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Hurricanes and Mega-storms in the Northeast: Is it time to take a new look at the building codes?

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Hurricane Sandy was the ninth such devastating storm to hit the Northeast in the last five years, and it raises the question “Will the impacts of climate change only make such storms worse.”

That region has had hurricanes and Halloween snowstorms.  So the questions must be raised–Are these coincidence or is climate disruption affecting this region and other parts of the country? And what do government, the insurance industry and private sector developers have to do to protect against future devastation?Sea Girt NJ During Hurricane Sandy

More than a decade ago in the wake of destruction of Hurricane Andrew, Southeastern elected officials, state, county and municipal engineers,  building department officials and the insurance industry finally bit the bullet and imposed stringent building requirements to thwart the impact of future storms.  The Florida Building Department and Miami-Dade County launched stringent building codes to ensure new construction could survive the high winds bred by hurricanes and tropical storms.  Other states and their counties and municipalities throughout the region began adopting the provisions of those codes as well. The result has been a significant reduction in damage in high wind situations.The question seems obvious—must we do the same in the Northeast if we are to be spared future devastation brought by storms that are the result of climate change?

Should we be seeing the same kind of stringent wind uplift requirements in the Northeast that we have seen employed in the Southeastern states?  New Jersey and particularly its shoreline was the area hardest hit by Sandy. I visited that area last week, working my way in and around debris and devastation to get a firsthand look at how Englert standing seam metal roofs had fared throughout the storm.  We did pretty well. The huge waves of the storm were the primary culprits, demolishing  shoreline structures. But even inland–where the water did not reach–homes and businesses with blown roofs and sheared off  shingles dotted the landscape.

Metal roof holding up against Sandy's wrath. Sea Girt, NJ.Two days after my visit—in early November–a Nor’easter slammed the coastline, dumping a foot of snow in some places. Coincidence or climate change? Regardless,  the damage has been done. It’s probably time we started re-evaluating the old  building codes that have clearly failed to meet the wrath of these storms. It is time for building officials, the building community and the insurance industry to take a page from the South and begin to restructure the codes so we don’t have to face the same kind of massive devastation ever again. And even beyond the implementation of similar codes we should—in the case of metal roofing—consider requiring an American Society of Consulting Engineers (ASCE)  analysis to specify the most storm proof construction, a weather tightness warranty from the roofing material manufacturer with onsite installation inspections and the services of a certified installation contractor who will properly install the roof and supervision by an architect with experience in metal roof installation.

It’s time we started to think about these considerations—and act.


Standing Seam Metal Roofs: Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

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Quick! What color is the standing seam metal roof on a Home Depot? Barnes & Noble? How about a Lowes Home Improvement store?

We’ll bet you knew all three of them-orange, green and blue. And not any orange, green and blue because each of those retail giants has a custom name for its colors. They know their colors play a key role along with signage to brand their companies and ultimately help customers identify and remember their stores in the great clutter of America’s malls and roadside retailers.Metal roof on IHOP restaurant.

They are not alone. Scores of fast food chains, national and regional gas stations, hotel chains and the like have signature color standing seam metal roofs that serve as beacons to customers. The color in essence becomes part of their brand.

Why? Because color possesses an inherent ability to stimulate an aesthetic consciousness simply by the visual satisfaction that it creates. Used intelligently, color and colored light can add distinctiveness and appeal to any project.
The use of color as an architectural scheme in building goes back to the ancient Greeks who systematically controlled the use of color in every aspect of a structure. The Greeks used elaborate color schemes and complex ornamental designs in their treatment of the roof, using color values with a mutual affinity to achieve harmony from the top of the roof to the ridge lines.

McDonalds restaurant with standing seam metal roof.Today, we are seeing some use of color in architecture, mostly in colorful facades accented with window and door treatments—some brilliantly lit at night to reveal the architecture and convey emotion. And outside the retail area but still within the bounds of commercial construction, some architects are exploring the potential of color in the roof environment. Without a doubt, no other roofing material can even touch the color choices a metal roof offers an architect in the design process.  There are a vast number of standing seam metal roofing color choices available for architects and building owners  to choose from.

Today’s metal roof choices are sufficient enough for creative architects to pick a complementary color that will psychologically convey what  they want. For example, a sage green building looks peaceful and elegant with a hunter green roof and trim around doorways and windows. Most blue standing seam roofs are known to show respectability, trustworthiness and calmness and look great on a commercial building exterior.

Distincive orange metal roof on Home Depot building.

Restaurants and bars use the color red because of it being known to psychologically make us hungrier, but you might want to rethink that for a gym or weight loss center.  The use of brighter colors also occasionally surfaces in the design of athletic facilities where school colors are chosen to accentuate the roof and accent areas. Where the designer wants to use a custom hue, as little as 5,000 pounds of metal roofing material can be produced in a custom color. European designers seem to be a lot more comfortable than Americans in using bright color in exterior construction. Here, many building owners and architects have monochrome vision. So pervasive are timid off-whites, gray, blacks and beiges in commercial construction that it often takes some real coaxing to get clients to try something new. Some colorists even say it’s a mindset that keeps people living and working in dull surroundings. Overall, people tend to play it safe in the U.S. and go with the old stand-by colors. But for those who dare to be different, the color palate is there for them when they choose to design with panache. If “sex appeal” is, in fact, one of the primary reasons a builder or owner agrees to include a metal roof on their building, then architects and contractors have the opportunity to accentuate the color advantage of metal in the design process. If they are looking to expand their business, then driving home the versatility and value of color in a metal roof should top their list when they are pitching customers on their designs.

Metal Roofing Contractors Can Avoid Cinching AKA Friction Scratches With These Simple Rollforming Tips

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Cinching, sometimes also referred to as “friction scratches” or “pickoff,” is the result of the movement or slipping of painted coil laps against each other on a rollforming machine.

This phenomenon can be frustrating to metal roofing contractors because it causes the removal of paint in the shape of small or medium sized scratches on metal roofing coil formed in the same direction of the slipping or movement of the coil laps.

Some clear signs that cinching is the cause of these short longitudinal scratches are:
•    Worn or broken pieces on the spools, idler rolls and guides,
•    Gaps or air spaces between sections of the laps of the coil
•    The ability to move the laps of coil with hand pressure, a sure sign that coil has unraveled.

