Baldwin Water Treatment Plant

Protecting History as Well as the People

The drinking water of millions of Cleveland citizens was in danger. A leaky rooftop can cause millions of dollars in damage to a business, but in this case, it could also cause illness to the people served by the plant. There were also giant patio areas on the roof that needed to be removed in order to do the repairs. And all of this intense work had to be done while using caution to avoid damaging the ornate decorative stone around the building.

The project started with the removal of the rooftop patio areas from the top of the building. Warren Roofing® partnered with Cleveland Building Restoration to make sure that the stone masonry remained intact during the job of tearing off the current membrane and replacing it. After the old roofing membrane was removed, the team poured a sloping lightweight concrete deck. Next, the crew put down a vapor barrier to protect the deck from moisture and help waterproof the surface. The stone restoration work that Cleveland Building Restoration was performing was phased so that some could be completed before and some after the project. Some of the work being performed was done below the roof and some on top, so the Warren crew was careful to work around them throughout the process to make it as simple as possible. 

The Warren Roofing® crew selected a Tremco AlphaGuard™ membrane to complete the job. This particular roofing system is a single-component waterproofing system that is moisture-triggered and can be used for restoration or replacement of current roofing systems. It is also highly proficient at weatherproofing a rooftop, and with Cleveland’s temperamental climate, this can be particularly beneficial. It also has a brilliant white color, which can help reduce temperatures on the roof.