WeatherBarrier

Bryn Mawr Hospital

This was a unique problem that involved the ‘Doctors Lounge Deck’. Located above the 8th floor ceiling, this surface provides a walk out area off of the Doctor’ s Dining area. It also serves as a recreational/entertaining area for the hospital’s staff. When we were called in, the roof was leaking and showing signs of failure. The membrane which covered the concrete substrate was deteriorating. Cooper recognized the membrane as possibly containing asbestos fibers. A sample was submitted to our lab and it was indeed positive.

Now we had to consider removal of asbestos fibered roofing material safely from the hospital, along with deck resurfacing which offered it’s own set of hurdles. Resurfacing of this 7500 square foot area would need to be done with something strong enough to withstand foot traffic yet clean enough to avoid ‘tracking’ of roofing materials back into the hospital. Along with that, the job had to be completed quickly to minimize interruptions of the hospital’s key staf during their daily routines.

WeatherBarrier was the answer.

WeatherBarrier allowed us to simplify the recovery process while offering a manufacturer’s 10-year warranty on the new surface. The roof removal was completed between the hours of midnight and 6AM to minimize disruption while using the hospital’s service elevator. All workers were certified by the state and trained for such duty. The workers and the debris were sealed with Tyvek and/or plastic during all removal activities. Once the roof was cleaned, Cooper power washed and/or mechanically scraped the surfaces to remove all remaining loose debris.

After the roof was properly prepared the WeatherBarrier system was applied along with all new perimeter lead flashings. This was another perfect fit for the situation as hospital leaders were pleased with the hassle free project and high performance outcome.

Bryn Mawr Hospital Step-by-Step Roofing Project

	Step 1: Separate Existing Membrane The existing membrane was a thin layer of composition (multiple layers) roofing which had to be separated from the concrete deck.
	Step 2: Asbestos Removal Protocol The asbestos reinforced roofing material was placed in plastic trash hoppers, which were then sealed, before removal from the building.
	Step 3: Cleaning and Priming the Deck After the roof removal was complete, the deck was carefully cleaned through pressure washing/mechanical cleaning. After that, a power blower was used to dry out and remove all remaining dust. Here we see Cooper applying the white primer (which dries clear) over the previously prepared roof surface.
	Step 4: Mastic and Fiberglass Scrim to Fix Cracks in Deck Once the roof was sealed with primer, which also acts as a tacky bonding agent for following layers, the deck's defects were addressed. WeatherBarrier's trowel grade mastic and fiberglass scrim was applied over all cracks and voids in the concrete deck.
	Step 5: Base Coats Applied Two base coats were applied over all roof surfaces. The first coat having a reinforcing scrim integrated into its application over the entire roof. After the first base coat cured, the second coat was applied.
	Step 6: Finished Product, Adding Traction This is a brochure that WeatherBarrier printed up for this project. In it you see the final surface which included three finish coats of WeatherBarrier "5001" red (to match the original color) elastomeric membrane. This product had fine sand added to act as an anti slip agent for the foot traffic. This roof is now under a 10-year warranty from WeatherBarrier. Continued maintenance with subsequent elastomeric layers over the years beyond the warranty will ensure this roof's long service and integrity.

Cooper Roofing Corporation - 610.275.7663 (ROOF)