Roofing

Consequences of Using Wood for Rooftop Pipe and Equipment Support

Consequences of Using Wood for Rooftop Pipe and Equipment Support

If you bought an old building, reconstructed it, and now live in it, there is every probability that it has wood or wooden supports that hold up pipes and equipment on its roof. This method requires an advanced solution since there are upgraded ones available. 

Wooden supports for roofs and equipment have been invoked for so many decades. Residential home builders started making use of it since the first phase of modern construction. For a long time, wood was the only choice for builders because they provide a high load tolerance, low budget, and the finest in the past. 

In recent times, wooden rooftops support has a lot of drawbacks; this is why a modern and superior option is made available. Below are some other consequences of using wood for rooftop pipe and equipment support.

Wood deteriorates

Wood is vulnerable to damage that may not be considered by the original builders. Heavy rainfalls, wind, and snowstorms hit the roof regularly. Aside from that, the frequent temperature fluctuations take a toll on it. 

When the wood reaches a breaking point, the weak support can extend to pipes and equipment crashing down the roof’s protective membrane. For sure, you’d want to protect your home from such conditions and save up the cost of repair.

Wooden support easily damages rooftops

Daily, at different temperatures, pipes expand and contract. These continuous fluctuations make the wooden blocks shift. The movement of these wooden blocks can lead to scraping off the roof membrane. Before you know, the sharp parts of the wood would dig into the layer and create a reason to spend unexpectedly. 

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Besides, wooden supports are much easier to overload along the line. So for the fact that wood cannot provide an equal load distribution, it can lead to tearing of membrane and insulation due to the weight or pressure of wooden blocks digging in.

Wooden supports create extra cost after some time

Though the initial cost for installing wooden support is low after a long while, its damages could lead to an unexpected extra cost. But making use of a modern pre-built solution is expensive to set up but would save you from potential repairs in the future. 

Modern solutions are now available instead of the wooden support

Now that you have learned about the primary issues involved in making use of wooden rooftop pipe and equipment support, you should start considering the modern alternatives for your building.

There are pre-manufactured assemblies that are known to be non-penetrative types of rooftops support and are available in different types. For excellent performance, you should lookout for a roofing contractor that can provide you with a customized roof support system to hold up your residential rooftops.

A high-density polypropylene base with UV additives is recommended. It helps to guide against the scorching sun and hot-dipped galvanized steel support construction. 

In conclusion, no matter the choice you’ve made, consulting with roofing professionals for your home is the best approach when you talk about rooftop pipe and equipment support.