Frequently Asked Questions About Air Barriers May 15, 2007 They’re called air barriers, but reducing energy costs and keeping water – liquid or vapor – out of wall assemblies is really what they’re all about. And when water does get in, as it is likely to do sometime during construction and duringthe life of a building, an air barrier needs to allow the water […] Read More
Algae The Growing Problem May 15, 2007 What are you going to do about that black stuff on your old roof?” a friend asked me this summer after viewing the new addition to my home and comparing its pristine, clean shingles to the adjacent, original, 10-year-old roof. “What is that stuff?” I asked. “I think it's mold,” he replied. “What can you do?” I shrugged. “You're the one who works for the roofing people,” he said. “Find out.” So over the next few weeks, in the course of my job as director of publications for RCI, I asked a few of the consultants I routinely deal with about the “black stuff” on my roof. I got some interesting and varied suggestions (some being unprintable), but the most ultimately enlightening (and frustrating) one came from Interface's senior editor and my friend Lyle Hogan, RRC, FRCI, PE: “You're a reporter, aren't you?” Forced, reluctantly, to find my own answers, I did some research. Read More
Considerations For Coastal Coatings – Part II Of III May 15, 2007 INTRODUCTION This article is presented in three parts. Part I, published in the March 2007 issue of Interface, provided an analysis of types of paints and coatings. In this section, Part II, surface preparation and application will be discussed. In Part III, suggested painting/coating systems for coastal environments will be examined. PART TWO – SURFACE […] Read More
What Roof Consultants Need To Know About Field-Applied Roof coatings… And Related Questions May 15, 2007 Read More
Slate Roof Evaluations And Design Considerations May 15, 2007 HISTORY OF SLATE IN THE UNITED STATES Slate has been used in the United States since the 1600s, with much of the early slate being imported from Wales in the British Isles. In 1734, the fi rst recognized slate quarry was opened on the Pennsylvania/Maryland border. From this point onward, numerous quarries could be found […] Read More
Equivalent Uniform Annual Cost: A New Approach to Roof Life-Cycle Analysis May 15, 2007 INTRODUCTION Life Cycle Cost Analysis and its Problems Interest in life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) appears to be increasing among building owners and designers. Some of this attention may be attributed to a related and growing interest in “green” building technologies that rely in part on the durability and sustainability of building materials to minimize […] Read More
Reflective Roof coatings Retain Their Radiative Properties May 15, 2007 Within the roofing industry, it is generally accepted that white, highly reflective coatings can cool and protect the roof surface to which they are applied. It is also recognized that coated roof surfaces may pick up dirt and lose some of their solar reflectance with time. The CRRC (Cool Roof Rating Council) recently questioned whether […] Read More
