Case Study: Central Pennsylvania Clinic Finds Beautiful Snow-retention Solution

By S-5! 

Complete S-5! ColorGard system offers medical home engineered safety that blends in beautifully with the roof.  

The project 

Award-winning Dr. D. Holmes Morton of Strasburg, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, created a medical model, which began when he and his wife, Caroline, developed the non-profit framework and community organization that became a pediatric clinic for children with rare, inherited disorders prevalent among the Plain people – mostly of the Amish and Mennonite churches – who live in rural communities, usually far from health centers and who have knowledge of genetic disorders. 

Their newest clinic in Belleville called the Central Pennsylvania Clinic, a medical home for special children and adults, also a non-profit, is a family practice that sees patients of all ages who suffer from rare, genetic disorders. Before the clinic opened, more than 500 patients, with nearly 100 genetic diseases, traveled two to five hours for comprehensive pediatric care. 

The clinic provides care and services on three floors: Main level – main entrance; reception; office and waiting room; exam rooms; a treatment and procedure room; phlebotomy room; a patient, family, doctor consult room; staff conference room; and staff offices. Lower level – biochemical and molecular laboratories; dental office; physical and occupational therapy rooms; hearing and vision labs; and staff offices. Upper level – meeting room for medical and community gatherings; kitchen; workspaces for students, doctors and nurses in-training; and a genetic and medical library. 

In true Amish fashion, the community organized a committee, put people in charge, assigned tasks and got it done. The project was a labor of love with materials and labor donated along with cash donations. The facility features a Kynar charcoal gray 24-gauge standing seam metal roof with the S-5!’s ColorGard® snow retention system. Kyfus Metals Sales used New Tech Machinery’s portable panel forming machine to rollform E.B. Martin Roofing’s and A.B. Martin Roofing’s steel on site. 

The challenge 

Along with determining an aesthetic solution to blend in with the beautiful scenic surroundings of this hilly rural community, the various roof contours and pitches of the roof presented a challenge for installers to determine precise snow loads. Additionally, the clinic anticipated much foot traffic and wanted to ensure a strong, long-lasting snow retention system to protect the pedestrian traffic going in and out of this busy Amish clinic. 

Another challenge was the coordination of the roof project since it was a community project involving donations from many local businesses. The siding and trim work had to be constructed precisely to receive the metal roof panels. It was critical for all components to be compatible with this standing seam roof where everything would lock together in place. And, it was important to the roof installers to do it the right way®.  

The solution 

Fisher’s Roofing utilized the complete S-5!® ColorGard system, including the S-5-S™ Clamp, VersaClip™ and SnowClip™ II. Together, the snow retention solution provided the aesthetics they were seeking since the ColorGard system offered perfect color and finish-matching designed to last the life of the roof.  And, it offered the fully tested and engineered safety they needed to protect patrons from sliding snow off the new metal roof.  

E. B. Martin Roofing based in Upstate New York donated the steel along with local metal roofing company, A.B. Martin Roofing. Other local businesses including Kyfus Metal Sales donated their time and equipment to rollform the steel on-site, and Fisher’s Roofing donated their time to install the roof and complete snow retention system. The result was a beautiful roof and facility that would serve the community for years to come. 

Project team 

Architect: Henry Architecture and Design 

General contractor: Sunset Construction 

Roofing contractor: Fisher’s Roofing 

Steel supplier: A.B. Martin Roofing & E.B. Martin Roofing 

Roll former: Kyfus Metals Sales 

Snow guards: S-5! 

Roof stats

• Roof profile: 24-gauge,19.5 panel, Kynar charcoal gray standing seam metal roof 

• Roof measurement: Approximately 12,000 square feet 

• Roof pitch: 4:12 

S-5! mounting products supplied

• ColorGard® (26) 

• S-5-S™ Clamp (130) 

• VersaClip™ (130) 

• SnowClip™ II (64) 

Learn more about S-5 in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.S-5.com.