR ENVELOPES OF BUILDINGS IV The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Building Thermal Envelope Coordinating Council, and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers will jointly sponsor a conference on Thermal Performance of Ex¬ terior Envelopes of Buldings. The fourth meeting of its kind, this December 4-7, 1989, conference will provide informa¬ tion to practicing engineers and architects who endeaver to reduce building owning and operating costs. The potential energy savings through improved design and construction of the building envelope and components, including founda¬ tions, attics, roofs, windows, and walls will be central to the conference. In that context improved equipment efficiency, control strategies, and health and safety aspects will also be addressed. Thermal Performance of Exterior Envelopes of Buildings IV will attract a wide spectrum of design professionals, re¬ searchers, and academicians concerned with energy conser¬ vation opportunities in buildings. In 1979, 1982, and 1985 representatives from many segments of the building com¬ munity participated. The December 1989 conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The Or¬ lando site was selected for its reasonable accommodation rates, fare-saving travel opportunities, and cimate. For registration information on the conference, contact George E. Courville, Building Thermal Envelope Systems and Materials, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6092. SHERMAN GASKINS ELECTED SPRI VICE PRESIDENT AND JAMES MOLLENHOFF ELECTED SPRI SECRETARY March 20, 1989 — Deerfield, IL — Sherman Gaskins of Colonial Rubber Works (Dyersburg, TN) was elected vice president and James Mollenhoff, vice president and national sales manager for Siplast (Irving, TX), was elected secretary of the Single Ply Roof¬ ing Institute (SPRI). Gaskins, an 11-year employee of Colonial, is assistant sales manager for the Single Ply Roofing Division. The Single Ply Roofing Institute represents manufacturers, raw materials suppliers and accessory suppliers for single-ply roofing. Its membership also includes consultants, engineers, specifiers, equipment and tool manufacturers, distributors, and manufacturers’ representatives. KEM SCOTT, GERALD E. STANLEY, AND JOHN WILSON ELECTED TO SPRI BOARD OF DIRECTORS March 20, 1989 – Deerfield, Ill. – Kern Scott, vice president of marketing and sales at Carlisle SynTec Systems (Carlisle, PA); Gerald E. Stanley, general manager of Bond Cote Roofing Systems/ West Point Pepperell (West Point, Ga.), and John T. Wilson, accounts manager for fiber sales for building products and nonwovens applications of Hoechst Celanese Corporation (Charlotte, NC) have been elected to the Single Ply Roofing Institute’s Board of Directors. They will serve a three-year term. Scott joined Carlisle SynTec in 1973 and has served in a number of sales and marketing positions, including manager of marketing services and director of marketing. He was appointed vice president of marketing and customer services in 1983. Stanley has been in the roofing industry since 1969 in various sales and marketing positions. Wilson has been directly involved with the single-ply roofing in¬ dustry in various market development activities since 1981. He has focused on the use of synthetic fiber reinforcements. Previously he was involved with product and market development in geotextile markets and in various phases of manufacturing at Hoechst Celanese Corporation’s plant in Salisbury, NC. FLORIDA CHAPTER RCI’S FIRST On April 25, 1989, 14 Florida members met at the Orlando Marriott for the first organizational meeting of the Florida Chapter. The Flordia Chapter is RCI’s first. Members spent much of the morning developing Chapter By-Laws . After a fine lunch, Tom Phillips, W T Phillips & Associates, 1981 Port St Lucie Blvd, Port St Lucie FL 34952, telephone 813/467-7443, presented an interesting and educational program on airborne in¬ frared surveys. After Tom’s excellent program, mem¬ bers discussed several current projects of general interest. The last item of the day was election of Chapter of¬ ficers. Members elected the following slate of officers: President-Arthur Sark, AIA ARC & Associates 601 N Femcreek Ave Orlando FL 32803-4839 Telephone 407/896-7875 Vice-President-Roger Staley Roof Search Inc 1815 NE Jacksonville Rd Ocala FL 32570 Telephone 904/351-2632 Secretary-Sy Elakman, CRC Elakman Davenport Assoc 3859 Bee Ridge Rd #104 Sarasota FL 34233 Telephone 813/925-1616 Treasurer-D B Young, Jr. D B Young & Associates 933 Douglas Ave Altamonte Springs FL 32714 Telephone 407/682-0125 The next meeting is scheduled for July 11, 1989 in Orlando . Interested Members and prospective mem¬ bers contact Arthur Sark or RCI Headquarters for fur¬ ther information. Newsletter of The Roof Consultants Institute
