Measuring Net Free Area of Roof Systems May 15, 2013 M a r c h 2 0 1 3 I n t e r f a c e • 7 What is the net free area of a roof on an existing house? The answer to that question seems to come up maybe twice in the life of a building: It comes up at design […] Read More
Fluid-Applied Air and Weather-Resistive Barriers: The Better Choice May 15, 2013 Sustainability is a much talked-about concept in building design today. At a very high level, sustainability is described as the ability to endure. When considering a living space, that ability to endure might be applied to the building itself, the people who will ultimately occupy it, or even the world around the building. In fact, […] Read More
Rethinking Gutter Design for Steep-Sloped Roofing May 15, 2013 ABSTRACT There are currently two methods for calculating gutter sizes for use with steepsloped roofing. The methods offered by both the International Code Council (ICC) and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) can trace their roots to a paper entitled “Flow in Roof Gutters” by K. Hilding Beij, published in 1934. […] Read More
Rooftop Solar: Driving Industry Change May 15, 2013 The U.S. solar photovoltaic (PV) marketplace is often called the “wild, wild west of PV.” While this statement may be hyperbole, it helps explain why many roof consultants and roofing contractors hesitate stepping into this frontier. Making business decisions about whether—or how—a roofing professional should engage rooftop PV systems can be intimidating and difficult. This […] Read More
Gutter Installation in a Standing-Seam Metal Roof May 15, 2013 Driving through the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, one comes upon a cluster of one-story buildings with green standing-seam metal roofs and a 3-ft. turneddown metal fascia—the Waterville Youth Centre. The roofs have a slope of 2 in 12, and the buildings have an eave height of about 10 ft., except for the central building, […] Read More
Precured Silicone Sealant in Building Envelope Renovation Applications May 15, 2013 1 0 • I n t e r f a c e A p r i l 2 0 1 3 Many different types of liquid-applied sealants have been used over the years in the construction industry. These sealants, which will be referred to as “wet sealants,” include acrylic, polyurethane, polysulfide, silicone, modified silicone, siliconized […] Read More
Corrosion: What’s Eating at Your metal? Part II May 15, 2013 CORROSIONRESISTANT METALS Stainless Steel Even though stainless steel is positioned at the “noble” end of the Galvanic Series Tables, it does not occur naturally. The occasional references to it as being a noble metal are incorrect as determined by the previously discussed defi nition of a noble metal (see July 2013 Interface). There is a […] Read More
Oregon HOA Uses Multifaceted Design Strategy to Build Sustainable Aquatic and Recreation Center May 15, 2013 J a n u a r y 2 0 1 3 I n t e r f a c e • 3 1 Developed more than 40 years ago from a brownfield site and surrounded by the scenic Cascade Mountains and Deschutes River, the planned residential and resort community of Sunriver, Oregon, has long been […] Read More
Genesis of a Waterproofing Flashing System for a Damp Climate May 15, 2013 The answers to common construction problems are out there. Tatley-Grund, Seattle, Washington, a contracting firm specializing in whole-building repair of water-damaged multistory structures, often sees failed peel-and-stick flashing membranes on rough openings. During forensic investigations of buildings suffering water intrusion problems in the Pacific Northwest, principals Stacey Grund and Ron Tatley have documented repeated cases […] Read More
