Choosing what type of roof hatch you will purchase for your establishment might be a difficult decision. Roof hatches are an essential part of your establishment because this product will allow your maintenance crew easy access whenever your roof needs repairs or checkups. Thus, you must thoroughly deliberate the quality and type of roof hatch you want to purchase.
The roof access hatch usually contains horizontal doors covering roof openings and providing easy access using an interior ladder, service stairs, or ship stairs. The size and type of a structure usually determine the method of egress required. This article will lay out all the essential information about roof hatches to help you make the right choice.
Figuring Out Your Roof Hatch's Purpose
Determining who will use a hatch to gain access to the roof or serve as an entry for large types of equipment can help choose the hatch size required. You can often specify a small, single-cover model in conjunction with a fixed ladder, ship, or service stair if a hatch is for personnel access only.
The frequency and reason to access the roof area can also impact the hatch size. One good example is how a larger hatch with a ship or service stair will enable workers to carry extensive tools to the roof for service purposes. It is essential to contact the roof hatch manufacturer to verify the hatch's hardware locations and clear opening.
Retrofit Vs. New Applications
Commonly, establishment owners purchase roof hatches for installment on a new roof, while some applications also need replacing an old or worn-out hatch. If you want a low-profile replacement hatch, This is perfect for retrofit applications. These hatches can cap over an old hatch curb without the need to replace your roofing material. The low-profile curb can be mounted directly to the existing curb if you remove the old hatch cover.
Facility Type
The facility where professionals install the hatch can also initiate choosing the type of roof hatch they desire. High-security applications, storage facilities, highly corrosive settings, or projects requiring special aesthetic considerations will require roof hatches that address the needs of these specific environments.
High-security environments such as prisons, pharmacies, banks, and embassies require highly secured entry and exit points, including roof openings against unauthorized access. Because of this, hatches can be manufactured from heavier gauge materials and modified with several modifications for enhanced security. You can include options such as gun ports, bullet-resistant view windows, and deadlocks.
Suppose you have highly corrosive environments like chemical plants or in areas with extreme weather conditions. For the highest level of corrosion resistance, your roof hatches should have aluminum or stainless steel material. Copper roof hatches can match the aesthetics of heritage projects and for buildings located in historic districts.
Cost
The cost of roof hatches will also vary depending on their material. You can specify hatches made of galvanized steel from a cost perspective. They provide a primary degree of corrosion resistance and are usually with a primer paint finish. If you want a more expensive option than galvanized steel, then aluminum hatches are your next option. This material is commonly supplied with a mill finish and requires only a little or no maintenance. Stainless steel and copper products are the most expensive material. Hatches fabricated to meet particular size requirements generally carry a price premium.
High-Quality Roof Hatches
Contractors should also consider common design elements to select a hatch that will provide a safe means of rooftop access. These factors include energy efficiency, ease of operation, and weather-tightness. A high-quality roof hatch will help sustain efficiency in an establishment, so choose a roof hatch with welded corners with full insulation in both the curb and cover. Many hatch manufacturers also offer insulation options if you want a more enhanced thermal performance.
Custom Sizes
If all the sizes do not fit your preference, some manufacturers can customize their products without compromising the quality or performance. Roof hatches can also be supplied with curb liners or fully enclosed curbs if you want to install them on existing ones. You can also customize curbs so that they can be installed directly on standing-seam metal roof panels. It will allow the hatch to sit straight on a metal roof without a job-built curb or built with louvers into the curb to provide continuous ventilation into your establishment.
Your manufacturers can offer interior and exterior padlock hasps for standard roof hatches as an access control feature. If you want more enhanced security, you can design hatches to include keyed cylinder locks or contact switches that you can wire into a building's alarm system control panel.
Knowing the different factors in choosing the proper roof hatch for your establishment is vital to keep the security and maintain the quality of your roof. You can easily monitor your roof's quality and provide easy access to any needs with roof hatches. When purchasing a roof hatch, make sure you communicate thoroughly with your manufacturer so they can assist you in finding the ideal one for your establishment.
