Sealing of roof penetrations during building construction

Scott. A.  Lowe

doi:10.59400/be.v2i2.1381

Sealing of roof penetrations during building construction

Scott. A. Lowe Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, Manhattan College, Bronx, NY 10471, USA

Ariticle ID: 1381

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/be.v2i2.1381

Keywords: safety; management; damage; conditions; decking

Abstract

For new building construction, roofs typically have a large number of penetrations that are blocked out before the roof deck is poured. After the roof is poured these penetrations need to be sealed temporarily to prevent rain water entering the building. Unfortunately, it is all to common that the ad-hoc approach to sealing these openings results in penetrations left open to the elements. This results in water pouring into the building every time it rains. This paper shows examples of unsealed roof penetrations and of the subsequent damage caused. The penetrations relate to the work of several different trades, who may not place any priority on this issue. It is therefore suggested that this is a problem that the construction management team has to take charge of. At the very least the roof should be inspected before impending rain events.

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Published

2024-07-18

How to Cite

Lowe, S. A. (2024). Sealing of roof penetrations during building construction. Building Engineering, 2(2), 1381. https://doi.org/10.59400/be.v2i2.1381

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