This article Reprinted from Western Roofing magazine, January/February 2007, Volume 30, number 1

 

Test of Time

The Wisdom of ‘Best Practices’ is Constantly Evolving

by Richard K. Olson, technical director, TRI

 

(Editor’s Note: Richard K. Olson is the technical director for the Tile Roofing Institute (TRI). The association represents manufacturers and their suppliers of clay and concrete roof tile products made in the U.S. and Canada, and works with national, state, and local building officials to develop installation techniques, codes, and standards for better roofing systems. Olson may be reached at rolson@tileroofing.org)

 

 

As roofing professionals, we aspire to utilize the latest evolution of knowledge. Over time, the development of codes and best practices is the foundation of knowledge upon which we base our daily decisions. While we can calculate and theorize from an academic stand-point as to what may or may not work, the real test of our efforts will be in the test of time. When roofing practices that have evolved are based upon actual field data showing success over time, we then have the confidence that we have gone in the right direction.

                  During the last five years, Mother Nature has provided us the perfect educational opportunity to test many of the practices that have come into the marketplace. We have seen an increase in fires in California, hail and tornadoes in the Midwest, wind-driven rains and hurricanes in the Southeast, and extreme cold weather in the Northeast. While many of these events have been catastrophic to those involved, they have resulted in a significant amount of new data for the test of time on many building materials that are used or allowed by code.

 

Evolution of Building Materials

                  The last few years have also seen a record number of new materials entering the marketplace. In some cases, these are new materials that have stood the test of time in other parts of the world, such as Europe. Often times, however, they are new proprietary products as the result of research and development here in the United States. While many of these have the academics of design, many also lack the longevity to know how they will work. That’s not to say that they won’t, but only the fact that they are new.

 

The International Expo

                  With the International Roofing Expo just around the corner in March, many of the presenters are applying final revisions to their presentations. This event is one of the few opportunities we have as roofing professionals to learn about the new practices and standards that have evolved over the last year for roofing materials.

                  At the Expo, TRI is scheduled to make a presentation the morning of March 6, about the changes in practices we have helped develop over the last year. As an industry, we have spent a tremendous amount of time gleaning information from the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, the hail storms of the Midwest, and the cool roof issues that are pending in California. In the case of high wind, we have issued technical bulletins and submitted code language to the Florida Building Code to upgrade the performance of tile installations. We have addressed the method of installing hip and ridge tile to help reduce the damage in higher wind velocity zones.

                  Over the last three years, we have done extensive testing with the Oak Ridge National Lab and Lawrence Berkeley Lab to understand the performance of cool roof design through the reduction of heat transfer in the tile system.

 

Designing Roofs in 2007

                  The result of our extensive technical analysis will be presented at the Expo. We will be speaking of the new practices and roof design techniques that are available to the roofing community in regards to tile. In some cases these will be upgrades to the roof system in a “good, better, best” scenario that will provide additional benefits that you, the roofing contractor, can pass on to the home owner. With our new 2006 code-approved Moderate Climate Guide, we will touch on the new requirements that have been added to the manual and approved by the ICC-ES.

                  One of missions at TRI is the commitment to development, education, and training to the “best management practices” (BMP) that will stand the test of time for our tiles. While developed for tile, many of the practices and theories could be applicable to other roofing materials. Our cold weather manual includes a whole section on proper roof design for ventilation and the prevention of ice damming that would be applicable to any roofing material.

                  In addition, TRI is expanding its educational offerings in 2007 with more sessions of the Certified Tile Roof Installer Program. The association will hold eight sessions across the country in the coming year, including the Pacific Northwest and Midwest regions. For more information on the scheduling, please visit the TRI website at www.tileroofing.org.

 

Plan to Attend

                  Although I encourage every roofer to attend the tile session, I encourage all of you to participate in the entire International Roofing Expo. There is no greater national opportunity to learn about all aspects of roofing materials, designs, and best practices.

                  With a large number of new products recently approved for use, the Expo will provide a great resource to talk with manufacturers about their products and any restrictions that you might need to be aware of. As a roofing professional, you cannot miss the opportunity to be on the leading edge of technology. •••