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Age - Life span

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Guest User
11/21/2011
We have a situation with a hail damaged panel. The building was built in 1981, by Sonoco Buildings. It appears the have since gone out of business, at least the only number I can find for them is no longer in service. What they installed in '81 was a 24 gauge standing seam panel. It was a steel base that was electronically coated with aluminum My question is: What was or is the intended life span of such a panel? T.J. Stuebs JR & Co. Riverside, Mo.
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.
11/21/2011
Good question. We have seen metal roofs lasting 100+ years in many areas of the country. Today's paint systems carry warranties of 30+ years but of course can be re-coated if necessary in the future. Here in my area of Ohio, I can take you by countless metal roofs that are 90+ years old.
Eric Novotny
An informed customer is the Best Customer!
11/21/2011
I pass no less than a dozen roof on my way home that are 100 years old and still looking good (re-painted)
Terry Stuebs
11/30/2011
Back to intended life span: We had these metal panels examined MSI (metallurgical) testing & engineering of Mel Rose, IL. The findings was that the Aluminum layer was up to 80% removed by the hail stones impact. Also the intermetallic layer was pretty much removed. All this creates a pathway for the water & elements to corrode the base metal. In this testing process we found the back side of these panels to have spalling from the impact. My concerns are, that do to thermocoupleing (on the bottom side) that the metal may deteriorate before its intended life span. Now the insurance only wants to coat this metal. If its original intended life span has more than 15 or 20 years left, we feel that is only a temporary repair. The customer has RCV (replacement cost value) insurance. So how can we prove that the panels should be replaced to get the customer back into the place before the storm that they were prior to the storm..... Were can I get documentation that the panels should have had a life span to reach the distance you have seen these panels last?
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.
11/30/2011
I would probably suggest looking at someone who is a competitor of Sonoco, such as Morton or Butler.

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