A case study in efficiency and safety

By Chris King, Roofing Magazine. 

Rethinking rooftop efficiency for complex, high-rise projects. 

When it comes to tackling high-rise condominium reroofs along Florida’s coast, efficiency isn’t just a target — it’s a necessity. With challenges ranging from crowded, elevated workspaces to rigorous safety requirements and the constant battle against seaside elements, roofing contractors need solutions that enhance both speed and precision. Aderhold Roofing Corp., headquartered in Tampa, has honed a method for handling multifamily roofing demands, using innovative techniques like TUBOS Pipe Extensions to streamline workflows on even the most complex projects. Their approach doesn’t just save time; it sets a new standard for tackling high-rise reroofing with fewer resources and lower risk. Here's a closer look at how Aderhold Roofing’s strategic choices are reshaping efficiency in the field. 

Brian Aderhold, president of Aderhold Roofing, is always on the lookout for ways to improve quality and efficiency. He found that rolling out wide and heavy rolls of membrane and then cutting around numerous vent stacks was both time consuming and labor intensive — and usually the vents had to then be extended to meet code. To extend the vent stacks, he began using TUBOS Pipe Extensions, which are designed to fit into 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-inch diameter PVC or cast iron vent stacks.  

After consulting with Kevin Morris, CEO of TUBOS, Aderhold adopted a new method of installation to reduce time and labor, particularly on projects with multiple penetrations where 10-, 12- or 16-foot-wide membranes were being installed.  

After the insulation was installed, crews would cut all the existing vent stacks to a height of an inch or so above the insulation. Crews could then roll out the membrane over the shortened vent stacks, making it easy to find and cut holes around the VTRs. After securing the membrane, the TUBOS Pipe Extensions could be cut to the proper length and installed. 

“We’ve used this system now on two high-rise condos,” notes Aderhold. “On most hotels or condos, you have a core stack of units where all the bathrooms and the kitchens all tie in, resulting in little clusters of VTRs all over the place.” 

“Traditionally, you’d have to kick a roll out to one, cut it, drop it over the top and figure out where your cut needs to be made,” he explains. “You’d make your cut, drop it over the top, then you’d roll it out another foot and repeat the process. Meanwhile, it takes three or four guys to do that, because you got two guys that have to lift the roll and one guy that’s cutting it. The cleaner method to just cut the VTRs off with a Sawzall and kick your roll out. X marks the spot and you come back later, cut it, jab the TUBOS in, cut the TUBOS off to the right length and now you’ve got a nice clean piece of material to run your boot to.”  

A case in point 

Aderhold’s team first used the method on a high-rise condominium project in St. Pete Beach, Florida. The building’s built-up gravel roof had reached the end of its service life and it had to be removed and replaced.

The existing gravel built-up roof was installed atop two layers of one-inch polyiso insulation over a sloped, lightweight concrete deck. The tear-off alone was a challenge. “We swept the gravel off with power broom,” notes Aderhold. “It sweeps all that loose gravel into a nice clean row. Then guys can come back and shovel that into power buggies or wheelbarrows, whatever it is you have and remove it from the roof.”  

The roof area was divided into a grid and work was done in sections. The old roof was removed down to the concrete deck using a mechanical cutter. “However much you plan to remove that day, you would paint that out. We’d get that area down to the to the structural concrete and then we would to come back and fully adhere our insulation system. Anything we removed that day has to be reinstalled that same day and made watertight with a temporary tie-in.” 

The plumbing stacks were cut down after the new insulation was installed. “You wait till you get your iso in and then cut the VTRs,” Aderhold notes. “If you cut them all too early, there’s a risk that somebody drops a piece of iso over one and you don’t know where it is.” 

“So, get your ISO in and then you can go back and cut them off as close to that insulation as you can,” Aderhold continues. “That way, it’s an unobstructed installation of the membrane, at least as far as the VTRs go. You still have to cope with other obstructions, like HVAC units, but you’ve eliminated the VTRs as an obstruction to you installing that membrane.” 

The membrane applied on this project was Elevate 60-mil Fleeceback TPO, specified by the manufacturer’s rep, FG Building Products. As the membrane was installed, a crew member fell back to install the TUBOS pipe extensions. After the TUBOS Extension was cut to the proper length, the six-inch internal splice sleeve was inserted into the vent stack and caulked around the flange. The vent stack was then flashed with a pipe boot and clamp to meet the manufacturer’s specifications. TUBOS units are 28 inches long and each can be used to extend two vent stacks.  

“Using TUBOS is really beneficial, especially where you’ve got a cluster of these things coming up and it looks like a porcupine in a certain area,” says Aderhold. “Just cut the VTRs off, kick out your sheet out and go. Once you get your sheet adhered and you’re running the robot, you drop a guy back. ‘Hey, man, go put in the TUBOS and while you’re there, put the boot on it right now.’” 

Safer, more efficient 

Handling a cluster of large VTRs one at a time can not only cut into productivity but put a physical strain on workers forced to bend and lift the membrane. The method of cutting the pipes and installing TUBOS after the membrane is laid out lessens the risk of injury as it cuts down labor costs. “It’s safer and more efficient,” notes Aderhold. “There’s nothing more important than keeping people safe and it’s a positive ROI just from the labor savings.” 

Aderhold often uses TUBOS in other situations on commercial reroofing projects, including cases where existing stack is not long enough to meet current code. “That is a very common thing, especially on a modified roof,” notes Aderhold. “We’ve often seen them just 2 or 3 inches above the roof and the VTR must be extended to meet code — typically 8 inches.” 

Aderhold believes finding better, higher-quality and more efficient ways to get the job done are key strengths of his company. “I would say for us, we like the more challenging projects,” he says. “The logistics of these high-rise reroofs on the beach are incredibly challenging because there’s usually first-floor parking. There’s very little room to set up cranes. On this one in particular, we ended up having to shut the road down right on St. Pete Beach to set a crane up. That started at 3 a.m. And then, being able to reroof that efficiently, knowing that you have to secure all of your material every day. If it’s blowing 10 miles an hour on the ground, it’s blowing 20 to 25 miles per hour up on top of that building. And so, any loose debris comes off and on the beach in a crowded urban area, that’s a dangerous scenario. So, I like to think that we’re more adept at planning the logistics and the execution of challenging projects.” 

This article first appeared in Roofing magazine  

High-Rise Condominium 

St. Pete Beach, Florida 

TEAM:

Roofing Contractor: Aderhold Roofing Corp., Tampa, Florida, aderholdroofing.com 

MATERIALS: 

Membrane: Elevate 60-mil UltraPly TPO, holcimelevate.com 

Vent Stack Extensions: TUBOS, TUBOS.biz 

After removing the existing built-up gravel roof on this condominium complex in St. Pete Beach, Florida, Aderhold Roofing installed a 60-mil TPO system from Elevate. 

In commercial roof areas with multiple plumbing vent stacks, TUBOS recommends the following installation method:  

1. Once the insulation is installed, cut all the existing vent stacks to a height of 1 to 1.5 inches above the insulation.  

2. Roll out the membrane over the shortened vent stacks and cut holes around each of the shortened vent stacks.  

3. After securing the membrane, measure and cut each TUBOS Pipe Extension to the proper length and install into an existing vent stack.