Cinched metal roofing panel.The vast majority of cinching incidents are caused by improper brake pressure on the un-coiler spool or the expandable arbor brake on the rollforming machine.  For portable roll formers, the improper brake pressure on the un-coiler spool is by far the source of most cinching. And new machine operators not familiar with the use of the brake or trained incorrectly are responsible for most of the problems.

To avoid cinching, the rollforming machine operator must make sure there is proper tension to allow the coil to uncoil without tightening the laps or without loosening the coil so it does not unravel. If either of these actions occurs, the laps will rub against each other and cause cinching.On portable rollformers, the crude brake –tightening a bolt on the shaft—is the only way of adjusting tension on the coil. Because a spool is suspending the coil on a portable rollformer, the operator must take into account the weight of the coil when brake pressure is applied—knowing that when the machine starts, a tug will be observed.

If the brake is set too tight, this tug tightens the coil by moving the laps. As time goes on, the paint can no longer absorb the force of this abrasion and the paint will be removed in the direction of the tug or force applied to it.

Conversely, if the brake is set too loose, the tug of the machine causes the coil to unravel and scrape against the machine. Consequently, the laps of the coil will loosen to the point where they will rub against each other when the machine starts up, again causing cinching.metal roof panel.

It is important to remember that as the coil is used and grows smaller in size, the rollformer no longer has to pull as much weight and brake pressure needs to be adjusted, depending on how the coil is responding.

Cinching problems, causes, solutions and troubleshooting techniques go back many years. The result has been the development of the expandable un-coiler for portable rollforming machines.  An expandable un-coiler will support the coil as it is used but proper brake pressure is still critical to avoid cinching. While new technology like this has done a lot to reduce material waste and improve production, there are still metal roofing contractors who are comfortable using machines that were designed over 20 years ago. In response to that market, there are still companies offering simple metal roofing  machines with features and technology that is 20 to 30 years old as well.

In those cases, good training and experience are the only answers to prevent cinching caused by the operator.

NJ STATE MANDATE TO OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS: BE REGISTERED FOR STATE FUNDED CLEANUP WORK OR YOU WON’T BE PAID

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If you are an out of state contractor looking to do state-funded construction services related to Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey, then you must be registered with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.

If you don’t register, you won’t be paid.

To be considered for qualification, out of state contractors must pay a $90 fee to register, provide a certificate of incorporation or LLC as well as a certificate of commercial general liability insurance in the amount of $500 “per occurrence”.

You can get a registration application by going to http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/HIC/hicpacket.pdf.

Foreign corporations wishing to do business must get a certificate of authority from the N.J. Department of Revenue.

Out of state contractors who do qualify must display their registration number in their place of business, in all commercial vehicles and on all documents, contracts and correspondence involving state-funded work in New Jersey.

For more information , contact your Englert representative.

Metal and Coatings Are Important: But the Paintline and the People Who Run It Will Make the Difference

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Everyone always talks about the quality of their aluminum and steel in metal construction and the importance of using a high end coating.

But very rarely do you hear anyone talk about a third key element in the manufacture of a quality metal roofing or wall product—the paint line on which it is made. Virtually every aspect of a paint line plays a critical role in the final quality of the product. Following is a quick visit to a modern paint line with a look at why a state of the art manufacturing operation is critical to the production of a superior product and to the economies of cost in producing it.

Paint line systems built within the past few years are environmentally superior. They capture 100 percent of solvent fumes from painting, drying and curing operations and recover virtually all of the heat from the burning solvent for return to the process in an ultra-clean system.Metal coil paintline.

Newer paint lines have systems  that can heat their ovens and metal cleaning and pretreatment operations with no cost, saving  a substantial amount of energy which otherwise would have to be built into the cost of the product. Their environmental systems burners destroy volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and solvents in their incinerator. The heat from there is passed through for heating ovens and the boiler which creates steam heat for the cleaner and rinse tanks. Then fresh air from the coater rooms is passed through the heat exchanger and into the incinerator to be burned to complete the loop. Any excess heat is then pumped out through the stack.

Modern paint lines have an oven and incinerator with one burner along the entire line, producing the highest grade of painted metal possible. Oven heat in these modern systems is better balanced internally to give a better product with color that is uniform across the entire roll. Samples of whites produced in older, multiple-burner manufacturing systems can have a yellow cast across the width of the strip because the heat is stronger on one side of the burner than the other. The new systems set the highest standard in the industry for quality, color and consistency.Load cells on the application rollers in newer systems allow paint to be applied with more consistent measurability, making the process more controllable and providing a smoother application of paint.

Most modern paint lines feature data acquisition archives and laser printers to print the company logo and a tracking code on each roll of coil. This allows the manufacturer and the customer to pinpoint when and how each coil is produced. A laser ink jet on the paint line provides production records on 100% of coated roofing product, providing an archive for warrantee and production records and a recipe builder for the system to record and retrieve requirements that go into future jobs for the same customer. Today’s paint line systems select the best components for the job, eliminating any potential for manual mistakes resulting from unfamiliarity with the specific task.  This results in time efficiency, accuracy and “closer-to-perfection” automation.

Painted Metal CoilsOne final factor, perhaps the most critical of all, defines a good paint line system: a team of coatings specialists that can tap years of experience to get the most from an advanced paint system.  Each coating line has a life of its own and experienced professionals have seen and run every kind of product imaginable. They are experts in orchestrating the speeds and the temperatures necessary to produce a superior product in an integrated process where quality metal must be painted, slit and prepared for the customer’s use.

Author: Brian Patrick is director of operations at Englert.

Architects’ Notes: The Differences Between Galvalume And Galvanized In Metal Roofing Projects

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Englert’s nationwide team of architectural sales reps spend a considerable amount of time each year counseling architects on which standing seam metal roofing products and profiles might work best for their design projects.  One of the questions most frequently asked by architects is: What are the differences between  Galvalume and Galvanized Steel when used in roofing. It comes up so often, we thought we’d take a few minutes and use this week’s blog to explain those differences.

First, a little bit of background. Galvalume® was invented by Bethlehem Steel in 1972. It is a trademarked name, but many people use it as a generic term to describe a metal roofing product consisting of  steel coil coated with a metal alloy. That alloy is 45% zinc and 55% aluminum and looks similar to galvanized steel, but the visible crystals are smaller and close together, giving it a smoother appearance.  Galvalume has a cousin, Galvalume Plus. The only difference is Plus has a thin, clear acrylic coating. Because Galvalume Plus can be roll-formed dry without vanishing oil, it is very easy to form and install safely.Galvalume metal roof peak with snow guards.

