Flat Roof Parapet Wall Height

The sprawling flat roofs of commercial buildings frequently support a variety of objects large and small including ac units roof vents plumbing stack vents boiler flues exhaust fan vents skylights solar panels and electrical conduit.

Flat roof parapet wall height.

Minimum of 12 to top of parapet. Height of roofing at wall. Where the roof slopes toward a parapet at a slope greater than two units vertical in 12 units horizontal 16 7 percent slope the parapet shall extend to the same height as any portion of the roof within a fire separation distance where protection of wall openings is required but in no case shall the height be less than 30 inches 762 mm. The height of the parapet shall be not less than 30 inches 762 mm above the point where the roof surface and the wall intersect.

Courtesy of max baker and the national research council of canada. There are several solutions to help you raise the height of your parapet that are cost effective and aesthetically pleasing. I do not know of any minimums for the height of a parapet only good design and use of quality roofing flashing etc. If you didn t get it right you concentrated the stresses at roof edges and you could suck in a parapet or tear or rip a membrane at the parapet photographs 3 and 4.

Top of parapet below cap to be sealed with fluid applied flashing. Unfortunately many buildings get close to this height without quite meeting the height required by osha to provide fall protection. Roof membrane temperatures ottawa canada summer day. In order for a roof parapet to provide adequate fall protection a roof parapet railing should be at least 42 in height.

If a parapet wall is a minimum of 30 high and the height plus the width of the wall is a least 48 then it was determined that the fall hazard was removed and this was a compliant method to protect construction employees. The parapet itself is standard wood framing with an applied siding in this case t g 1 4 cedar. The parapet height may have to have a minimum height if it is part of a fire rated assembly between units depending upon the use and classification of the structure. At the highest point of the sloped roof the parapet is about 10 tall at the lowest point the parapet is about 14 tall.

Do not lap tpo over top of parapet unless required by unique construction conditions.