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| Before work has begun |
One of the greatest compliments a company and sales consultant can receive is when the phone rings and it is a previous customer requesting your services again. This was the case when Susan Shelton of the Church of All Souls called last fall. We had previously worked with the church installing a new Duro-Last roof on their school in 2002, and again when we installed a roof on the rectory in 2006. We have also performed maintenance on all of their roof systems for years.
This time the opportunity was an exciting challenge. They had an area of their main church that needed attention. The church itself is magnificent. Built of Indiana limestone in 1950, it is a cornerstone of a working-class community in St. Louis County. The beautiful interior shows the attention to detail of experienced craftsmen. The exterior continues the workmanship featuring stained glass windows, a steep slate roof, and copper detailing. A flat roof area next to the main roof had been damaged by copper vandals and had been leaking into the main church area.
After my initial discussion with Susan it became apparent that this was a project that would require special attention not only to retain the appearance of the structure but also to enhance it. The project was going to include the full tear-off of the existing roof and the installation of additional insulation and a 50 mil membrane to provide a longer-term solution for this difficult-to-access area.
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| Nearing completion |
We needed a way to attach the roofing system that would not require drilling into the exterior limestone. Working with a masonry contractor we removed the existing reglet and installed a new Duro-Last weldable metal reglet. This was mortared in place to provide a secure termination for the roofing system without damaging the wall. This was also done on the inside of the exterior walls and parapets. The result was a smooth finish that blended into the limestone face. After consulting with the client, it was decided to go with a light gray membrane to more closely match the color of the existing stone.
The damaged parapet that connected the two roof levels was a significant concern. When the copper gutter and flashing were ripped from this area, the wall was exposed allowing moisture into the church. A custom parapet was installed that completely wrapped this wall, preventing any moisture infiltration.
Terminating the exterior edges of the roof was another issue to consider. First, we wanted to retain the existing copper gutters. Second, we wanted this to be visibly pleasing so that attention was not drawn to the roof edge detail. We cut portions of the straps holding the gutter in place and moved them slightly. This provided us a larger area in which to terminate the roof membrane. We used fascia bar and metal cover to match the roof membrane. The result was a finish detail that was not only watertight, but also added to the appearance.
The Church of All Souls and Susan Shelton were extremely pleased with the outcome of their roofing project. This shows what can be accomplished when the client and contractor discuss their needs in-depth and are open to sharing ideas. Jewett Roofing prides itself in taking this approach with each client. If you would like to receive this attention and dedication on your next roofing project, give us a call and one of our experienced sales consultants will be glad to help.
by Bob Ketchem
Sales Representative
