Customer Reviews

Manual of Low-Slope Roof Systems: Fourth Edition

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I gave this book 4 stars and not 5 because it was not large enough. It should have been the next size format, so that the drawings would render better. That said, however, I must recommend this for several reasons: 1, there is a paucity of books on roofing, a mundane subject at best and of interest to few people. However, for those people, not much to choose from. "Low slope roof" is industry parlance for a commercial/industrial roof which will have layers of hot tar and roofing felt, then gravel, placed on a generally flat roof. This book explains it all, from a history of this type of roof, to various materials used, what to watch for, how to write specifications, and problems that might occur in the design or construction phases. 2, for those architects that design or specify roofs, it explains roofing in depth, and helps avoid expensive mistakes that experience alone woould teach.

Although the book is expensive, the information given is worth every penny. Those who will buy this book will know that.

In the opening chapters the authors identify many roofing industry problems... insufficient owner budgets, over-reliance on warranties, insufficient work inspection, poor design and construction, and lack of maintenance.

Building owners, roofing designers, architects - the types of readers most likely to have an interest in this book - will know the problems first hand. And will appreciate the wealth of information presented. This text:

Identifies and discusses in depth the myriad causes of roof failure; Presents roof design principles in light of current research; Reviews factors that influence roof design; Review the various (generic) roof systems in depth; And offers guidance for specifying and inspecting roofing work.

The writing style is clear and consise, supported with graphs, current survey information, and other technical data.

Readers will be armed with enough information to sort through the information and misinformation published by roof system manufacturers, select the best roof systems for their roof conditions and budgets, develop sound designs, and plow through most procurement and construction obstacles.

Highly recommended.

I reviewed this book for research on my own book, "The Roofing and Cladding System Handbook" by Robert N. Reid. It was a helpful book for anyone with a low slope roof and the diagrams and figures provided some really good information on causes of roofing failures in low slope systems and wind loads. The book also provided very good information for roofing asphalt. I acutally reviewed both the early version written in 1982 and this version written in 1996. I felt that this book is a very good book but it is especially helpful for roofing consultants, and others who specialize in roofing construction and problems.

This book should be in every public adjuster's library so that low angled built roofs can be studied before writing that claim improperly.

I'll keep this short and sweet. This book makes a good student manual, or training tool for those individuals that are not very familiar with low-slope roof systems. Another good source of information would be the NRCA, they have some nice manuals on low-slope roof systems.

I went to work for a roof consulting firm and had never worked in roofing before. This book made sense of all that I had been hearing and greatly improved my knowledge of low slope roof materials and practices.

I received the low slope roofing manual in good condition. Product was as advertised. I am satisfied with it.

We already have the Third edition and wanted current information prior to making decisions relating to a project.

We appreciated the detailed information included. For example, where existing metal coping over architectural foam at a shopping center had failed to withstand hundred mile per hour winds in Southern California over the last ten years, we were able to review the formulas and wind uplift factors to better gauge design requirements.

We found the photograph in Chapter Seven on Wind Uplift showing a "fascia strip bent upward despite the use of a cleat designed to stabilize it" exceptionally useful. "The 24-gauge stainless steel fascia strip was stressed beyond its yield point because the continuous cleat fasteners were located near the top of the cleat. This faulty location increased the unbraced, cantilevered depth of the fascia strip, exponentially multiplying the bending stress exerted by the wall deflected wind." It was helpful to have the metal gauge described, and critically useful to understand the mechanics of failure with the cleat design.

This is the most important aspect of the book. It can help avoid problems.
As the owner of Commercial Resource Management, this is our purpose, so we found the book very helpful.

We were able to find the FM Global Loss Prevention Data Sheet 1-49 mentioned in the book online, and while we had only foam incapable receiving fasteners to permit face nailing the continuous cleat or hook strip, we were able to incorporate the design principles described to develop an alternate.

We also used the Grouping Pipes Through Roof Membranes diagram in the Flashings section to correct a problem with defective icing refrigerant lines entering an existing "pitch pan."

We were able to find design parameters for thermal movement in the metal roof chapter "annual temperature ranges of 200 deg. F . . . must be capable of accommodating movements up to 2 in. in 200 ft." Since my run was 140 ft., I adjusted to use a figure of 1.4 in..

Technical but still readable. Even a do-it-yourselfer (if spending plenty of time rereading) can figure it out. Only book of it's kind letting you know the possible pitfalls from all the flat roof systems out there. Lacks some details I would have liked to have since I am not a professional. Very good for someone who wants to tell a contractor what style of flat roof to build, less than perfect if you want a how-to book.