A healthy change

• Photo courtesy of ADC Engineering Inc., Hanahan, S.C.
• Photo courtesy of ADC Engineering Inc., Hanahan, S.C.
• Photo courtesy of ADC Engineering Inc., Hanahan, S.C.
• Photo courtesy of ADC Engineering Inc., Hanahan, S.C.

A couple of years ago, if you had walked past the South Carolina Department of Mental Health's Crafts-Farrow Building 1, the sight of the roof would have surprised you. Sporting an assortment of roof systems, the building was covered with a steep-slope clay tile roof system, as well as a gravel-surfaced built-up roof (BUR) system, and a standing-seam terne metal roof system—repaired incorrectly—topped its dormers.

NRCA member Murton Roofing of South Carolina Inc., West Columbia, S.C., was chosen to take on the unique task of finding a way to replace the roofs on a building that featured three different roof systems.

"We had bid on the job two years prior, and we were the successful bidder," says Ed Murton Jr., secretary-treasurer and project manager of Murton Roofing of South Carolina. "The Department of Mental Health then put the project on hold, but it invited contractors to rebid. We were invited to the second round."

The roof systems

All three roof systems on Crafts-Farrow Building 1 were allowing moisture to enter. Much of the moisture entry was a result of damaged terminations, roof penetrations, membrane deterioration, old wood windows and wall openings that caused rust and deterioration. The roof systems were thoroughly investigated and researched so the appropriate roof system replacements could be made. But the list of repairs didn't stop there—wall penetrations, terminations and a damaged chimney also needed to be restored or modified during repairs.

Murton Roofing of South Carolina was asked to remove the existing BUR system on the lower areas and install a new four-ply BUR roof system manufactured by Johns Manville Roofing Systems. The company had to remove the terra-cotta tile from the steep-slope roof system and install pressure-treated wood runners, pressure-treated plywood decking, a new underlayment and TAMKO® Heritage 30 AR® architectural shingles. It also removed all the dormers and, by extension, the metal roof system topping the dormers.

The original steep-slope roof system had terra-cotta roof tile and measured 17,500 square feet (1626 m²). The tile was installed on a tongue-and-groove terra-cotta panel roof deck, a structural composition that baffled and shocked the roofing crew.

"The terra-cotta plank deck was unique," Murton says. "We have team members from all over the country, and I have worked in four states. None of us had ever seen this style of deck. I've had some people working for me for 35 years, and they had never seen it."

The original low-slope roofs measured 15,000 square feet (1394 m²) and featured a lightweight roof deck, vented base sheet and four-ply aggregate-surfaced BUR system.

Murton Roofing of South Carolina also needed to completely rebuild the gutter/fascia/soffit system. The existing system was constructed of structural steel I-beams, angle iron members and wood bolted to the structural framing of the terra-cotta deck.

The replacements

With a crew of about 20 men on the job at any given time, the tear-off process produced a myriad of challenges for the Murton Roofing of South Carolina team.

"The lower built-up tear-off was not difficult," Murton says. "However, the steep-slope areas were high—55 feet (17 m). And the removal of the terra-cotta tiles was hazardous. The tiles were heavy and had to be lowered to the ground with a demolition skip pan and fully extended crane, and the site layout only allowed a few setup points for the crane. Also, during removal, the tiles had a tendency to slide down the rake of the roof, so they could become high-velocity projectiles at any time."

To prepare for such hazardous conditions, Murton Roofing of South Carolina asked a safety consultant and loss-prevention specialists to review the project and develop a safety plan. As a result, frame scaffolding was set up around the perimeter of the steep-slope roof system.

"The lower low-slope roof systems had to be protected from the scaffold legs, and harnesses had to be worn in a few areas," Murton says. "But the scaffold was the main fall protection, and the lower sections had a warning line and monitor system."

Results from the investigation of the clay tile roof system showed that at least 40 percent of the tiles needed to be replaced, as well as the deck around all the terminations. A metal deck was installed to match the original elevation of the terra-cotta deck. Also, the built-in gutter systems and fascia systems were in poor condition and were eliminated.

Because the building owner wanted to keep the damaged chimney for future use, the base of the chimney was made watertight with new sheet metal and flashings.

Because of budget limitations, the built-in gutter construction was replaced with a modified fascia/soffit assembly and exterior gutter system. Extensive work went into the eave conditions, and the company installed new soffit/fascia blocking. The existing dormers also were completely eliminated.

"During the preconstruction meeting, the engineer and owner requested we remove the seven existing dormers," Murton says. "These dormers were as big as a master bedroom, and we had to procure the steel beams and deck materials quickly to cover the removed dormers."

A brand-new building

Under an open-end contract for thermal and moisture protection, the roofing project was completed in two phases. Phase I consisted of the investigation and written report, and Phase II was the design and construction administrative services. The result of that work pleased its creators.

"The fact that such a unique and difficult job was brought in on time and within budget was nice," Murton says, "but seeing our dedicated team make a difficult job look like a walk in the park was really rewarding. The finished product made the entire building look brand new."

Krista Reisdorf is associate editor of Professional Roofing magazine.

Project name:
South Carolina Department of Mental Health—Crafts-Farrow Building 1

Project location:
Columbia, S.C.

Project duration:
March 5, 2003-Aug. 1, 2003

Roof system type:
Architectural shingles and built-up roofing

Roofing contractor:
Murton Roofing of South Carolina Inc., Columbia, S.C.

Roofing manufacturer:
TAMKO® Roofing Products Inc., Joplin, Mo., and Johns Manville Roofing Systems, Denver

Architect:
ADC Engineering Inc., Hanahan, S.C.