The combination of zinc and aluminum in Galvalume enhances both the positive and negative effects of aluminum.  Galvalume has barrier corrosion resistance and heat resistance similar to aluminized material and good bare edge galvanic protection and forming qualities like galvanized material. Consequently, Galvalume  and Galvalume Plus will resist rust, the elements and fire while providing a sturdy and protective covering.

Galvalume® is more corrosion-resistant than galvanized steel, but because aluminum provides barrier protection instead of galvanic protection, scratches and cut edges are less protected.  Galvalume is offered in both bare and pre-coated versions. Most Galvalume®–like galvanized steel– is coated. But Galvalume has an excellent performance life in bare exposures as well.  Both galvanized steel and Galvalume® weigh 100 to 150 pounds per 100 square feet and contain about 35% recycled materials. The cost of Galvalume and Galvalume Plus are about the same as that of galvanized steel.The coating used on  Galvalume is very important because it is critical to the length and conditions of the entire warranty of the panel product. Coated metal roof panels have progressed from a single coat straight polyester paint system in the early years to Poly vinyl idene fluoride(PVDF)  acknowledged as the premium resin for coil coatings.  It is a kind of fluoride, a family that includes such well known products as Teflon and Halar.  PVDF resin has superior chalk resistance and gloss retention as well as stain and chemical resistance.  It is softer than polyester, making it highly formable without risk of cracking. Current pretreatments and primers along with superior paint coating have increased product warranties dramatically.

Galvalume roof with snow guards close up.However, some people only ask if there is a warranty not how many years the warranty lasts, and most people do not check to make sure that they are not getting the inferior straight polyester system. Straight polyester should really not be used for metal roofing and wall panel in today’s market. If you see there is a dramatic difference in the price of two painted Galvalume panels you are specifying, then the less expensive, less effective  kind of  coating should be suspected.

Galvalume should not be used on, in, or around concrete or mortar. Concrete and mortar are highly alkaline environments. Bare Galvalume and painted Galvalume sheets suffer rapid corrosion when in contact with mortar and concrete. Bare Galvanized and painted Galvanized perform better in this type of environment.

Neither Galvalume or galvanized substrate is warranted to be used, in or around animal confinement or agriculture. Bare Galvalume and coated Galvalume panels will very rapidly deteriorate when exposed to the corrosive agents of animal confinement.  But bare Galvalume and coated Galvalume panels have an outstanding corrosion resistance in a wide variety of general environments, including industrial, marine and even severe marine environments.  And Galvalume offers exceptional heat reflectivity, resulting in lower energy load on buildings and improved interior comfort.

That pretty much summarizes the key features of Galvalume versus Galvanized.  In a nutshell, Galvalume is a proven metal roofing material because of its strength, outdoor corrosion resistance and longevity. If you have any other questions about Galvalume, contact an Englert architectural sales representative near you.

Design the Best Standing Seam Metal Roof for Your Projects in Asia, Make Sure the Coil and Roll Former are Western Made

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The United States imported more than four times as many goods from China as we exported there last year.

But our trade imbalance with China has gone the other way when it comes to professional services. Professional services, including architecture, constitute roughly a third of America’s exports, according to Architect Magazine, which notes many major American architecture firms now have offices in the largest Chinese cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, as well as second-tier cities like Tianjin.Metal Roofing Roll Forming Machine

However, if you’re one of those design firms and you’re specifying metal roofs in Asia, beware! The quality of metal roofing coil and the roll forming machines made there are often greatly inferior to coil and machines made in the U.S. and in Western Europe.

Our in-house machine expert, Mike Gorski, has had the opportunity to visit other continents and see the different roll forming equipment made in places like China, the Middle East and Africa.  Mike’s take?  Most of these machines are poorly made and have a life expectancy of only a few years. And Mike emphasizes there is little or no training for operators and no machine service support in these markets to fix a faltering machine. Consequently, the result often is a poorly made panel on a faulty machine.
So if you’re specifying a certain metal roofing profile for a building in China, insist that the general contractor pay special attention to whether the roofer is forming panels on a well-made Western roll former  run by a trained crew of roofers. Otherwise, in a few short years, your building’s owner may have issues with leakage, rust, cinching and a host of other problems associated with poorly made machines turning out inferior metal roofing panels.

Ironically, this very problem has driven our company and other Western manufacturers to start servicing international roofing and gutter machine customers who have stopped purchasing  equipment in their home countries.  Good metal roofing contractors who have made the mistake of buying cheap, poorly made local machines are soon back in the market replacing them with more expensive, more sophisticated systems built here.  They’ve learned the hard way that they can’t afford the loss of time and profitability because of a poorly performing machine.

An Englert Metal Roof Covers a Piece of History in Vermont

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Today’s blog is about a bridge -  A covered bridge in Vermont  with a standing seam metal roof on it and a community that came together to rebuild that bridge and restore its place in history .

On August 28, 2011, when the Williams River rose to historic heights during Tropical Storm Irene, the Bartonsville Covered Bridge, built in 1870, in the village of Bartonsville, in Rockingham, Vermont, lost its battle to the raging waters.  The swollen river eroded the banks on its south side damaging the bridge’s abutments.  When the abutments gave way the bridge separated from the banks and began gliding down the river. Unable to make a turn in the river, the 151-foot-long, lattice truss-style bridge collapsed in a pile on the shore about a half mile down-stream.Bartonsville covered bridge destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene

It wasn’t the first Bartonsville covered bridge to be victimized by a storm. It was built after the great Vermont flood of 1869 that changed the course of the Williams River, replacing another covered bridge about a quarter of a mile up the road where the river used to flow.

The raging Williams River had done its damage for the second time in 142 years.
Susan Hammond is a longtime Bartonsville resident who was just yards away and witnessed the bridge giving way. Hammond caught the entire event on her digital camera and within days the Bartonsville Bridge became a nationwide symbol for the historic destruction Vermont suffered at the hands of Irene.

The video of the Bartonsville Covered Bridge being carried away by the river became a YouTube spectacle and its destruction, and rebuilding, became powerful symbols for what Vermont has been through since 2011. At the bridge opening on Saturday, January 26 2013, Hammond recognized all of the hard work that went into bringing a covered bridge back to Bartonsville.

