Modern methods of supporting rooftop plant

Modern, non-invasive roof plant support systems offer huge benefits over traditional methods like concrete plinths or brick piers. These traditional methods often require extra waterproofing layers, long curing times, and a multitude of trades on site. These issues add time to the build and can affect the delivery of the installation. There are also additional risks over time such as settling water leading to leaks and other issues. Costly replacements could be required causing headaches for the building owner.

Modern lightweight solutions make installation easier

Since the introduction of modern roof plant support systems in the 1990’s, contractors, specifiers and consultants are realising that these lightweight solutions negate many of the traditional problems. They provide greater flexibility whilst reducing unnecessary risk of delays to the project programme.

Modern systems manage the imposed loading down through their polypropylene, plastic or rubber mounts which can be square, rectangular or round. These mounts sit directly on the finished waterproofing layer or on a rubber mat which provides extra protection for the roof membrane.

Simple and effective roof plant support systems

Much of the appeal of these new solutions is in their simplicity. They are lightweight and non-penetrating so can be manually positioned at the last minute, without being set within a pre-determined location dictated early on in the project works. The adjustable and flexible nature of these systems means they are easy to install and adjust to the individual needs of the installation. They are much more reliable for keeping the integrity of the roof membrane intact – no cutting through the membrane causing potentially problematic thermal deficiencies and leakages.

For supporting lightweight cable trays to the heaviest plant – modern systems can do the lot! There are products available robust enough to manage the heaviest building services such as large chillers and packaged plant rooms effortlessly.

Considerations when using modern rooftop support systems

We’ve created a handy checklist of things you should consider when installing rooftop plant and using the modern support solutions. Making sure you select the right products and take into account all of the environmental factors, e.g. wind and load calculations, are vital to the success of the installation. These days the product manufacturers provide technical support alongside their product solutions in order to provide all the necessary support, calculations and bespoke designs required for effective installations.

For tailored advice you can email our technical support team and ask for a call back at [email protected] or submit an enquiry here.