Watergate Problem Solved
Single-Ply Reroof Solution
in Northern Calif.
by Tim Hart, general manager,
Duro-Last Roofing, Inc.
With over 30" of rain per year in San Francisco, the last thing Tim Sutherland, general manger of Watergate Community Association in Emeryville, Calif. wanted to worry about were the 1,249 roofs that covered the large condominium community.
"The Watergate Community is a 32-year-old residential community of condominiums overlooking the San Francisco Bay," said Sutherland. "With 3,000 residents under approximately 500,000 sq. ft. of failing roofs and rising maintenance costs, roofing problems were on the top of our list of concerns."
Sutherland arranged a meeting with the homeowners association's board of directors for the Watergate Community to discuss solutions for their roofing problems.
"Chris Hemphill, Duro-Last representative for Northern California, had been calling on our facility for years offering a solution to our roofing needs," said Sutherland. "The decision was not taken lightly. We wanted to stop the leaks and eliminate the ongoing maintenance costs that added up to approximately $30,000 a year."
"We also wanted a roofing system that had a good warranty, allowed us to build a slope where there was none, and that would last 20-30 years," he continued. "We thoroughly researched several roofing systems before choosing a 50 mil, tan prefabricated thermoplastic single-ply roofing system manufactured by Duro-Last Roofing, Inc."
"Additionally, when we compared the cost-per-square-foot which includes maintenance, the Duro-Last Roofing System was actually more cost effective," added Sutherland. "We felt that Duro-Last was not only the best product, but would also have excellent service and support while it was being installed as well as after the sale."
Knowing that the right roofing system was only half of the solution, Sutherland and the board of directors also had to look for a skilled and detail-oriented contractor to get the job done. In the roofing business for more than 21 years (16 of those as an authorized Duro-Last contractor), State Roofing Systems, Inc. of San Leandro, California was awarded the project.
With the roofing decision made, Richard Penarelli, senior project manager, and Jack Lanto, superintendent at State Roofing Systems, Inc. went to work. "We started with a full tear-off of Building F," stated Penarelli. "The tear-off consisted of removing the existing roofing systems originally installed over a plywood substrate, which had added approximately 700 pounds-per-square to the structure," he continued. "With that amount of weight, there were several concerns including live/load requirements and deck deflections."
Upon consulting with Jim Ellis, construction manager for the Watergate Community, along with the board of directors, the decision was made to install a tapered polyisocyanurate insulation manufactured by Energy Solutions Insulation, Inc. (E.S.I., Inc.) in Saginaw, Michigan.
"The tapered system was custom designed by E.S.I. for the Watergate project," recalled Penarelli. "By utilizing a laser level, Ellis located deflected areas of the deck. These areas were filled with additional layers of Duro-Fold Insulation prior to applying the E.S.I. Taper Insulation System.
With drainage concerns addressed, Lanto and Project Foreman Armando Silva proceeded with laying out the prefabricated Duro-Last Roofing System. Their plan consisted of using custom pre-manufactured membrane panels, up to 2,000 square foot, for the field of the roof. Each flashing was custom prefabricated to assure water-tightness at critical transitions. Only Duro-Last accessories were used to ensure that all system components worked together for top-notch performance.
"Because Duro-Last performed 80% of the critical field welding in its manufacturing plant in Grants Pass, Oregon, I reduced my labor time and cost, allowing us to complete each phase of the project on time," said Lanto.
Plus, the installation was non-disruptive to the residents of Watergate Community. There were no harsh chemicals, glues, coatings or adhesives of any kind used during the installation of the mechanically-attached Duro-Last Roofing System.
The Watergate Community Association was truly pleased with how the project turned out. "State Roofing Systems, Inc. did an excellent job," noted Sutherland. "We are very happy with their performance and with our new Duro-Last Roofing System.
"We don't have any more leaks and the more Duro-Last roofs we install, the more we reduce our maintenance costs, thus saving the association money."
With the roofing project nearing its completion, Watergate Community can now relax and take in the beautiful view of San Francisco, having peace of mind knowing that their roofing system will last for generations.