She was among 100 people including Gov. Peter Shumlin and Congressman Peter Welch, who showed up on a very cold morning to recognize the work that had gone into replacing the original, historic bridge.

Rebuilt Bartonsville Covered BridgeWelch said the rest of America noticed how quickly and efficiently Vermont was able to rebound from the storm. He pointed out that his Congressional colleagues now refer to “The Vermont way” as an example of how communities should come together to address devastation and reconstruction following natural disasters.

“It is emblematic of how Vermonters came together,” Welch told the crowd of fellow Vermonters.  ‘We had a job to do,’ and then worked together to get the job done.”

The town worked with the Vermont League if Cities and Towns to secure the insurance money to replace the bridge and with FEMA which helped with mitigation funding.

Bartonsville covered bridge opening ceremony January 2013Engineers at Clough Harbour & Associates, construction crews from Cold River Bridges and Englert metal roofing contractor, David Paige of Iron Horse Roofing in Londonderry, Vermont, who installed the bridge’s Forest Green Series 1300 metal roof, worked through bitter winter weather to make sure Bartonsville would once again have its covered bridge. Everyone acknowledged that the January 26 dedication would not have been possible without everyone working together.

“Our slogan was ‘We can rebuild history,’” Hammond told the gathered crowd.   “The people of Bartonsville insisted that we rebuild the bridge.” And it was the sheer spirit and determination of people like Hammond that made it happen. She led a fundraising campaign that brought in about $60,000, which she said came from all over the world.

Sitting here in New Jersey where Hurricane Sandy took its toll so recently, we can only admire the spirit of the people of Rockingham, Vermont.  And we can fully understand why they needed to rebuild. Our hats are off to all those who played a part in this wonderful story and we hope their  new bridge and the Englert metal roof covering  it will last for another 140 years.


Common Weather Related Myths — And The Facts About Standing Seam Metal Roofs

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There are several myths about a standing seam metal roof when it comes to weather-related issues like lightning, hail and rain.

We’re going to explode those myths right here and give you some solid scientific information that we hope will help you in choosing a standing seam metal roof for your home.

First myth: Will a metal roof increase the likelihood of a lightning strike on your home?

The answer to this question is “absolutely not.”  Lightning will strike a very tall building over a shorter building, regardless of the building materials and roofing used.  It makes no difference if it’s a metal roof, a tile roof or asphalt shingle.  The real probability of lightning strikes has more to do with land topography, location of building and the size and height of a building.

The building materials used in the entire building can affect the chances of being damaged by thunderstorm activity. Builders using construction materials that are electrically conductive can reduce the threat of lightning strikes and damage to a building. Metal roofing is an electrical conductor, so it will actually lessen the chances of lightning strikes and damage. Besides the strike itself, the big concern with a lightning is fire. Metal roofing is also a non-combustible material, so even if hit by lightning it will not burn. Since metal roofing isn’t combustible or flammable, it’s a low risk and desirable roofing option where severe weather is concerned, especially for lightning.

Regardless of what material covers your roof it’s always a good idea to ground the structure and have a lightning rod or a strap connecting the roof to the ground.

Rain drops on a standing seam metal roof.Second myth: Is a standing seam metal roof noisy when it rains?

Residential roofs are made of wood, covered by metal, asphalt or tile. The wood absorbs the sound of rain. Modern metal roofing is usually installed over a plywood, solid sheathing or an existing shingle roof. It will make no more noise than a regular asphalt shingle roof. A study by The Acoustic Group at the University of Luleå, Sweden, determined the amount of sound emitted when rain falls on various roofing materials. It found that metal did not register a significantly higher sound level than shingle. In fact, the sound differential between shingle and metal was only 6 decibels and the human ear does not distinguish variations in sound until the sound pressure reaches 8 decibels. Granted, a metal roof installed over open framing will register a louder sound than panels that are installed over a solid roof deck. But virtually all metal roofing systems on the market today are installed with some form of underlayment material that absorbs sound. There is more chance the homeowner will hear rain hitting a window or skylight than a metal roof.

Third myth: Will hail dent my metal roof?

A metal roof can withstand decades of abuse from extreme weather like hail, high winds, and heavy snow. In unusual cases, very large-sized hail has been known to dent metal roofs during extremely heavy storms. That very same hail also causes damage to tiled roofs and even asphalt roofing material by displacing granules and causing premature deterioration and weathering, that eventually results in a hole in the shingle. But, a typical hail storm will not dent your metal roof. Metal roofs are very tough and highly resistant to hail damage… much more so than asphalt/fiberglass shingles. In fact, many metal roofing products have the highest impact resistance and hail rating granted by the insurance commissions in the hail belt regions of the U.S. Some insurance companies even provide a reduced rate for metal roofs.

We hope we’ve given you some insight as to the fallacies regarding metal roofs and we suggest that you focus more on the aesthetics (wide selection of colors), the design elements (different roofing profiles available), and the durability and longevity of a metal roof system.

If you have any questions about weather-related topics and standing seam metal roofing you can contact your local Englert representative or go to the Metal Roofing Alliance website at www.metalroofing.com for more information or you can consult with one of their experts.

Federal Tax Incentive Extension Can Save Substantial Dollars On A New Standing Seam Metal Roof

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Looking for a way to save substantial dollars on your new standing seam metal roof?

Congress in January extended the Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives for Appliances, New Homes and Retrofits to Existing Homes for 2012-2013, including metal roofs that meet or exceed Energy Star program requirements. Incidentally, ALL Englert metal roofing products meet those requirements. Retrofit Metal Roof on House

There have been some modifications to eligibility requirements from the old incentive program as well as reductions in the cap to $500 per home, and 10% of installed cost for qualifying equipment.  But these tax credits are retro-active, applying to both materials (you cannot include labor charges) purchased in 2013, as well as previously purchased materials in 2012. This is a pretty good deal since a tax credit is generally more valuable than an equivalent tax deduction because it reduces tax dollar-for-dollar, while a deduction only removes a percentage of the tax that is owed.

For example, If your metal roof material costs are $5,000, when you do your taxes at the end of the year this would reduce your taxes by $500, bringing the actual cost of your total roof investment down to $4,500.

