With lives and
millions of dollars of
medical equipment at risk,
roof leaks in a hospital can
have devastating results.
That's exactly what hospital
administrators at Powell
Hospital in Powell, Wyoming
were faced with.
"Our leaking roofs were
more than an inconvenience
to our doctors, patients,
and staff," said Mike Kaker,
chief engineer at the
hospital. "Costs were
escalating because of damage
to sensitive medical
equipment, ceiling tiles,
and other property, not to
mention the increased
liability risk to the
hospital."
"This was a problem the
hospital could no longer
live with," recalled Chris
Cooper, facility manager at
the hospital. "The
hospital needed a cure."
"We determined the
majority of the roof leaks
were due to failure of the
existing system around
parapet walls, flashings,
and roof details," noted
Cooper. "In addition,
the gravel ballast on top of
the roof made finding leaks
very difficult."
Cooper and hospital
administrators went to work
on the solution.
After carefully
researching various roofing
products and their
warranties, Powell Hospital
officials decided on the
Duro-Last roofing system, a
custom prefabricated
thermoplastic single-ply
manufactured by Duro-Last
Roofing, Inc. The
Officials liked Duro-Last's
prefabrication because it
would ensure a higher
quality roof; 80-85% of the
field seaming and detail
work is performed under
ideal conditions, in a
factory setting.
Maximizing factory
fabrication would also
minimize workmanship in the
field, increasing crew
productivity and reducing
potential
workmanship-related
problems.
With non-prefabricated
roll goods, the quality of
installation is exclusively
reliant upon the individual
worker on-site.
Furthermore, Wyoming's
extreme weather conditions
make non-prefabricated roll
goods much more susceptible
to rooftop failure.
Another important factor
in the decision to go with
the Duro-Last roofing system
was the warranty.
"We felt the Duro-Last
warranty was straightforward
and easy to read," said
Cooper. "They clearly
had the best warranty
offered."
Cooper contacted Broken
Arrow Construction of
Powell, Wyoming to complete
the Duro-Last project.
A well-respected,
award-winning Duro-Last
contractor for 15 years,
Broken Arrow has earned a
reputation for excellence
both during and after roof
installations. Kyle
Nix, operations manager, and
Bob England, sales manager
for Broken Arrow quickly
went to work on the roofing
project. Their plan
consisted of a 10-foot tab
Duro-Last roofing system,
which is measured in
individual sections of up to
2,500 square feet for the
field of the roof.
Each penetration and
flashing would be
prefabricated to ensure
watertightness at critical
transitions. In
addition, Duro-Last
accessories would be used to
ensure that all the system's
components worked together
to provide superior roof
performance.
Along the way, Broken
Arrow had to address several
concerns with the hospital
project.
"We had to remove 400
tons of rock from the
existing roof while working
with the hospital to plan
around the operating room
schedule," said Nix.
"The only time they didn't
operate was on Friday
afternoon and on Saturday."
Additionally, the weather
was a major concern.
"In fact, the day we came to
install the roof, we
received eight inches of
snow," recalled Nix.
According to Nix, Duro-Last
proved to be the smartest
choice for this roof.
"Because of the large
pre-manufactured roof
panels, we could cover and
protect large areas of the
roof," he stated.
"This was especially
important with the adverse
weather conditions.
Plus, the 10-foot tab system
helped increase job site
productivity, which helped
us complete the project one
week ahead of schedule."
Another significant
benefit for Powell Hospital
was Duro-Last's ability to
reflect the sun's energy.
"With the white,
thermoplastic Duro-Last
roofing system installed,
the building will stay
cooler in the summer,
helping reduce energy
costs," said Nix.
"Especially with the
challenges that were
presented during this
roofing project, it was
satisfying to provide Powell
Hospital with an
outstanding, aesthetically
appealing, long-term
solution to their roofing
needs," concluded Nix.
"I couldn't be happier
with the new Duro-Last
roof," said Cooper.
"Broken Arrow exceeded my
expectations and the roof
looks great with its new
durable, virtually
maintenance-free roofing
system."
With a cure found for
their roof ailment, Powell
Hospital officials and staff
can now concentrate on
helping patients.
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