Low Slope Roof Design

Coffman p e secb and thomas g.

Low slope roof design.

A low slope asphalt roofing system is cost effective durable and reliable. Low slope metal roofs provide years of low cost low maintenance performance. The three main components of a low slope roof are the structural deck the thermal insulation and the membrane. Recommended materials to use on low slope roofs.

Multiple layers of weatherproof membranes protect a building its residents and the property it houses. Chapter 15 in the 2015 2018 international building code ibc contains installation guidelines that permit a design slope of 1 4 in 12 for certain types of roof covers. Larger flat roofed applications low slope such as residential condominium complexes row homes and town houses and smaller applications such as residential porch and garage transitions from the main home where the slope of the roof changes dramatically. If the upper edge of a low slope shed roof intersects a vertical wall the most logical approach in my opinion is to detail the roof as an unvented roof.

In combination with iko roof fast cap sheets it provides waterproofing properties and durability for low slope roofs. Design professionals frequently specify the minimum code permitted slope with little if any consideration of the resultant valley slope created by the intersecting planes figure 1 ponding water is commonly observed at valley intersections for low slope roof and deck. Finding the right products for your low slope roof. Another approach is to build a cupola or ventilated doghouse in the middle of the low slope roof an approach championed by joe lstiburek.

Low slope roofing inspection design leak detection repair procedures. Managing ponding water is essential to properly maintaining a roof. The following information is a general overview of basic and accessory low slope roof components their major design factors functions and common failures. Residential low slope roofing can generally be divided up into two broad categories.

What are low slope metal roofs. Definition of low slope roofing. Specifically the code text typically reads. Iko roof fast base ma is a fiberglass reinforced nailable base with a special film surface designed to be used as one of iko s roof fast low slope roofing components.

Low slope metal roofs have been a preferred roof covering for commercial institutional and industrial buildings for years because of their ability to protect against the elements to allow water to drain away from the roof surface and to keep building contents and occupants dry and. This article defines low slope roofing and describes low slope roofing materials choices installations inspection defects roofing repairs and product sources. Generally roofing types and roofing products are typically divided up into two primary categories steep slope roofing and low slope roofing. Design solutions for building code permitted low slope applications that cause ponding water.

Building offsets are common and create intersecting planes that contribute to drainage issues for low slope applications. Roof slope is a very important aspect and it is considered the primary factor in roof design.