Here are some of the stipulations if you’re going to go for a tax credit for your new metal roof:

• It must be installed on homeowner’s primary residence and cannot be a new home (this must be a re-roof)
• It must be expected to last five years or have at least a two-year warranty
• A Manufacturer’s Certification Statement is required and it is suggested that you save your receipt and the Manufacturer’s Certification Statement for tax purposes
• Use IRS Form 5695 which stipulates a “metal or asphalt roof that meets or exceeds the Energy Star program requirements and has appropriate pigmented coatings or cooling granules which are specifically and primarily designed to reduce the heat gain of your home.

Meanwhile, the federal government notes that “builders of energy-efficient homes also benefit from the extended tax credits. Up to $2,000 is available for contractors that build homes that consume 50% less heating and cooling energy compared to homes built under the specifications of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).”  This credit, section 45L of the tax code, applies to qualified homes constructed and acquired before December 31, 2013 and of course includes any kind of home that uses a standing seam metal roof as a platform for a  rooftop solar electric photovoltaic system  and an under roof solar thermal heating system.

If you are also curious about other forms of incentive from state and local governments and utilities, go to http://www.dsireusa.org/ for a comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewable energy and energy efficiency. Established in 1995 and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, DSIRE is an ongoing project of the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc. The database includes an update of all rebates, grants and financial incentives new within the past two months. Currently, 11 states have listed new incentives on the website.

What Are the 10 Most Popular Standing Seam Metal Roof Colors Today? See What 6,000 American Homeowners Chose for Themselves

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It’s that time of year when all the big paint companies are predicting which colors will be popular for the home—inside and out.

Since our specialties are metal roofing and wall panels, we can pretty much ignore interior paint suggestions like Teacup Rose, Peachy Keen and Tangerine Tango and focus on what color metal roofing materials will go with the popular exterior wall colors forecast for this year.Showing metal roof color on a house.

The color experts seem to agree that the purpose in providing an annual color forecast is to ‘help inspire and fuel the imagination of individuals as they take on a home painting project.  Personally, I prefer the bolder color palettewhen it comes to selecting colors for a standing seam metal roof.  Hues like Pacific Blue, Terra Cotta, Burgundy and Metallic Copper always turn me on when I see them on a residential property. But the fact is, the experts tell us the colors for 2013 for home exteriors will reflect the strong influence of nature. Dark earth tones, various hues of green, blue and brown  and neutral  earth tones are predicted to lead the way again this year in exterior colors.
We questioned whether the color gurus could be right. So we decided to see if the metal roof colors homeowners and architects had been choosing from Englert over the past year fell in line with what the color experts were saying for 2013.  We took a look at our paint finish warrantees on 6,000 residential roofing projects our contractors had installed nationwide in a four-month period last year. That snapshot represents a very small number of the total projects done in a year but it was sizeable enough to give us a good idea of what metal roofing colors have been most popular.

The winners?

The color experts seemed largely on target with their prognostications. Here were the color choices of 6,000 people who recently put a metal roof on a new house or re-roofed an existing home.

1.    Charcoal Grey
2.    Forest Green
3.    Dark Bronze
4.    Hartford Green
5.    Matte Black
6.    Slate Grey
7.    Mansard Brown
8.    Bone White
9.    Medium Bronze
10.    Colonial Red

Grey metal roof color on rustic looking house.Only Bone White and Colonial Red did not match the color palette the experts said homeowners were choosing.  But colonial red is one of those perennial favorites in our industry every year and who’s going to argue white as a choice?

Of course, the least likely favorite metal  roof colors of homeowners and their designers were MY favorites: Terra Cotta, Champagne, Metallic Copper, Pacific Blue and Everglade Moss. Hey, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him choose a nifty color scheme.

Buildings Have Faces, RainPro Adds “Character”

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Light commercial structures have faces.

And those faces—or facades as we also know them–are as interesting and diverse in every particular—color, shape, surface details and size—as your face or mine. In a world where our work and leisure environments increasingly wear the stamp of conformity,  the face of a small commercial structure remains an area where individualism can still express itself.The RainPro gutte blends well into the architecture of the building

Look around you. It must be abundantly clear from what you can see here in America that some commercial building owners have still invested substantial care in how their structures look outside.

And why not? Making something happen to the outside of one’s creation brings personal satisfaction but it also makes an impression on the world passing by.

That’s precisely the issue we were struggling with when we invented the RainPro Design Series gutter systems five years ago.  Sure, we wanted a gutter that would be eminently functional. And we made sure that—it’s larger than average capacity moves water away from your building faster than conventional gutters. RainPro’s wider gutter bottom and larger 3 3/8” outlet give you a dramatic increase in water flow capacity compared to a 5” gutter system which only has a 2 3/8” outlet.

But we also wanted to change the look of a gutter.  Conventional gutters serve their purpose but they do nothing for—and in many cases can actually detract from–the look of a building.

So, we stepped back and pondered the face of such structures—a lot of them, in fact. We looked at different home styles and commercial building styles, architectural ornamentation, exterior moldings,  and trim. It became very apparent that conventional gutter styles did nothing to enhance–and often acted as a deterrent to using–exterior ornamentation on the face of a building.

So we created RainPro Design Series gutters with a touch of elegance that would complement the distinctive lines, flourishes and shapes of exterior moldings and other exterior ornamentation that people choose for their homes and commercial buildings.

RainPro gutters provide greater water volume and enhance design

We designed RainPro to work with every home and light commercial building style where refined architectural qualities were desired. It fit nicely with the most contemporary styles but it also met the aesthetic requirements of buildings with grandiose compositions and classical orders while playing an important role in the water-shedding function of the exterior.

Better Design, better functionality.  That’s what RainPro gutters deliver. Each component of the RainPro gutter system, from the miters and end caps to the hidden hangers, was designed to achieve a totally refined architectural profile that looks like part of a commercial structure or home, not something added on.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Take a look at some of the photos that accompany this article. RainPro gutters naturally and elegantly integrate into home and building exteriors.  You may not even recognize it as a gutter.

ENGLERT Walks The Solar Walk

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With A PV Rooftop System Installed on Englert’s Own Standing Seam Metal Roof

After several years of being at the forefront of integrating solar solutions with our standing seam metal roof systems Englert has become the first metal roofing manufacturer to walk the walk and install a PV system onto our own standing seam metal roof.

