Roof doors & hatches are essential for many buildings to ensure that their top area receives the upkeep it needs, especially during an emergency that requires your personnel to have safe and convenient access. Its many uses provide many benefits. Here are its advantages when you install one for your flat roof:
Quick and Easy Installation
Roof doors & hatches are simple to install and come fully assembled, so there are no pieces to build or put together. Most roof hatch has a mounting flange that enables them to attach to the roof directly. When you hire a commercial roofer to install a roof hatch, you can be confident that you will enjoy all of the perks without worrying about water infiltration. Your roofing contractor will:
- Install guard rails or safety gates to the hatch and not your flat roof using mechanical means.
- Cut a properly positioned hole in your property’s low-slope or flat roof.
- To prevent leaks, manually secure the hatch to the curb, sealing any gaps on all corners.
- Secure the opening with an elevated metal curb that they attach to your deck.
Prevents Heat Loss
As a substitute for a roof door & hatch, you can use a skylight to establish a roof access point. The flat roof access point is usually the highest position in the building, and because hot air rises, it is also the warmest location.
The potential for heat loss is significant if you add a skylight to your roof access point. The top is an open area that warms up quickly with hot air from throughout the structure. It’s a waste of energy since you’re losing heat to fill a void in your building.
Safe Access
The main benefit of a roof hatch is that it only requires one floor to be crossed. Placing a roof access hatch allows you to ascend to the roof from inside the building, and you may utilize the existing stairway to get to the top floor. The ascent to the top floor is usually only 2.5 to 3 meters, and you can quickly and safely bridge this height by integrating a ladder or stairway.
Roof hatches are a secure and dependable technique to access the roof. They have the following details and safety features:
- A ladder safety telescopic post is an extension component securely placed to the top two ladder rungs that offer a stable handhold so personnel may enter or exit the square entrance straight and balanced.
- A safety rail system with a self-closing entrance so that no one can fall through the hole in your roof while the hatch is open.
- Angled “cant strips” sections keep toes far from the hatch while allowing for simple water draining around the hatch’s curbing.
Other Benefits
- Roof hatches are lightweight and designed for one-handed use, allowing even the smallest-framed members of your facilities crew to safely transport things up from within your building.
- The insides of the roof hatch will not freeze or condensate; thus, leaking water is never an issue.
- Safety doors and guard rails provide fall prevention, while the hatch’s central location offers perimeter safety.
- The completely thermally insulated design and double seal between lid and curb assure energy efficiency even in cold weather.
- You can use roof hatches as skylights, allowing more light into your structure.
- Roof hatches include automatic open-lock configurations to prevent maintenance personnel from becoming stuck on the roof.
Things to Consider
Size
Roof hatches come in various sizes and allow for accessible material transit from the inside of the building to the roof, eliminating the need for dangerous lifting from the roof edge. You can lower dismantled rooftop add-ons through the roof hatch during changeovers or renovations.
Material
- The most popular alternative, galvanized steel, offers a minimum level of corrosion protection, typically through a primer paint finish, and consider other color variations with your roofer.
- Aluminum roof hatches are costlier than galvanized steel hatches, but they come with a mill finish, are more corrosion resistant, and demand minor or no finish upkeep.
- For places exposed near chemical facilities, coastal regions with many salts in the air, or locations subject to adverse weather conditions, stainless steel hatches are strongly advisable. They are more costly than aluminum or galvanized steel but provide top-level corrosion resistance.
The Takeaway
Roof hatches are a fantastic addition to your building if you consider getting one. However, you can benefit more when you are working with someone who has the knowledge and experience about the in-depth stuff of roof hatches. Consult a licensed professional roofer for the best course of action before making significant decisions.
