Just in time for the 2016 Hurricane Season–Advanced Roofing provides a new breakthrough re-roofing solution for the National Hurricane Weather Center at FIU in Miami, Florida

From daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings, and climate monitoring to fisheries management, coastal restoration, and supporting marine commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) products and services support economic vitality and affect more than one-third of America’s gross domestic product. NOAA is home to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. NOAA’s dedicated scientists use cutting-edge research and high-tech instrumentation to provide citizens, planners, emergency managers, and other decision-makers with reliable information they need when they need it.

Advanced Roofing, Inc. (ARI) was selected to repair the NOAA facility’s leaking roofing system, which at the time was a 3.5” ISO fully adhered to concrete; 1.5” high-density wood fiber fully-adhered, and quarter-inch BUR with gravel. The existing roof had leak issues around the satellite legs, with water intrusion observed in the mechanical room below the large satellite dishes. Streaks of modified residue could be seen leaking from the corners of the room where water was running through the roof membrane and leaking inside the building. This facility is the National Hurricane Center command center and remains operational even through a Category 5 hurricane, so it was an honor and a challenge to provide a roof that will be protecting this facility and its occupants while they provide storm updates to protect residents in South Florida and throughout the nation.

Project Scope of Work:

• Full tear-off down to the structural concrete deck;
• Fully torch adhere SBS modified temporary roof directly to the concrete deck;
• Fully adhere in two-part adhesive with two layers of 2.6” insulation;
• Fully adhere one layer of half-inch Securock cover board;
• Fully adhere Sarnafil PVC 60 mil single-ply membrane;
• Vertical structural concrete walls surrounding the roof were skim coated with Sika Smooth finish (the first project in Florida to use this Sika product) mortar and received one coat of primer and two coats of elastomeric coating, which were color-tinted to match the aesthetics of the building;
• Edge metal over the generator radius roof was removed;
• Existing roof coating was power washed and removed; one coat of primer, two coats of elastomeric, and new gutters, and downspouts were fabricated and installed to match NOAA colors.

A New Breakthrough Re-Roofing Solution

The specified roof system by Sarnafil is a premium roof system. It is essentially a two-roof system involving a modified fully adhered SBS torch vapor barrier temporary roof with a separate single-ply roof system applied on top. The combination of these two systems offers advantages that exceed the limitations of each type of system on its own. This is one of the top roofing systems NOAA could have installed on their building and they are guaranteed to have a watertight roof that will last 25 years or more with little maintenance.

Sika Sarnafil manufactures and sells products for the whole building envelope. For this project, ARI was able to combine several different Sika-Sarnafil products to create a roof-up waterproofing solution. Sarnafil’s PVC roof system, along with Sika’s SikaQuick mortar and Sikagard Waterproofing solutions, provided a single source guarantee for the whole roof system. This would not have been possible using a manufacturer that only makes roofing products.

The ability to apply SBS modified, single-ply, and waterproofing demonstrate the advanced skill and wide range of capability of ARI’s workforce. The complicated nature of this roofing application is beyond the capability of many of ARI’s competitors. The NOAA project was rewarding and with hurricane season in full force, the ARI team knows that the National Hurricane Center’s roof will protect building occupants as they ride out the storm at the command center during the next hurricane.