The South Pole, NY Air National Guard and Duro-Last® Roofing Systems

By Karen L. Edwards, RCS Editor.

Those are three things that you might not associate with the other, but they do have something roofing-related tying them together.

Captain Jessica Algier, pilot for the 139th Airlift Squadron with the New York National Guard, was recently deployed to provide support to the National Science Foundation’s South Pole research program. She took the “World’s Best Roof®,” also known as Duro-Last, to the South Pole with her and took a photo holding the banner.

You might be wondering why a pilot in the NY Air National Guard would be holding a Duro-Last banner. It’s because she is the wife of Frank Algier, the owner of Vanguard Roofing in Wappinger Falls, New York. They have been a proud Duro-Last contractor for many years. Located in southeastern New York, Vanguard Roofing has served commercial and industrial roofing customers since 1972. It’s obvious that roofing is in the ‘family blood’ since Jessica was recognizing her roofing roots while on her deployment at the South Pole.

In looking at the weather at the South Pole, temperatures as I write this in the early fall are hovering with the highs around 70 – 75 degrees BELOW zero with feels-like temps in the minus triple digits! Brrrrrr. Those are some harsh temperatures to try to stand up to. Thankfully not many places in the US and Canada see those bone-shattering kinds of temperatures, but we do have some areas that drop below zero and bring their share of snow and ice.

Duro-Last offers membranes that can withstand extreme temperatures and their EV membranes is are an excellent choice for cold climates. Duro-Last EV, is a Ketone Ethylene Ester (KEE) containing membrane, offering the same UV resistance, reflectivity and enhanced chemical resistance that Duro-Last is known for. Utilizing DuPont’s™ Elvaloy®, Duro-Last EV roofing membranes are flexible and weldable in low temperatures and perform well in cold, harsh environments. They have been tested and passed the ASTM D4434 requirement at -40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Learn more about this cold-weather solution from the maker of the “World’s Best Roof.”