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Note: Please see the before and after photos at the end of this case study!

Birmingham, AL –Are there any options for building owners with leaking and rusty metal roof other than replacement? Yes, was the answer given to US Steel Corporation when they approached Karnak concerning there 818, 000 sq. ft. pipe milling plant in Alabama.

US Steel's issues with their roof were typical. They had an aged metal roof with leaks at seams and flashings, screws backing out and surface rust. Overall the roof was in good condition and still had many years of service life. This roof like many other leaking metal roofs was in need of maintenance. And with production in full gear inside the plant, they could ill afford any down time due to water intrusion through the roof.

After inspecting the roof, Karnak and SIMCO Construction presented a specification to US Steel that would solve their leaking problems as well as protect the roof from the elements. The metal roof restoration chosen consisted of a butyl rubber tape and elastomeric mastic for seams, curb flashing and screw heads. This was a vital step as most leaks on metal roofs occur in these areas. Once applied, the roof was completely waterproofing at that point and now only needed the field coating. The system was completed with an elastomeric aluminum coating that would function to both protect the repairs made and prevent rust and corrosion on the metal panels.

Metal retrofits or new metal panels would have typically costs two to three times as much as a coating restoration and would likely have interrupted operations in the plant. The coating system applied progressed smoothly allowing both SIMCO and US Steel to concentrate on the work at hand.

Coating systems such as this one by Karnak not only provide the building owners with a cost effective solution to their leaky, rusty roof, they also offer a Factory Mutual Class A Fire Rating over approved metal panels and for tax purposes are considered roof maintenance which allows the costs to be written off as a deduction rather than an appreciated item.