Abstract
The repurposing of existing buildings is becoming more prevalent. But changing a buildings use is not without concern. A European Company purchased an existing warehouse located north of Chicago, Illinois, USA as the space filled their needs for the layout of their manufacturing equipment. Producing medical grade synthetic mesh requires interior temperatures of 90°F (32.2C) with a relative humidity of 90%. The roof of the facility was low-sloped trapezoidal standing seam metal roof system that was watertight in all types of precipitation: Rain, snow, ice. The insulation, below the roof panels and above the steel purlins, was vinyl face fiberglass batt laid over the structural steel bar joist and pinned by the metal roof panels. Shortly after manufacturing commenced, water build-up in the batt insulation during winter started and was so severe that the vinyl facing would belly downward and split the lap seams, which would release the water, soiling the 2m wide rolls of mesh that then did not meet medical standards and had to be discarded. This case study will review the issues that arose out of repurposing a warehouse to a manufacturing facility and what the solution to correct moisture related issues. Hutchinson Design Group, Ltd. of Barrington, Illinois, was retained to investigate the conditions, determine the causes and develop a corrective solution.
Highlights
Roof leaks in the dead of winter was the client’s concern
With 32.22°C (90°F), 90% RH, interior conditions -17.78°C (0°F), degrees outside, and 15.24 cm (6”) of vinyl-faced fiberglass batt insulation compressed at the purlins by the roof panels, with aged and open lap seams, is not a good scenario
Moisture intrusion in the winter is the result of the interior humid air condensating on the metal roof panels above
Summary
Roof leaks in the dead of winter was the client’s concern. Interesting when the exterior ambient is below 17.78°C (0°F) and any precipitation would be in the form of snow and melt water freezing into ice. (Panel Filler: A piece of insulation of thickness to match the standing seam roof panel and which is cut close to the profile of the standing seam so the board insulation or cover board can be installed.) None of the proposals identified the cause of the interior leaking or the extremely high interior’s relative humidity and heat as a concern, and it was not addressed. Opening which ‘sucked’ even more interior air up into the insulation layer and the condensation on the underside of the metal roof panel and dripping to the floor increased This was occurring in numerous locations across the plant with the greatest moisture accumulation of water in the insulation near the ridge (see photo 2)
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