Rooftop Solar PV System Installed on Englert's Own Standing Seam Metal RoofThe roof-integrated photovoltaic system on our New Jersey field service center in Perth Amboy generates thousands of kilowatt hours of electricity powering the company’s rollforming and slitting operations as well as part of its corporate office complex.

The company has 611 photovoltaic panels on 16,000 square feet of Englert standing seam metal roof adjacent to our corporate office and manufacturing facility in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.  The system was installed for two reasons, first, obviously, to save on energy costs and, second,  to underscore to architects, contractors and builders Englert’s commitment to solar energy as a rooftop power source. Our rooftop system generates nearly 186,000 kilowatt hours annually that provide electricity to our manufacturing plant’s rollforming, slitting and stamping operations.Any excess energy not used by the company to power Englert operations is being sold back to the local power company, generating income for Englert.  And our employees everywhere are able to monitor the real-time, day-to-day, photovoltaic productivity of the system via their computers.

Englert metal roofing and photovoltaic products have been used in dozens of solar rooftop installations for nearly a decade now. But Englert is the first manufacturing company in the metal building and gutter industry to plan and install a PV system of this magnitude on its own facility. That says a lot.Solar PV System on Englert, Inc. Rooftop

It says our plant managers, in-house electricians and manufacturing executives have an intimate understanding and reliance on photovoltaics to run our day-to-day business. It says we know what it takes to help a customer– including architects, builders and roofing contractors—, finance, install and operate a rooftop solar system. And it says we are doing our share to reduce the carbon footprint in manufacturing—something we’re already working hard at with our new paint line that captures 100 percent of solvent fumes from painting drying and curing operations and recovers virtually all of the heat from the burning solvent for return to the process in an ultra-clean system.

It says that Englert talks the talk AND walks the walk. Any Englert-made cool metal roof or gutter you buy today has been manufactured using solar energy. That’s more than cool. That’s commitment.

iRoofing APP Introduced for Metal Roofing and Other Building Materials – Proving to be a Valuable Estimating and Selling Tool for Contractors and the Design Community

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The Internet has had an incredible influence on the way architects design and contractors put up buildings and now there’s a new development– an online roofing application where building professionals can use their iPads to plan metal roofing projects and order samples and metal roofing materials. iRoofing online roofing application

The online mobile Internet application known as iRoofing is now available from Englert and can be used on mobile devices like the iPad and the iPhone. Contractors and architects can remotely order metal roofing plans or use a sophisticated yet simple-to-use roof visualizer that lets them photograph any structure with their mobile device and in seconds add an Englert metal roof with a wide choice of roofing profiles and colors. In addition the app offers a comprehensive photo gallery that features roofing projects grouped by color and by profile. Brochures and catalogs can easily be accessed within the iRoofing app as well making the app an invaluable resource for design professionals so they can review product brochures and share them with their clients with the swipe of a finger.

Person using the iRoofing applicationContractors can also use iRoofing to order material or call up technical information including building approval forms or an installation guide.  And iRoofing serves as an effective sales tool, allowing them to prepare information faster for prospects to close deals faster than competitors.  It’s a great way for customers to instantly see what their home or project will look like with a standing seam metal roof.

Best of all, the versatile app includes a host of other building materials that can be accessed to assist in designing, specifying and pricing out a project.

Standing Seam Metal Roofing: The Lightweight Material That Pulls a Lot of Weight with the Competition

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Quick! Which gauge of metal roofing material is thicker? 29 gauge or 22 gauge?

If you chose 22 gauge, you picked the right number because in the world of metal measurement, the lower the number of the gauge, the thicker the material.

So, if your contractor tells you he’s going to order a 26 gauge standing seam metal roof for your house, he’s picked the most common roof thickness for a metal roofing system in America today. If he tells you he’s picked a 29 gauge material, ask why. Most metal roofing companies require a 24 gauge or better to ensure the roof will be suitably impact resistant.Worker installing solar panels on standing seam roof.

That’s because impact resistance is one of the features that make it superior to other forms of roofing materials when weather and other aspects of Mother Nature come into play. How does its strength shape up against other roofing materials?

Well, measuring the flexural strength of asphalt shingles or even terra cotta tiles is a difficult task at best and a potentially pointless exercise since roof shingles do not provide weight support for a roof—just weather protection.  In fact, their manufacturers do not provide flexural strength information knowing this.

On the other hand, metal roofing materials have excellent tensile strength. For example, stainless steel roofs have been tested at 80,000 pounds of pressure per square inch. Galvanized steel comes in at 50,000 psi, copper at 36,000 psi and even lightweight aluminum rates 22,000 psi. Insurance companies know this and will often offer discounted premiums to homeowners with a metal roof. Nonetheless, heavier gauge does not necessarily mean better performance. Product design and manufacturing, quality of coatings and installation expertise can mean the difference as well.So with all that information comes a real conundrum. If metal in all its forms is superior in tensile strength, it must weigh more than the other materials—right?

Numerous solar panels on metal roofingNo not necessarily!! Steel roofing, depending on its gauge, can weigh anywhere from  .7 to 1.3 pounds per square foot versus asphalt shingles which weigh two to 2 ½ pounds per square foot.

Numbers may vary slightly among roofing industry sources but here are some weights drawn from three independent authorities. They are based on the amount of material applied over 100 square feet of roof.

  • Galvanized steel: 100 pounds
  • Asphalt shingle: 130 to 320 pounds
  • Copper: 150 pounds
  • Wood shingle: 300 pounds
  • Portland cement shingle: 500 to 900 pounds
  • Slate: 700 to 1,500 pounds
  • Clay shingle: 1,100 to 1,400 pounds
  • Spanish clay tile: 1,900 pounds

So, even though a metal roof has greater tensile strength than other materials it is much lighter, requiring less infrastructure to support it and giving homeowners the opportunity to roof over it in the distant future without any need for additional support structure.  Plus a metal roof is energy efficient and will last for years and years thus resulting in maximum payback on the investment.


CHOOSING STANDING SEAM METAL ROOF COLORS TO MATCH YOUR NEW HOME’S EXTERIOR WALLS

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You’re working with an architect to design your new home or renovate your current one. You’ve got the interior design worked out. And now it’s time to choose exterior wall colors and the color of your standing seam metal roof.

You want to be happy with your choice every time you pull into your driveway.  And you’re keenly aware that a well-coordinated exterior will add curb appeal and value to your home.Choose a metal roof color that compliments your siding.

