Standing seam steel roofing gives a novel platform for mounting quite a lot of rooftop tools and equipment, together with snow retention, service walkways, photo voltaic modules, satellite tv for pc communications, HVAC, safety, and climate monitoring tools—all with out penetrating the roof.
Choosing the suitable seam clamps in your undertaking is a exact science slightly than guesswork. The particular software for any given ancillary mounting ought to all the time take into account elements such because the roof producer’s approval and the service load the attachment will expertise.
Seam clamps are a structural component and needs to be particularly designed, engineered, and examined for his or her failure load capacities to make sure dependable software and efficiency all through the roof’s life. Elements resembling metallurgical compatibility and long-term sturdiness must also be thought of to guarantee long-lasting efficiency.
The Metallic Development Affiliation gives precious steerage on fastener compatibility with profiled steel roof and wall panels at metalconstruction.org/index.php/online-education/fastener-compatibility-with-profiled-metal-roof-and-wall-panels (Check with Particular Word A).
What units one clamp other than one other?
Clamps used for various functions, resembling snow guards versus photo voltaic mounting, might range considerably in design. Snow guards want to face up to forces parallel to the slope of the roof, whereas these for photo voltaic mounting should deal with “damaging regular” hundreds which are perpendicular to the slope. Every clamp’s holding energy capability have to be examined accordingly and in contrast towards particular undertaking design hundreds, together with issues for seismic forces.
Testing clamp efficiency
Seam clamps switch load forces into the roof panels and construction, making seam and roof panel profile-specific testing indispensable. Clamp holding energy varies relying on the seam profile, materials, and gauge thickness. Due to this fact, every clamp ought to bear licensed testing for load capability in a number of load instructions on the identical seam profile from the identical roof producer. The load-to-failure outcomes may even range considerably when utilizing totally different supplies and/or gauge thicknesses.
Due to this fact, it’s a matrix of many doable mixtures. One measurement might “match” all however doesn’t render the identical holding energy. Final hundreds have to be decreased by an element of security when engineering the appliance to make sure the connection doesn’t fail in service.
Frequent pitfalls
Many customers and distributors focus solely on whether or not the clamp bodily “matches” the seam. That is solely a first-step requirement, and there are different standards of better significance resembling metallurgical compatibility and authorized load check outcomes. This permits competent engineering of the attachment to do what it’s alleged to do. From there, licensed manufacturing ensures the product examined is the precise product shipped. Uncertified manufacturing doesn’t.
Key suggestions
- Make the most of clamps really helpful by the roof producer and verified by means of licensed testing to face up to supposed design hundreds.
- Guarantee clamps are designed and engineered in accordance with undertaking specs and manufactured beneath audited high quality requirements.
- Confirm a product’s confirmed observe report and guarantee particulars to safe long-term reliability (all the time learn the positive print).
- Restrict your legal responsibility with proof of all of the above from the seller.
Rob Haddock, president of the Metallic Roof Advisory Group and CEO/founding father of S-5!, brings greater than 5 a long time of business experience to the sector of steel roofing. With a background spanning contracting, roof forensics, and constructing envelope science, Haddock is a revered
authority within the subject. S-5! has carried out greater than 5,000 particular person load assessments on each conceivable load course, materials sort, gauge thickness, and model of roof manufacture. For extra info, go to www.S-5.com.
