For Immediate Release

Seagate Complex Proves That “Third Time is a Charm”
July 16th, 2002

How many times have you heard tales of associations spending thousands of dollars chasing roof leaks, only to find that they would have been better off just replacing the entire roof. Seagate Condominium Complex experienced this first hand and proactively decided, enough was enough.

Barbara Hayes-Rosaberg is the manager of Seagate Condominiums in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. She advised, “For a short while, we were spending over two thousand dollars a month – It was crazy!” Not only were they chasing leaks on a routine basis, but they were also chasing shingles that periodically blew off as a result of gusting ocean breezes from the nearby Pacific coastline. She went on to say that just 15 years ago the association had replaced the roofs with a composition-roofing product. Regrettably, a questionable installation by the contractor, as well as a shorter than expected product life left her with no choice but to re-roof the 29-year-old complex for a third time.

This time around, with Rosaberg at the helm, they decided to avoid the previous pitfalls and contact a roof consultant. Dan Everts of American Roof Consulting was brought on board to evaluate the Association’s current roof situation and present a more long-term, maintenance-free solution. Upon inspection of the Seagate multi-story buildings, Everts discovered that the low pitch roof decks were originally fitted with a tar and rock style roof. The inspection also revealed a clog-prone, internal gutter system with two layers of composition shingles on top of that.

In his initial roof inspection, Everts reports, “Apparently, when the first re-roof job was contracted, the installer didn’t sufficiently remove all of the lose rock before laying down the new roof. Then when that roof failed, those mistakes were covered over again by the second layer of composition roofing… which brings us to where we are today.”
Everts immediate recommendation was to tear off all three-roof layers and replace the antiquated, internal gutter system with a more effective external gutter. By starting anew they could also take advantage of some new insulation products to help lower their energy bills – something most homeowners are looking to do these days. Despite the inconveniences of a messy tear-off, Seagate knew that this was the best course of action and next focused on selecting a more durable roof material to meet their long-term needs.

Located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Seagate is blessed with beautiful ocean views extending to Catalina Island. While very scenic, the location does experience higher than average winds and seasonal wind-driven rain amidst an otherwise mild southern California climate. From an architectural viewpoint, the low- pitch roof decks sit high upon the multi-story units and are not a prominent feature within the overall building design. Because the roofs do not play a large roll in the overall aesthetics, the association was content with a low profile shingle product, as opposed to a multi-dimensional tile-type design.

Taking all this into account, Everts presented an attractive shingle product made by Metro Roof Products of Oceanside, California. This stone-coated steel (yes, steel!) roof panel is very lightweight and extremely durable. The overall design, coupled to a stone-coat finish provides a very similar appearance to many of the popular architectural composition shingles on the market. A notable difference however, is that the Metro panel offers longer life and superior wind resistance. Says Everts; “I’ve got published reports for this type of metal roofing holding up to hurricane force winds like those found along the Florida coast. Believe me, the Metro Shingle will have no problem meeting Seagate’s needs here in California.” The overall durability of the Metro Shingle is further backed by a 50-year limited warranty.

The job was put out to bid and later awarded to Culver City Roofing Company, an established roofing business with metal roofing experience. Culver City Roofing arranged the tear-off, and per Everts specs, reapplied a new roof deck that incorporated a closed-cell polyisocyanurate foam core bonded to a 7/16-inch thick OSB nailing panel. The result is a better-insulated roof deck that translates into improved energy efficiency. Next, the roofing felt was applied, followed by approximately 8,000 square feet of Metro Shingle to complete the installation.

All said and done, Seagate now have a better performing, nicer-looking roof that is guaranteed to last for decades to come. “I am very happy with Mr. Everts and the entire Culver City Roofing crew,” says Rosaberg. “We now have a superior roof that helps us feel more secure… I can even notice the difference in the improved insulation.”