Ultimately, you’ll make the choices that best suit your sense of taste and color preferences. But if you’re looking for ideas, here are some suggestions you might consider.

In a recent blog, we took a look at the standing seam roof colors 6,000 Englert customers had chosen for their new home or home renovation projects last year. And several colors clearly emerged as winners. Based on those results, we’ve researched certain color palettes and matched them with presently popular exterior wall colors and surfaces here in the United States. However, if you’re one of those adventurous homeowners who loves a brighter palette (I’m like you), then you may not find what you’re looking for here. But you’ll always be able to find bright blues, metallic coppers or even order a custom color to satisfy your tastes.Meanwhile, here are some ideas to mull when you’re choosing colors for your roof and exterior walls.

Four of the top ten colors chosen by 6,000 Englert roof homeowners were Charcoal Gray, Matte Black, Dark Bronze and Slate Grey.

Metal roofing color complimenting a nicely designed homeInteresting enough, neutral and understated grey and black roofs offer lots of choices when it comes to choosing an exterior color. To keep to a cohesive color scheme, color experts suggest you choose a neutral and modern slate grey, charcoal or blue-grey. They recommend you pair the grey exterior with a white trim to accentuate the home or a high-gloss black to create a modern, sophisticated scheme. Gray and black metal roofs also pair well with rich, saturated exterior hues. It’s recommended that you select a midnight or navy blue for an elegant look; olive green and brick red are brighter options that add a spark of visual interest to your home’s exterior. For an unexpected color contrast, experts advise that you opt for a pale shade of yellow or even purple with a grey or black metal roof; the neutrality of the roof leaves the exterior color as the centerpiece for curb appeal.

Metal roofs are also available in bold colors that dominate a home’s exterior design on their own. Red, green and even blue metal roofs are common brightly colored options.  It is suggested that you avoid matching exterior colors, which could easily become visually overpowering. Instead, the experts counsel that you tone down bright metal roofs with coordinating neutrals on the walls. For example, a red roof pairs well with a pale sepia or beige exterior paint, while a blue roof is well-suited to pale and icy-grey tones. Instead of matching the exterior color to the roof, incorporate the roof color into exterior trim details or even shutters.

When the house is being painted warmer colors, a brown roof may be the right choice. If the house will feature cooler colors like grays, blues or greens, then a dark gray roof will likely be the best choice. If you have to decide on a roof color first, one of the most common and versatile is a dark slate gray color. Keep in mind, though, that a lighter metal roof color generally reflects more light, which can help keep the interior of the home cooler. While white is most reflective, newer cool color technology allows metal roofs with a variety of pigments to have good solar reflectance and thermal emittance.

Fact: On-site Roll Forming Machines Have More Versatility Making Metal Roofing Panels Than Factory-Based Panel Equipment

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The producers of factory made standing seam metal roofing panels—people who take an order, run the panels off on a roll-forming machine in a factory building and then load them on a truck to be delivered to the place where they will be installed—have been revving up their myth-making machines about onsite roll-forming again.

The Myth? On-site roll-formers cannot make standing seam metal roof panels from 22 gauge steel and .040 aluminum.

The Fact? On-site roll-formers have been making metal roof panels from 22 and .040 gauge material for more than a decade.Portable roll forming machine producing metal roofing panel

For example, Englert’s MetalMan Multi-Panel Roofing Machine runs virtually any size and gauge, including 22 gauge steel and .040 aluminum to ten panel configurations with minimum adjustments and less scrap.  A trademark feature of this roll-forming machine is that its rollers can be changed out by only one man in 30 minutes so that a new profile can be run immediately on the job site. Englert roll-forming machines are not the only machines in the marketplace with the ability to manufacture panels on the job site. Other manufacturers of on-site roll-formers have had the capability to run panels from 22 gauge, 040 aluminum and even 16 ounce copper for just as long. If your job is specified for heavy gauge material, you can manufacture the roofing panels with an on-site roll-forming machine and have greater flexibility.In fact, Englert’s roll-formers have some capabilities the factory-made panel people never want to discuss—simply because they can’t achieve them with their big factory floor machines. For example, the factory floor machines cannot make a tapered panel. Instead, these panels must be made on a brake, in short lengths – a time consuming process. Factory panel manufacturers cannot make a curved panel. Nor can they make a panel in their factories that will match the contours of a sagging roof.

Whereas, an on-site roll-former can do all of the above right at the job site. In the latter case, the on-site roll-forming machine can make the panel irregular – customizing it to match the roof. Conversely, factory made panels that are trucked to a job site to be installed on an uneven roof cannot be manipulated. Consequently, if the installer tries to use clips to screw down the panel, the result will be uneven stresses at the fastening points and a moderate deformation or buckling of the roofing panel material, commonly known as oil canning.

On-site roll-forming continues to become more and more popular in the building industry in large part due to the efficiencies and job control it provides – giving installers the ability to form panels directly at the site and the flexibility to correct errors or customize roofing panels on site. Job site roll forming will also eliminate delays caused by improper material calculations or the replacement of scratched or dented panels damaged in transport.

There are many  reasons why on-site roll-forming has displaced the factory made product over the years….And none of them are myths—just the sheer fact that onsite roll-forming and the professionals who do it every day have been perfecting their craft for 30 years on the job site.

Solar Thermal and Standing Seam Metal Roof Systems: Perfect Together

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There’s been a lot of talk recently about solar photovoltaics being used with metal roofing. We’ve certainly done our share of explaining it—even have a PV system installed on our company roof.

But perhaps the most widely employed rooftop solar technology isn’t electric, it’s solar thermal for heating air and hot water. First, because it’s a lot less expensive to install and second, the payback is excellent.

Passive Solar Thermal System Under Metal RoofingSolar thermal water heating technologies rank among the simplest and oldest solar energy applications—hence they are the most cost efficient means of saving energy costs.

