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Why Metal Buildings Often Have Excessive Negative Pressure Challenges
In Part 1 of this Excessive Negative Pressure series, we define Excessive Negative Pressure in buildings. In Part 2, we will discuss why excessive negative pressure issues are frequently a challenge in metal buildings.
Over Standard’s 70-plus years of providing commercial roofing and building envelope maintenance solutions for our customers, our experience has shown excessive negative pressure can be more burdensome in metal buildings than in buildings built using more conventional construction methods.
For the most part, metal buildings can be constructed more cheaply and rapidly than conventional masonry, wood frames or buildings with insulated siding. Once site work is complete and the concrete slab is in place, metal building construction moves quickly. However, if the building contractor is not fully familiar with all aspects of fully or partially climate-controlled metal building construction, the building designer does not have the experience to design a properly functioning and optimized HVAC system or does not have the time to fully oversee and vet any potential ventilation issues during construction, serious problems can be “built-in” to metal buildings. Common conditions for leaks in metal buildings with excessive negative pressure are skylight curbs, roof penetrations and flashing locations. But leaks can also often be found in the roof eaves and even in metal wall panels.
In Part 3 of this series, we discuss strategies for solving excessive negative building pressure.
If you have any questions or comments, please email me, Pete Taylor, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Standard, at: ptaylor@standardexteriorsolutions.com.