WOLFIN (part of the Icopal Group) has developed a roof refurbishment alternative to completely replacing a failed flat roof.
The WOLFIN Vapour Permeable Roof Refurbishment Solution is a 20-year insurance-backed system, which the company says can save a significant amount of money, time and disruption for commercial and public sector clients, especially for large refurbishment projects. An independent cost analysis by AECOM assessed that a saving of around 17% to 28% is possible in comparison to traditional refurbishment methods.
When flat roofs fail, moisture enters the roofing layers, thermal performance is lost and the occupants are affected. WOLFIN says the first thought is often to strip, dispose and then replace the roof. With the company’s new solution, there is no need to strip and dispose of the existing roofing membrane, insulation or vapour control layer; the roof can be simply overlaid. Due to the formulation and colour of the membrane, the roof layers rapidly heat up under the influence of solar radiation. This causes a high vapour pressure that gradually dries out the trapped moisture by forcing it up and through the WOLFIN vapour permeable membrane. As the roof dries out the thermal properties of the existing insulation are restored.
If required, the solution also provides the opportunity to upgrade the thermal performance of the roof to meet the latest building regulations, as additional insulation can be added above the existing failed roof prior to application.
Graham Kidd, sales director for WOLFIN, said: “The WOLFIN Solution is great for large refurbishment projects like hospital and school applications where minimal disruption and downtime are key priorities. It has been proven to dry out existing failed roofs and the effectiveness of this physical process has been confirmed by recent scientific test results from the Fraunhofer Institute, Holzkirchen in Germany. WOLFIN membranes offer the highest water vapour diffusion permeability, saving you and your client money, time and disruption.”
