What is considered a roof ??

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ritelec

ritelec

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Someone has that polycarbonate plastic panels overhanging from a building. They decided to enclose that area with 2x4's and plywood, keeping the plastic roof, and want me to wire within the 2x4 with rx or bx as if it were an enclosed addition. I feel it's still outside and should be wired as if it were exterior.

What would be considered a secure weatherproof roof ?
NOT this plastic right ?

Thanks
 
I would not have a problem.

I've seen these clear roof panels used before, as an example. I don't have a problem calling that a roof.

Nothing says a roof must be made of metal, wood, composite, etc.
 

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Thanks for getting back

Wow. That's interesting. Makes sense kind of ??
Let's say you put some piping up and hung blue plastic tarp from Home Depot on it
Is that also a roof then ?
Just wondering ?
 
If the roof panels are securely attached as in Cow's example, then I would call it a roof. A tarp would quickly deteriorate and leak so not a roof in my opinion.

Now you said the walls were 2x4's and plywood. No weatherproof siding materials applied? In that case I would consider it a "damp" area. Obviously, you can't put materials meant for a dry area in a damp area.
 
If you can access that area from outside without opening an exterior door, then I would treat it the same as an open porch. If it can only be accessed by an exterior door, or from inside the building, then in my opinion it's a dry location.
 
To agree with the last two posts...
I don't think the question actually hinges so much on what can be called a roof. It hinges on your judgement of how wet the area is likely to get.
 
Coppersmith said:
If the roof panels are securely attached as in Cow's example, then I would call it a roof. A tarp would quickly deteriorate and leak so not a roof in my opinion.

Now you said the walls were 2x4's and plywood. No weatherproof siding materials applied? In that case I would consider it a "damp" area. Obviously, you can't put materials meant for a dry area in a damp area.
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If the walls are *completely* covered with plywood, the lack of siding isn't really a factor. The plywood can last decades without holing, even with no paint. Now if there are openings making it in effect a porch, then rain and snow can blow in, and it's a damp or even wet location.
 
"The upper most part of a structure. Primarily for protection from rain snow and animals" wikpedia. Because it is not weather tight, consider it to be a damp location and proceed accordingly.
 
Coppersmith said:
If the roof panels are securely attached as in Cow's example, then I would call it a roof. A tarp would quickly deteriorate and leak so not a roof in my opinion.

Now you said the walls were 2x4's and plywood. No weatherproof siding materials applied? In that case I would consider it a "damp" area. Obviously, you can't put materials meant for a dry area in a damp area.
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Would you call the interior of this facility a wet or damp location?
 
Adamjamma said:
if totally enclosed with gaps filled at ends of roof panels and windows and doors installed- dry
if not totally enclosed but plywood is there as windbreak, damp..same as a screened in porch
and as originally built.. wet
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Pretty sure the interior of that was intended to be dry, so everything is closed up. There may be doors, windows or other openings that can let moisture in if left open, but that can happen with more conventional construction as well.
 
basically the way I think of it. A house is considered dry even though the roofing material may fail in a storm... same with an enclosed porch.
A screened porch is more subject to rain damage inside, but once it has glass on it, even if the windows stay open all the time, it becomes a dry location, not damp...
 
Adamjamma said:
basically the way I think of it. A house is considered dry even though the roofing material may fail in a storm... same with an enclosed porch.
A screened porch is more subject to rain damage inside, but once it has glass on it, even if the windows stay open all the time, it becomes a dry location, not damp...
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Correct.
 
Crw16 said:
"The upper most part of a structure. Primarily for protection from rain snow and animals" wikpedia. Because it is not weather tight, consider it to be a damp location and proceed accordingly.
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How is it not weathertight? Ribbed panels, whether of steel, aluminum, Fiberglas, or any plastic, can construct a weathertight roof and/or walls.
 
My garage is 45 YO. Translucent panels, mostly fiberglass. Still the original panels, have patched a few leaks where tree branches (from 150 ft fir tirees) have fallen and holed a panel, otherwise in good shape. Not in direct sun, fir tree shade. 1992 had 100 mph winds, took off one panel on the windward corner.

Dry location. 2" gaps at eaves for any garage fumes to escape.

Dry.

Yep, dry.

P;us. very nice to have a very well lit garage during the daytime for zero power costs :roll::roll:
 
Coppersmith said:
I would consider that a dry location. Note that it's made with a special material designed specifically to be weatherproof and I assume to last a long time without deteriorating. It's not a tarp nor is it bare plywood.
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I think "tarp" is maybe a little too generic of a term, and some may call that clearspan material a tarp, is why I asked. But I agree with you, that material is designed to last a long time and should be considered a permanent weather barrier.
 
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