McGregor PACE at Forest Hill

Carrying the Torch With Nerves of Steel

The modified bitumen roofing modifications on the existing rooftop were performed using a torch-applied membrane. Anytime you are using an open flame on an occupied building, there are safety concerns. There were also timing concerns. The metal panels used for the addition in front of the building took a long time to arrive, and our team wondered if we would receive them in time to get the job done.

The work began with the modifications to the existing roof being completed before the roof was constructed on the new addition. The existing roof was cut, inserts were installed and then flashed back to the existing system. The existing system was modified, and a DERBIGUM modified asphalt roofing system was installed using a torch-applied process. The torches used to apply the membranes can reach temperatures of up to 3000०F. The temperatures generated by the torches have been known to start fires that might smolder out of sight, only to burst into flames later when unattended. The team wore standard protective gear to protect themselves but also had to pay special attention to make sure that there was no combustible equipment on the rooftop and that all hoses were disconnected at the end of the day. There is an extra danger when working around the new HVAC units because the flames can actually be sucked back into the interior of the building, so the team was on alert when working around those new installations. 

The new part of the building would provide its own challenges. The architects working on the addition selected 7.2 rib metal panels for the roof. Once the steelwork for the addition was completed, there were drawings done for the roof, and it took nearly four weeks to get the panels in. The entire project only took three months to complete, so a four-week delay put things behind quite a bit. Despite this setback, the team from Warren Roofing® rallied to get the project done on time, and the new addition was in place in plenty of time to protect visitors to the facility from the elements coming during the winter.