Standing Seam Roofing...

No Weak Links in This Fire House's "R-Mer"

Type of Jobs: Reroofing to convert from flat to sloped roof

Type of Structure: Fire House

Contractor:

Alper Enterprises Inc.
Moorestown, NJ

Garland Products:

*R-Mer Span structural standing seam roofing system
*R-Mer Seam architectural standing seam roofing system
*R-Mer pre-assembled metal canopy kits


Garland Representative: Bill Pancoast


When roofing over life-saving fire and emergency medical equipment -- which must remain 100% accessible 24-hours a day --you're dealing with a critical chain that can tolerate no weak links, according to Richard Jones, assistant city engineer for the City of Millville, Southern New Jersey.

Earlier this year, perpetual leaking problems at the City of Millville Fire House compelled the city to begin searching for an alternative to the flat BUR roof that had begun leaking about 15 years after its installation. At the urging of the mayor and members of the fire department, Jones began looking for an "A" roof solution that would provide slope.

He reports, "Although I know that modified bitumen technology has advanced far in the last 20 years, public perception remains that flat roofs are a problem. When you're dealing with taxpayer money, you need to take that concern seriously. So we began looking at "A" roofing, even though it would be, initially, more costly."

Jones investigated timber truss systems, but the masonry building with parapets was not designed to take load along its outside walls. Given the condition of the masonry, Jones quickly determined that the building would not be able to handle a timber truss system without costly modifications.

Eventually, the engineer opted for a framing system that consisted of a series of ""jacks" that would distribute the load evenly over the existing concrete deck, in keeping with the building's original design.

A standing seam metal roofing system manufactured by the Cleveland-based Garland Company was specified, based upon the rigidity of its panels and the unique design of its attachments. Says Jones, "The shape of the Garland R-Mer Span panels is structurally sound and extremely rigid . . . A big issue with metals has always been rigid attachments, which can create a problem with panels pulling away in extreme temperature fluctuations. The Garland product uses a unique clip design that allows the roof to move with thermal expansion and contraction."

According to Garland representative, Bill Pancoast, three Garland products were used in the Fire House reroofing project. "In addition to the R-Mer Span structural panels, we used R-Mer Seam architectural panels over a permanent entryway where the strength of a structural seam was not required. We also replaced some old wooden roofs over other entrances with R-Mer metal canopies that aesthetically match the new roofing system."

He continues, "We were able to reduce some of the perimeter framing system by providing unique, one-piece, continuous perimeter anchors. These anchors allowed us to reduce the amount of framing in zones 2 (perimeters) and 3 (corners). This was an advantage for the contractor and the owner, since the anchors saved time and money up front, while providing better security against wind uplift."

Craig Alper, president of Alper Enterprises Inc, based in Moorestown, NJ, agrees. He comments, "I have never seen a system like it, and I've been in this business 28 years. We do a lot of metal roofing work, and these anchors are an ideal solution."

Alper also appreciated the daily inspections provided by the roofing manufacturer, concluding, "Workmanship has always been one of the weakest links in roofing. When we work with Garland, we get the added advantage of quality control . . . I believe one of the principal reasons that Garland systems are among the best in the country is because their reps are out there every day checking on the quality of the work."