As one of the most critical enclosure components, the roof assembly is often one of the least understood. With so many system options and insulation strategies to choose from, it can be difficult to make the right decision for your project. On Tuesday April 21, WALSH hosted an event, sponsored and organized by Portland CSI, with a panel of industry professionals, including; Mark Hambelton, McDonald and Wetle, VP and Senior Estimator; George Starbuck, M+W, VP and Senior Estimator; John Herrmann, President, Bain Associates; Phil Strand, Senior Technical Roof Consultant, McBride Architecture and Panel Moderator Marty Houston, Quality Director, Walsh Construction Co.
Questions asked, and answered, included:
- Is there really that much of a difference in quality between single ply and multiple ply roofs?
- Why do I need a vapor barrier?
- If indeed I need a vapor barrier, what material is it made out of?
- At what point is roofing waterproofing? What’s the difference?
- Do white roofs make sense in our climate?
- SBS versus APP- what’s the difference and why use one over the other?
- What happened to PVC roofs- why don’t we use them anymore?
- What options do I have for dealing with the smell issue when re-roofing?
- What is the minimum slope for typical roof applications? What are the common design decisions that are made that may result in less than optimal slope?
- How do I pick the right roof? (I Know it’s a very big question)
- How do I specify the right roofing materials, systems and warranty?
- Flood testing- is it worth it? What does it really entail?
- EVFM- is it worth the money- what are the different systems out there and how do they function?
- What are acceptable substrates for typical roofing applications?
- What the hell is EPDM and where would I use it?
- I have heard of the holy grail of PMMA- is it all it is cracked up to be? Where/why would I use it?
- What’s the skinny on green roofs- are they all they’re cracked up to be?