Four solar thermal technologies actually utilize the roof structure. Two of them –the evacuated tube technology and the flat plate collector—use the roof solely as a mounting system. But neither is reliant on the roofing surface for solar absorption. Two other systems employ under-the-roof solar thermal technology, using the standing seam metal roof as a critical component both for its solar absorption and as a means of protecting and prolonging the life of the system. Air-based solar thermal systems capture solar heated air and transfer it to the domestic water supply. Although air collectors are not quite as efficient as liquid collectors in heating water, the systems are simpler and require less maintenance than glycol water heaters. An air collector solar water heater uses the same type of differential control as a liquid system, but the differential is usually higher to account for the lower heat capacity of air.The other under roof solar thermal collection system is installed under the standing seam metal roof before the metal is applied to the deck. The entire system is positioned between the attic roof and the outside roof covering. The standing seam panels become components of the solar collector, heating special structural sub-purlins installed over the existing roof structure. These in turn heat a water/glycol mixture that is circulated through cross-linked polyethylene tubing that is cradled in the purlins. A reflective insulation system below the purlins is installed to help heat the mixture. It consists of a layer or layers of aluminum foil separated by layers of a foam insulation material. After being heated in the collectors, the glycol is pumped through the system, and used in a heat exchange to transfer its heat into a solar pre-heat tank of water. This tank of water stores the heat for use throughout the day or night in all types of domestic hot water applications, including laundry, showers, in-floor heating and heated swimming pools. This system also incorporates an expansion tank to accommodate the fluctuating volume of fluid due to temperature changes in the fluid. Insulated piping controls and plumbing connections are installed connecting the new solar equipment into the homes existing hot water delivery system.Image of an Englert Solar Sandwich

Because the roofing material will radiate heat after it reaches a certain temperature, the system is self-regulating, preventing overheating and component damage when the system is inactive for extended periods of time. And here’s one really neat advantage to this system. The same thermal technology can be reversed at night to provide building and process cooling or, in the wintertime, sending warm liquid back to a snow covered roof where the standing seam metal heats up, melting snow quickly and efficiently.

The building integrated glycol-based system can also be combined with PV laminate solar energy panels on the roof above creating a sandwich of solar thermal energy generation and solar electric power. In combination, these systems can produce substantially more energy per square foot than a traditional solar energy system.

New Solar Thermal Technology Saves Install Labor and Boosts Heat Output from Solar Thermal Standing Seam Metal Roof Systems

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In an earlier blog this month, we talked about rooftop solar systems integrated with standing seam roofs.  We noted that the most widely employed rooftop solar technology isn’t electric, it’s solar thermal for heating air and hot water. We discussed four different systems, including an under the roof technology that takes heat from the metal roofing components and heats a water/glycol mixture that is circulated through cross-linked polyethylene tubing attached to a structure of purlins that are laid down piece by piece across the roof sheathing.Solar Thermal Install Thermal Lock Module

Well, since our blog appeared, a new under the roof technology has been emerging that uses the same heat principal but eliminates a lot of the manual labor, time and cost using the old system.

Known informally as the thermal lock module, this new under-the roof-system replaces complex 300 to 500 foot warrens of interlocking components of purlins, tubing, insulation material and aluminum foil with four by eight foot modules factory-fabricated and ready to install. Each module is 1 ½-inch thick and is connected to another by a simple coupling, eliminating a lot of the components and labor needed to install older systems.

The modules are installed as quickly as you would install a piece of plywood sheathing on a roof. It takes less than five minutes to couple them together.

There’s no need for the foil or foam and the system’s creator contends the new glycol system harvests two to three times more BTUs than the older glycol-based ones. In a recent in-plant test with 40 gallons of water, the creators say a single module was able to heat the temperature of the water from 50 degrees F in the morning to 105 degrees F in the afternoon. The new system must still undergo testing at the SRCC™, the non-profit organization which provides authoritative performance ratings, certifications and standards for solar thermal products required in most government and many commercial solar contracts. And its producer will only provide the factory made modules with plans to connect them to a manifold. But a certified solar installer must hook it up to the heating system.

Nonetheless, it appears to be a major step forward in under the roof solar thermal technology and one worth watching for architects, contractors and builders interested in marrying standing seam metal roofs with solar thermal installations.

What Contractors Should Know When Buying Metal Roofing Coil

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Contractors looking for a good deal on galvanized steel and aluminum roofing coil should always be careful—if it looks too good to be true then it probably isn’t.

There are some tools and “rules of thumb” for them to be sure they’re at least getting what they paid for.

Contractors order metal roofing coil by the square foot and most, in turn, charge their clients the same way.

So the number of square feet a coil is going to yield will dictate how much they are going to pay and how much they are going to earn.

There are a few unknowns in the process. Let’s use 24 gauge steel coil as our example. One coil of 24 gauge material can be different from another. That’s because industry standards permit “tolerances” in what constitutes a 24 gauge thickness. For example, we’ve know of one widely used “standard” that allows the thickness of 24 gauge galvanized steel to be anywhere from .0236 to .0316 inches thick. We know another one that only allows it to be from .0236 to .0296. A lot of contractors know this and realize that the yield of a coil may differ to some degree based on those tolerances. The only way to figure how many square feet the coil will accurately yield is to use a micrometer to measure the thickness of the material. And only a handful of large contractors and distributors have micrometers.

The differential in thickness may seem small but when you’re talking about a 500 pound coil and what it can deliver, it helps to know those fractional differences to figure how many square feet you’re going to pull out of it. Another way is to know how many pounds there are in the coil. Some big contractors will order “master coil”—rolls of 500 pounds or more–which they’ll later slit into smaller increments.

But how do they really know the coil that’s been shipped to them is actually 500 pounds. Again, most contractors do not have a scale large enough to weigh that amount.

How can a contractor tell what has truly been delivered?

There are calculators in the industry that can help to some degree.  For example, we offer contractors a standing seam roofing coil calculator and a chart that can tell them how much roofing coil they have on a roll and how much coil will be required for a roofing project.

Both calculators can be found at the Englert website www.englertinc.com in the Contractor Section under Coil Purchasing. Results are for estimation only and do not include waste factors.
A contractor can choose from one of two methods to determine how much roofing coil is on a roll.  The first method requires that the width, gauge and weight be known. The second requires that the coil width, inside and outside diameter and gauge be known. Contractors often do not know or have the means to find out how much the coil accurately weighs. But width, inside and outside diameter and gauge can all be readily determined.

To use the calculator to estimate how much coil will be required for a project, the contractor must input the panel profile, whether the material is steel, aluminum or copper, the roof slope factor, finished panel width and gauge.

So if you’re looking to see if you’ve gotten all the metal roofing coil you paid for there are some helpful tools out there to  assist you.

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