Replacing Wood Sleepers on a Low-Slope Roof

This low-slope TPO roof on a public-school building in Michigan shows the flaws of using wood sleepers and the advantages of Solar / HVAC KnuckleHeads for pipe supports.

Loose-laid sleepers are subject to movement, over time causing pipes to bend and contort. In addition, the wood will deteriorate and rot from weathering and biological attack. In some cases, the rotting wood allows screws to loosen causing brackets to detach so that they can no longer hold pipes in place.

This project involved replacing the sleepers with three types of KnuckleHeads. Heavy Pipe KnuckleHeads were used to support gas lines (black pipes). Strut Supports and Lite Pipe Supports were used for electrical conduit (light grey pipes), which powered multiple HVAC systems. Dual conduit lines were supported by aluminum channel set in Strut Supports while Lite Pipe Supports were used for elevating single lines.

Before:

1 - Electrical conduit and gas pipe supported on deteriorating wood sleepers

2 - The wood will deteriorate and rot from weathering and biological attack

3 - Electrical conduit and gas pipe supported on deteriorating wood sleepers

4 - Removing wood sleepers before the KnuckleHead installation

After:

1 - Conduit placed on aging sleepers replaced with aluminum channel supported by strut KnuckleHeads

2 - Heavy Pipe Supports elevate gaslines

3 – Completing the job

4 - Lite Pipe KnuckleHead supports single conduit pipeline

5 - Lite Pipe KnuckleHead with KnuckleCap keep the pipe safely in place

6 - Installing Heavy Pipe KnuckleHead and KnuckleStrap

Learn more about KnuckleHeads.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared on GREEN LINK Engineering’s website and can be viewed here.