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Buildings are a lot like people; some age better than others. There are a lot of factors that contribute to excess wear and tear, including the building end-use, tenant turnover, geography, maintenance, etc.
There are thousands of existing metal buildings with a wide range of repair needs. In many of these buildings, the insulation system has been damaged or compromised due to physical abuse, water intrusion, ultraviolet exposure and other environmental factors. In some cases, it makes financial sense to invest in a new insulation system to bring the building up to code and improve its energy efficiency. In other situations, it may be more appropriate to simply give the interior a facelift, by resurfacing the existing insulation system.
Before starting any project, it is recommended that local building codes be reviewed to ensure the scope of work is in compliance. In addition, working with a licensed contractor and an insulation supplier will help you determine the best solution for your building repair project.
The below case study is about a 29-year-old automotive body shop and garage that was in need of an interior facelift.
Located in Augusta, N.J., the 8,750-square-foot Fonzarelli’s Collision and Auto Repair was built with a pre-engineered metal building. Upon inspecting the body shop and garage, two coworkers and I found the typical problems with a 29-year-old insulation system including holes, tears and water damage. We worked with a roofing contractor to identify the sources of the leaks and make the necessary repairs. Any holes and tears in the existing insulation and vapor retarder were patched using insulation and a quality facing tape. The insulation levels were determined to be acceptable and provided adequate thermal performance. The building was just in need of an aesthetic makeover.
At this stage, it is important to complete any work or maintenance on the sprinkler, HVAC and lighting system prior to beginning the retrofit project. This also includes any painting of the main structure or secondary framing.
With the prep work completed and the building envelope functioning properly, we began re-covering the existing faced insulation on the roof and walls. We chose Mt. Bethel, Pa.-based Lamtec Corp.‘s new WMP-RETRO facing, which is designed specifically for retrofit/re-facing-type projects. This multilayer facing has been engineered with a glass mat core to improve handling for quicker installation and a near wrinkle-free appearance when installed over an existing insulation system. WMP-RETRO facing is offered with either a white or low-emissivity aluminum surface. For the Fonzarelli building, the glossy white product with high light reflectivity was specified to provide a clean, bright appearance.
On the job site, the WMP-RETRO facing was pre-cut to lengths that would span the distance between the roof and wall framing
(purlins and girts). A two-man crew, working from lifts and scaffolding, installed the pre-cut facing sheets using ordinary construction tools and fasteners. One edge of the new facing section was impaled over the existing roof or wall fasteners and then secured with self-locking washers. The facing was then positioned tight against the existing faced insulation and aligned straight and square with the opposing secondary roof or wall framing. The non-attached end of the sheet was then attached to the framing using fasteners and light-gauge metallic strips.
Upon completion of the project, Harry Specht, general manager of Fonzarelli’s, said: “The new facing has given the shop area a much needed fresh, clean appearance and has improved the lighting significantly. The work was completed quickly with minimal disruption to the business.”
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Brad Heffelmire is the technical manager-metal building at Lamtec Corp., Mt. Bethel, Pa. For more information on WMP-RETRO, including an installation video and instructions, visit
www.lamtec.com. For where to purchase WMP-RETRO in your area, call Lamtec at (800) 852-6832, extension 160.