There are a lot of factors that dictate how a skylight roofing material behaves and how long it will last; factors like geographical locations, weather conditions, material differences. This is why you may notice why a tropical country may favor one roofing material over other countries who are not. Regardless of the material, all skylight roofing is affected by temperature changes, so proper care and maintenance is needed for it to perform to its optimum condition.
What is thermal expansion?
Thermal expansion is the response of a material to a drastic change in temperature. In low temperatures, the material shrinks. In high temperatures, it expands. The continuous cycle of expanding and shrinking causes the material to lose flexibility, and accrue damage. These changes, albeit fractional, can cause significant damage to the material if the design and construction does not allow for the expansion and contraction of components. This is crucial in designing for structures and using materials that are affected by thermal expansion.
What does it do to polycarbonate sheets?
Temperature fluctuations cause a toll to the life of the roof. You may notice your roof having loose seams and signs of deterioration. It may also cause cracks on the sheets, especially the areas near the tek screws. This is because rigid fixation of the screws on the sheets leave no room for the sheet to contract and expand when temperature changes. If left unattended, it causes the sheet to weaken, leading to a more costly repair.
What can I do to protect my roof from the effects of thermal expansion?
The installation process significantly affects the behavior of the polycarbonate sheet to thermal expansion. Since this phenomena is inevitable, preparing for it is the best option. Refer to the process of installation, most likely provided to you by your polycarbonate supplier. During installation, polycarbonate sheets must be installed loosely rather than too tightly within the profiles, so that the material has a “room to breathe” in case of temperature changes. Pre-drill the holes 50% larger than the screw diameter to allow for thermal expansion. This will keep the sheet from cracking.
Regularly inspect and repair your roof when necessary. Look for signs that could tell you that the roof is damaged by thermal expansion. You may see hairline fractures, which indicate that the material has experienced thermal expansion.
When you buy polycarbonate sheets, your polycarbonate supplier will provide you with a list of installation instructions that you read and take note of, to take care of the material properly. This is the reason why a trusted polycarbonate supplier is a must. Duralon offers different types of polycarbonate, including solid polycarbonate sheet, twin wall polycarbonate, corrugated, and embossed and corrugated polycarbonate sheet. Duralon polycarbonates are available in all Polylite stores nationwide. You can find the list of the stores here. You can also refer to the polycarbonate sheet price on the website.