Dan Allen, Technical Services Team Leader, OMG Roofing Products
For commercial roofing contractors in Florida, the job is a high-stakes battle against the elements. You’re not just installing a roof, you’re engineering a shield against blistering UV exposure, torrential rain and the immense forces of hurricane winds. In a market this demanding, simply hoping a fastener will perform isn’t
enough. Long-term performance is proven on the deck, which is why onsite fastener pull testing can be an important step for contractors dedicated to quality, compliance and durability.
While many seasoned contractors rely on experience, the unique combination of Florida’s extreme weather and its stringent building codes requires a higher standard of verification. Documented, onsite fastener pull testing can be a good tool for mitigating risk, ensuring performance and setting your business apart in a competitive landscape.
A pull test is a straightforward method for determining the withdrawal resistance of a specific roofing fastener in a specific roof deck. As outlined in standards like the ANSI/SPRI FX-1, Standard Field Test Procedure for Determining the Withdrawal Resistance of Roofing Fasteners, the process provides critical, site-specific data.
Fastener pull-out tests are performed using a calibrated pull tester, which applies a measured force to an installed fastener until the fastener withdraws from the deck or a required proof load is achieved. The results tell you much more than just the strength of the screw itself; they reveal the holding power of the entire deck and fastener interface. This data is crucial because the performance of a roofing system is only as strong as its weakest link.
A manufacturer’s spec sheet provides a fastener’s capabilities under controlled conditions. The actual withdrawal resistance on your jobsite can be affected by numerous variables, including:
■ Type of Deck: Not all decks are created equal. Buildings use a variety of roof decks and may use more than one type on a single building. Each deck, whether structural concrete, LWIC, gypsum, plywood, OSB or other deck type, brings its own advantages and their own challenges. Regardless, the integrity of a roof deck can vary significantly.
■ Deck Condition: An older concrete deck may have lost density or a plywood deck may have hidden moisture, both of which can compromise a fastener’s holding power.
A fastener pull test removes the guesswork and provides objective, quantifiable data on how the fastener will perform on that specific roof.
Nowhere is this data more critical than in Florida. The state’s history of devastating hurricanes has led to the development of some of the most rigorous building codes in the world. During a high-wind event, the air pressure above the roof surface drops while the pressure inside the building remains higher. This differential
creates a powerful suction force that attempts to tear the roofing system from the structure. This can be an immense, fluctuating force that relentlessly stresses the membrane, insulation and, most importantly, the fasteners holding it all together.
The Florida Building Code (FBC) provides precise requirements for roof system installations to counter these forces. Onsite uplift pull testing can be a key component of this verification process. By conducting and documenting these tests, you are not just following a sound practice; you are demonstrating due diligence in protecting the building owner’s investment. This documentation is invaluable for project approvals and inspections and should a warranty claim ever arise.
Integrating and documenting fastener tests as a standard operating procedure offers tangible benefits that go straight to your bottom line and professional reputation.
1. Mitigate Risk and Reduce Liability. A catastrophic roof failure is a contractor’s worst nightmare, leading to costly litigation, warranty claims and irreparable damage to your reputation. Documented pull tests help provide proof that the roof system was attached to a substrate capable of meeting fastener pull-out resistance. This proactive step can be a powerful defense in the event of a failure caused by winds exceeding the design specifications.
2. Ensure Quality and Performance. These tests allow you to verify the pull-out resistance of a portion of the roof deck before committing crews and materials to the full installation. If tests reveal a weak or compromised substrate, you can address the issue with the building owner and engineer proactively. This can help prevent costly change orders, project delays and the risk of premature roof failure.
3. Optimize Efficiency and Material Use. With accurate test data, you and the project designer can confidently engineer the most efficient fastener pattern that meets or exceeds wind uplift requirements. In some cases, with a high-performance deck, this may allow for fewer fasteners per square foot, saving you money on both materials and labor without sacrificing safety or quality.
4. Build Your Reputation as an Expert. In a crowded market, expertise is your greatest differentiator. Contractors who can speak knowledgeably about the building code and industry standards, conduct onsite testing and provide clients with documented results position themselves as true industry professionals. It shows you are committed to a scientific, data-driven approach to roofing, giving building owners, consultants and architects confidence in your work.
In the unforgiving Florida climate, hoping for the best is not a strategy. The integrity of every roof you install depends on the proven holding power of its fasteners. Onsite withdrawal resistance testing will verify that the specified fastener, in the actual substrate you’re working with, can withstand the uplift forces it will inevitably face.
By embracing this practice, you are doing more than just meeting a standard; you are protecting your clients, your projects and your business. For the professional Florida roofing contractor, documented fastener testing is an essential component of a quality installation.
Dan Allen leads the Technical Services Team at OMG Roofing Products. He joined OMG Roofing Products from Carlisle Construction Materials, where he managed product categories, including foam insulation and PVC membrane. Prior to Carlisle, he served as Director of Marketing for Dura-Flex, Inc. where he was responsible for product management, innovation and marketing. Dan is a Six Sigma Master Black Belt and led a global process improvement team at Momentive Specialty Chemicals. He is a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and after the Marine Corps, earned a B.S. in Forest Products with a Minor in Chemistry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and recently finished his MBA at Lebanon Valley College. In his spare time, Dan likes woodworking, building and playing electric guitars, snowboarding in the winter and mountain biking in the summer. He lives in Glastonbury, Conn. with his wife Antoinette.
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