As an air permeable underlay, Proctor Air has become something of a membrane of choice for heritage roofing projects. It has been installed on one the UK’s largest heritage projects, Manchester Town Hall, as well as on other churches across the country (including St Mary’s Barton in Oxfordshire).
Modern ‘breathable’ membranes offer low vapour resistance, so they allow moisture vapour to pass out of the roof space. An APLR underlay also allows air to pass through it, ensuring air movement in the roof at the same time.
Air movement is essential for preventing potential condensation risk in roof structures, but usually requires ventilation products to be installed at the eaves and/or ridge. This is a problem on heritage projects and listed buildings, as modern ventilation products risk spoiling the traditional appearance.
Internal improvements to the church include installing screens to create a flexible space for education, community and education. The aim is to open the church up to a wider range of users, but that can also put stress on traditional building fabric.
Proctor Air’s performance characteristics help to combat this potential stress. In terms of vapour permeability, it is one of the highest performing membranes available with a vapour resistance of 0.075 MNs/g (or Sd value of 0.015m). And thanks to its air permeability, not only does Proctor Air eliminate the need for ventilation products, it provides a consistent and more uniform air flow than standard ventilation solutions.
Air permeability is particularly useful on a project like St Peter and St Paul Church, where insulation improvements were also made to the roof. New insulation can be installed in the roof to be as effective as possible, without worrying about whether it is blocking eaves vents.
Slate and stone specialists Lagan Building Solutions worked closely with the contractor and architect to ensure every product in the build-up met the necessary performance and aesthetic criteria. Overall, Proctor Air has made it possible to blend tradition and performance in the same roof restoration, supporting the conservation of heritage while making sure that St. Peter and St. Paul Church can serve its community for many more years.
“This project highlights the importance of detail and material choice in heritage restoration. We work closely with architects and contractors to ensure roof build-ups are technically correct, sympathetic to the building, and built to last,” said Henry McKinney – Sales Director, Lagan Building Solutions.
“We’re proud to support skilled teams delivering sensitive restorations with long-lasting results. Supplying the Glendyne slate and Proctor Air system for Bessbrook Church is exactly the kind of sensitive, high-quality work Lagan Building Solutions is committed to supporting.”
Find out more: https://proctorgroup.com/products/proctor-air
