Tile Roof Installations - good stuff that gold galv. [RE-wrenches]

Graham Owen graham at solarexpert.com
Fri May 13 17:30:42 PDT 2005


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Hey Chris,

You don't need to worry about the longevity of my business or my
installations, which go back to Jan 1982.  The proof is in the pudding, gold
galv rails installed in the 80's are still lookin good, as opposed to the
dull, (almost said trashy, but wont) look of hot dipped rails.  You are
mistaken my friend, gold galv costs considerably more that hot dip, both are
outdoor rated and gold galv has a higher longevity rating in salt spray
testing.  Yes, it is a thinner coating, because it is electrically
galvanized as opposed to just being dipped in Zink.  

When working on the roof with strut I prefer the cleaner smoother cleaner
finish of gold galv, no rough hard hanging drips of Zink to cut hands, hands
don't turn black, and more importantly, it doesn't chip off when cuts are
made, like thicker hot dipped rail coatings do.  When tightening panels down
onto hot dipped rails the thick Zink can crack and or chip away, leaving a
potential for rust stains on the roof.

How the cut ends of rails are treated (or untreated) is probably more
important than which type of outdoor rated rail is used.  I often see rails
that have rusty ends and rust stains on the roof because the ends were not
treated.  Rail ends should be filed smooth and Zink chromate paint applied
on the raw cuts, clear Rustoleum is better then nothing.  I also use
stainless grab-nuts and bolts which disassemble much easier after 20 years
on a roof, when compared to installs by others using 100 hour rated galv
grab nuts. 

Hot dipped rails are much cheaper than gold galv, I buy wholesale, but just
go to your local Lowe's Hardware and check the price of both, feel them
both, and believe me they last for many decades on the roof without rusting,
dulling, or deteriorating.  I much prefer working with gold galvanized rails
than hot dipped Zink rails, and also feel confident it will best serve my
customers needs, which includes longevity and aesthetics.

I'm not saying hit dipped is bad or unsuitable, I might consider saving
costs by using it on a flat roof where the solar is not visible from the
street.  I have 7 glazed DHW collectors on the roof of my house, installed
15 years ago, and the gold rails look almost brand new.

Graham

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