Decra Roofing [RE-wrenches]

[Matt Lafferty]

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Mo(re) on Mo's Cal-Pac:

Thanks for the "Matt's stick together", Matt T...  At least on this one it
sounds like they do!   Never say Always though!  LOL  I for one, wouldn't be
one of the competitive bids... "That's a nice looking roof Mr. Jones.  Can I
interest you in some Compact Flourescents?"  

Jerry C is totally right on with the "that's an OLD comp roof under
there"... It got covered up for a reason... One of the most basic reasons I
don't recommend any kind of install on multi-layer roofs... You haven't a
clue what kind of shape it was in to begin with (Owner's memory doesn't
count for me!!!) and the additional traffic and duress of the roofer
installing the battens and roofing over the top of it makes it even more
"unknown" in terms of it's "right now" condition.  Remember, in these guys'
minds, they were covering it up so it didn't matter what kind of shape it
was in when they left!  It did, after all, "Have a new roof over it"!

In the case of double-layer comp, there isn't a manufacturer out there that
I know of that even warranties their product for a minute if it's an
overlay!  Maybe there's a reason for that?????

Cutting through the original roofing to install standoffs at the rafters
directly "on the deck", then installing a base flashing into that roof
system as if there wasn't even another roof over it, is the most solid way
to do it that I know of. The difference is that the apron below the standoff
will have to go "over" the batten below it.  I would get standard base
flashings with the smallest diameter center-cutout possible for these.  I
would not install the standoffs "on top of the original comp".  

Most of these metal roof systems were installed with the original flashing
used as the base flashing.... If it is too tall to fit below the top
flashing, they use their tin snips to cut it lower and pretty much just
"mush it" around whatever it is that it was flashing in the first place,
raise the apron up over the lower batten, cut the excess off, then bend a
nailing lip / flange along the bottom.

I recommend wide-base Oatey's for the top flashing if you will be using Fast
Jacks or other "nominal pipe size" standoffs.  (Keeps the "floating roof"
dynamic as much intact as possible.)  If you are using the hanger-bolt
setup, I guess you're gonna have to use "stick-um"...

Assuming you're using conventional standoffs, the top flashing will have to
be modified with a "tile-lip" along each of the vertical sides (I also bend
one along the top side) and then have a 90 degree, 3/4", lip bent downward
in the field, where it fits nice and snug over the upper nailing flange of
the next lower course, so the lower nailing flange of the course you're
working on will "sandwich" your flashings between the two... Does that make
sense?  (Clue: Take good Right, Left, & Straight Snips as well as a pair of
Hand-Brakes with you to the job if you end up doing it.)

If you're not familiar with the "Base & Top Flashing" systems, go talk with
a roofer you trust (sic), preferrably one who has experience installing
these systems.  Most of the concrete tile systems installed in the last 15
or 20 years use these flashing systems, too.  You may (probably???) have
seen them and didn't realize that was what they were.  Do yourself a big
favor and understand this flashing method thoroughly before you start
anything, if you don't already... Make doggone sure your installers
understand it!!!!  If you think you might be doing more of these in the
future, you might want to consider hiring a roofer for the installation day
to show you the "tricks", or even just hiring one for this part of each
job... One of your guys on the roof helping him and laying out standoffs,
while somebody else is doing the AC, Inverter, and getting the DC Home Run
to the roof...  (If it wasn't Cal-Pac specifically, I might even be able to
be talked into doing that for you on the first one.  Since it is... The
answer is NO, for your sake, whether you believe it or not.) 

Think particularly about where you want to install the standoffs in
relationship to the furring strips / battens....  About 4-6" above the lower
batten is pretty much a decent rule of thumb.  If you get too close to it,
it gets hard to slip the base flashing into place properly... Too far up and
the lower "apron" of the top flashing won't be long enough to get over it &
bend the "lower lip"... Two-piece standoffs, like the FastJack, make this a
much friendlier job.

In the case of one of these metal "Tile-Looking" systems, the reason they
use a two-flashing system is because, the profile of the surface leaves gaps
between the bottom surface of the roof and the flashing.  This gap is about
3/4" taller than conventional tile because it's "just sheet metal" so it
doesn't have the extra thickness of regular tile.  The larger base flashing
is "second-level" water-proofing for anything that gets past the top
flashing. It is an IMPORTANT piece!  Don't bank everything you own on just a
top flashing! 

Another couple of things to have on hand are flat sheet metal, Geocel, & a
good rivet gun with 1/8" x Medium steel rivets.  A guy who's good with tin
and "thinks like a raindrop" is also crucial for time-efficiency,
durability, & aestetics.  Guess I was lucky to be born with a pair of
tinsnips in one hand... Or maybe not!  LOL

It ain't comp, Toto!

Matt Lafferty
mlafferty at universalenergies.com
(916) 422-9772 Office
(916) 914-2247 Fax
(916) 628-7694 Cell
www.universalenergies.com

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