Can a Simple Rooftop Support Be “Engineered”?

Can a Simple Rooftop Support Be “Engineered”?   Rooftop supports for pipes and HVAC equipment come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and, of course, prices.  Some feature a base made of recycled rubber and a metal top for supporting pipes or struts.  Some are simple one-piece units composed of molded plastic, some are…

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Another Reason to Love the Roofing Industry: Friendships are Born When You Least Expect it.

Dana Castle didn’t know what to expect from her trip to the National Women in Roofing Day, but she sure didn’t expect this! An article posted on Rooferscoffeeshop.com By Karen L. Edwards, NWIR Communications Chair and RCS Editor. GREEN LINK Engineering’s Sales and Business Development Coordinator, Dana Castle, decided that was excited about attending the…

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Rooftop Supports: What Do Adhesive/Sealants Bring to the Party?

Rooftop Supports: What Do Adhesive/Sealants Bring to the Party?   Many, if not most, rooftop supports are loose laid. This makes for easy installation of pipelines, air conditioning units, conduit and other rooftop equipment, but loose laid supports present a potential for problems down the road. Over time, equipment vibration and wind gusts can cause…

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The Dead Zone: When rooftop supports aren’t specified

Because rooftop supports aren’t typically specified, they are often improvised. A well-constructed commercial or industrial building must meet a host of specifications. The roof is no exception, and neither is rooftop mounted equipment, including pipes, conduit, HVAC/R units, solar arrays, etc. Yet between such equipment and the roof membrane is an area—an interface—where there is…

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Elevating and Leveling Rooftop-Mounted Equipment

Elevating and leveling roof-installed pipelines and HVAC equipment are more important than may appear at first glance.   There are two issues: First, pipes, equipment or electrical conduit need to be elevated to a point where debris, sticks and leaves, snow and ice cannot be trapped underneath causing a dam that will lead to ponding…

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Installing KnuckleHeads: A Value Proposition

Is protecting a $55,000 roof job worth a few hundred dollars?   Recently, a building owner in Michigan contracted for a re-roof of his building.  A ten-man crew installed a PVC membrane to the roof.  Pipes and HVAC equipment, originally positioned on wood sleepers, were moved to allow for the installation.  Once the job was…

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No Sleepers on the Job

Why Wood Sleepers Are on their Way Out   The use of wood sleepers to provide rooftop support for HVAC equipment, pipes, and conduit has been a standard procedure for many years—the method goes way back to the first days when pipes and equipment first began to be installed on roofs.  It’s easy to see…

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Correctly Placing HVAC Units on Commercial Rooftops

Strut-Knucklehead

Correctly Placing HVAC Units on Commercial Rooftops Rooftop units are an extremely common setup in HVAC systems for commercial buildings due to their ease of installation, good energy efficiency and ability to provide heating and cooling in one unit. Unfortunately, an improperly placed and installed packaged rooftop unit can lead to roof damage, including punctured membranes and sagging that…

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Attachment and Wind Uplift

Attachment and Wind Uplift Failure to plan for wind uplift on rooftop equipment can lead to significant roof damage or even catastrophic failure.  High winds can impact solar installations as well as pipelines, especially when loaded on extensions. Mechanical Fastening The KnuckleHead System can be loose laid, but where wind uplift is a factor, it…

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Securing Rooftop Supports

Securing Rooftop Supports There is a wide range of rooftop supports available on the market.  A variety of products are designed to accommodate pipes, struts, pavers, and related equipment of all sizes.  Some of these are designed to be loose laid, which for many installations such as electrical conduit or pipelines is acceptable.  Loose laid…

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