The MR Multi-Ply® Roof System by Thermal-Tec/ Michigan was recently featured in Retrofit Magazine as a sustainable solution for outdated asbestos-laden roof panels that still exist on manufacturing facilities.
CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich., May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Thermal-Tec/ Michigan Inc, a commercial roofing contractor operating throughout the United States, was recently featured in Retrofit Magazine for its alternative solution to asbestos-laden roofing products like transite. The company has been installing their unique solution onto large manufacturing facilities with transite roof systems for 40 years.
Environmental regulations have been cracking down on outdated and unsafe roofing materials. Too often, businesses and building owners have been left to cover the cost without even knowing what is on their roof. Outdated asbestos-cement roofing products like Transite, are some of those regulated materials that have remained hidden for decades.
What building owners and facility managers need to watch for is when their outdated, asbestos-laden roof systems begin to fail. It's imperative they act at that moment instead of waiting until it's too late. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have costly abatement processes and will shut down facilities to address the outdated roofing materials. A good way to get ahead of that is to recover your transite roof with an environmentally compliant system.
"Re-covering a transite roof not only protects the people working at the facility, it protects the business itself by saving usable floor space without having to shut down operations."
– Thermal-Tec President, Robert Siterlet
As featured in the magazine, one such example of a successful—yet complicated—roof re-cover of an Indiana Foundry, established 1893. The business produces gray iron castings for the agriculture, construction, transportation and manufacturing industries. Foundry facilities are built to withstand intense heat loads due to the high temperatures of furnaces and other equipment used in the material processing. At the time the facility was built, asbestos had long been praised for its heat-resistant properties and durability. Naturally, it was widely accepted as a necessary additive to strengthen the performance and durability of construction products, especially roofing panels.
In fact, many older facilities used in manufacturing today continue to have the previously popular transite installed. Once referred to as a "super-product", transite was at its peak production and usage in 1930s – 1980s. It wasn't until 1989, after the US government issued a ban on the product due to the health complications brought on by asbestos, that the product was no longer used.
By re-covering an existing roof system—no demolition required—a client retains the initial roof investment and intended functionality; the entire building structure is strengthened from the additional tensile strength of the MR Multi-Ply® Roof System; and thousands of pounds of roofing material remain in use and out of landfills.
Adding just 12-14 ounces per square foot to the structure, the foundry had no issues supporting the weight of the new roof system. Now, the top surface will be renewed every 10-15 years with a fresh layer of asphalt and additional reflective roofing granules. You can read the full feature article about the Indiana foundry roof restoration here.
About Thermal-Tec/ Michigan Inc: Thermal-Tec is a family-owned, specialty roofing company headquartered in Cedar Springs, MI. Today, Thermal-Tec manufactures and installs its proprietary MR Multi-Ply® Roof system on industrial and commercial manufacturing facilities throughout the United States. Visit the company website for information on transite roof restoration at https://www.thermal-tec.com/roofing-solutions/roof-type/transite .
Media Contact
Linda Blanchard, Thermal-Tec/ Michigan Inc, 1 6166694000, [email protected]
SOURCE Thermal-Tec/ Michigan Inc
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