So why do you really need Rooftop Pipe Supports?

From the top of a commercial roof, it is easy to see the large amount of piping that can run on top of a roof. Gas lines, chill water lines, electrical conduit, and condensate drain lines are just some of what you may see on top of a flat roof surface. But have you ever taken a look at the actual rooftop pipe supports that hold these supports up?

Many people don’t know/understand that these lines need to be lifted up off of the roof’s surface to prevent roof membrane damage. In a 24-hour period temperatures can change as much as 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This large and rapid change in temperature causes the material in any type of conduit or piping to expand in the heat of the day and contract in the lower temperatures of the night. A 130 foot span of pipe can move as much as 1.6" in only12 hours when heated up by the sun during the day, then to only be cooled off by the cool air of nighttime. This constant expansion and contraction of the piping can cause severe damage to a roof as it pushes improper pipe supports all around the roof; significantly shortening the its life span. This is why the proper type of rooftop pipe supports is critical.

Without the correct type of rooftop pipe support, the movement of the piping will eventually push the roof membrane and cause wrinkles, cuts and leaks in the roof. This can happen in a time period as short as a few months! Imagine that, a building owner pays hundreds of thousands of dollars for a new roof, but tries to save just a few thousand dollars on the pipe supports. Inevitably, within a number of months his roof is already leaking because he failed to purchase the proper rooftop pipe supports, and now the repairs cost him tens of thousands of dollars to repair. You can see from this example why purchasing the proper rooftop pipe supports is a critical element to properly protecting the roof of your commercial building.

The proper type of rooftop pipe support holds the pipe vertically off of the roofs surface while still allowing for the expansion and contraction of the pipe itself. Certain rooftop pipe supports allow for this by setting the pipe on a roller support, while others allow for the pipe to be hung from a pipe hanger support and the vertical arm that holds the pipe allows for a back and forth swinging movement.

To learn more about proper pipe supports, and to view a full line of rooftop pipe supports, visit: www.RoofStuffinc.com