Rain Noise: Acoustic Tests on Terne-Coated Stainless-Steel Roofing
Author(s): Roberts Consulting
Where lead or copper has been stolen from a roof, we recognise that it may be unwise to replace it like-for-like. Historic England has found that, in many cases, terne-coated stainless steel (TCSS) is an appropriate alternative material. It is a good colour match for lead and can be installed with similar detailing, such as timber batten rolls, which minimises the impact on the significance of the building. Furthermore, it is durable and, therefore, cost-effective in the long run. TCSS is unlikely to be stolen because it is of little scrap value. However, in some churches where TCSS has been installed recently, there have been reports that the noise of rain drumming on the new roof seems louder than on the previous lead roof. To investigate these concerns, Historic England commissioned laboratory testing to compare simulated rain noise on a lead roof and various TCSS roof assemblies (standing seam, batten roll joints and batten roll joints with two different proprietary sound insulation materials). This report presents an analysis of the data recorded. The results confirmed that the TCSS roof assemblies tested transmitted more noise from simulated rainfall than the traditional lead roof test panel. However, noise levels were lower when joints in the TCSS roof covering were made with a traditional batten roll detail than when they were made with a standing seam. There was further noise reduction when proprietary sound insulation products were installed beneath the TCSS. We have updated our guidance on Church Roof Replacement Using Terne-coated Stainless Steel to reflect these results. It is important to remember that the results obtained are comparative and relate to laboratory conditions; they are not necessarily representative of the actual noise that would be experienced inside a building. Factors such as the shape of the building, surface finishes and occupancy will all have an effect on the levels of noise experienced by building users. To obtain more realistic data, Historic England plans to carry out site monitoring in a selection of lead-roofed and TCSS-roofed churches to record noise levels under different conditions.
- Report Number:
- 55/2021
- Series:
- Research Report
- Pages:
- 37
- Keywords:
- Modern Standing Building Standing Structure
