Structures throughout the expansive state of Montana take a beating year-round. Harsh, sub-zero winters with heavy snowfall and brutal winds, then blazing-hot summers with periodic heavy rains wreak havoc on roofs throughout the state.
Montana’s weather batters both residential and commercial roofs alike, including the quaint Locomotive Inn. Located in Laurel, Montana, 15 miles west of Billings, this railway-themed hotel offers 68 comfortable rooms and amenities for business and recreational travelers passing through the eastern portion of this expansive state.
The building was originally built in 1978, and it’s 10-year-old asphalt roof suffered from a serious ice dam problem. Repetitive freezing and thawing cycles during long winters destroyed the roof’s integrity, resulting in multiple leaks in the building’s ceiling and walls.
To replace its failing roof, the owners of Locomotive Inn called Raintraxx. Owned and operated by Leland Wells, a third-generation veteran of the Billings-area building industry, Raintraxx has a well-established, five-star reputation for high-quality residential and commercial roof installations throughout the region.
For this roof, Raintraxx recommended high-value Premier shingles from PABCO Roofing Products. Manufactured to provide dependable, long-term protection, the popular Premier laminated shingles in the earthy-brown Oakwood color were the right choice for the Locomotive Inn and its natural surroundings. In addition to an attractive design, Premier shingles also include a 30-year limited lifetime warranty, Class A fire resistance, and a wind warranty up to 130 mph.
“For asphalt shingles and roofs in Montana to last, they have to be engineered to handle temperature extremes,” says Leland Wells, president of Raintraxx. “The Locomotive Inn will definitely benefit from quality of its new roof, and the shingle design and color is a perfect match for the impressive Montana backdrop.”
Installing the New Roof
A total of 150 squares of PABCO Roofing Premier shingles were used for the job. Raintraxx needed 85 new sheets of plywood to replace the damaged decking underneath the existing roof. Four rows of ice and water shield were installed — twice the amount required by local building codes — to protect the structure from Montana’s harsh winters. Twenty-five squares of TPO were needed for the building’s flat roof section. The job took five days to complete in April of this year: three days for the tear-off and installation of the asphalt shingle roof, and an additional two days for replacing and repairing the flat roof section.
One complicating factor was the inn was open for business throughout the project. Raintraxx staff took great care to keep debris and project materials safely out of the way of guest traffic and business operations. Seven loads of old roofing material were removed, all choreographed to minimize interference with guest traffic.
Pacific Supply in Billings boomed ten pallets to the second story of the Locomotive Inn in just two hours, using an oversized crew of 15 to minimize traffic blockage. Raintraxx also moved all of its equipment offsite each night so the inn’s guests had full access to the parking lot.
“We absolutely love working on heritage style structures in the Billings area because they’re part of our history and add color to the community,” notes Leland. “The Locomotive Inn was very typical of commercial projects in the Billings area with a lot of wear, tear, and damage from years of Montana winters.”
“The Raintraxx team was incredible, completing the project on time and on budget and doing it without disturbing our guests,” says Lisa Pelican, owner of the Locomotive Inn. “The workmanship and quality of the PABCO shingles makes us confident the new roof will look great and last for years.”
TEAM
Roofing Contractor: Raintraxx, Billings, Montana, raintraxx.com
MATERIALS
Shingles: Premier Laminated Fiberglass Shingles, PABCO Roofing Products, pabcoroofing.com
Ice and Water Shield: Polystick IR-Xe, polyglass.us
Underlayment: SecureGrip 25 Synthetic Underlayment, Continental Materials Corp., continentalmaterials.com
TPO: GAF 60-mil TPO, gaf.com
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