Ceilings- Why?

[Earl Weiss]

OK, in some parts of the country there are lots of weather extremes 100 degree + or 10 degrees -. There you may have ceilings and doors for warmth or celings to keep people out of the sun. But for most of the country ceilings would seem unneccessary. So, why do SS bays always seem to have them. All you really need is a center beam to carry the trough and hold the main boom.

An advantage to not having the ceilings is to let the sun light the bays and you could put poles at the dividing walls to hold lights for both the bays and the lot. Or permeter lights with high poles would provide lights as well. So, why do bays always seem to have ceilings?

 

[mac]

Good question. My guess is that no one has asked this before. One reason for them would be to provide structural integrity for the walls. I could see an unsupported wall blowing over in a strong storm.

 

[MEP001]

The sunlight shining on the car and making the soap dry before it can be rinsed off is about the only reason I can think of to have a ceiling.

 

[captain cw]

Do you mean a roof? I have a gabled roof over my bays with no ceiling. I have a suspended I beam on it's side for support and it is also the trough for hoses. You need a roof. It's illegal in most places to not have a roof over the pits if they are going into the city sewer. They don't want rain water in the gray water sewer, which is different than the storm sewer. I also made my bays extra tall and have suspended metal halide fixtures. Plenty of light in the night or day.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Stopping rain water from entering the sanitary sewer system could indeed be a reason. Structural integrity another, but I thik this could be solved with simpler / cheaper methods such as beams at each end as well.

Ro0f / ceiling? Depends if you are below, looking up, or above looking down.

 

[captain cw]

Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but they are two different things. One keeps the rain off of you and the other keeps you separated from the attic. Many car washes are built with a gabled roof and a ceiling made out of corrugated steel or vinyl soffit material attached to the bottom of the trusses.

 

[MEP001]

Our "ceiling" is roof steel screwed to the bottom of the purlins. It provides no structural support at all - it's only there to block sunlight and rain from the bays.

Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but they are two different things.

They are not two different things if one sheet of material is performing both functions.

 

[captain cw]

Wow. I truly am sorry. I was just trying to understand if we were talking about a standing seam open roof (gable style with no drop down ceiling or trusses) or a canopy style (gas station style) roof. Please, by all means, call it whatever you want.

 

[Waxman]

My Kirby building utilizes the roof skin as the ceiling. Bracing provides support for booms and trough.

 

[Tom Thumb]

Being located in sunny Florida the ceiling does provide the customer with away to get out of the sun, and we have found that by having a ceiling it creates a tunnel like effect and allows us to have a constant breeze though the bays. Most hot and humid days the breeze can be a real relief, especially while they are spending money.

 

[Earl Weiss]

So, my "guess" seems correct so far. Sun protection can be useful in some climates, but it does not need to be "Structural" . Cold protection in severe climates if doors are used. Roof as a Design element again need not be structural, and it seems like facia treatments could work equaly as well. Structural / wall stability possibly but it would seem otyher alternatives would work. Idiotic codes. Definite maybe. A local contractor told me Chicago requires 3 inch insyulation on top of the precast beofre the membrane goes on.

So, except for extreme climates and silly codes it would seem no roof could provide advantages vis a vis cost savings and lighting options.

 

[mike_d]

The "new" boom systems offering 360 degree rotation for all bay services are "ceiling" mounted. Obviously, a support frame could be substituted for the ceiling. My experience in "testing" these systems as a customer is great ease of use and functionality v. 180 degree wall boom setups.

Photos of European self service bays show translucent materials used for roofs/ceilings (one layer covering bay) in a presumably different climate, culture and regulation environment.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The "new" boom systems offering 360 degree rotation for all bay services are "ceiling" mounted. .

Well, since you need a center beam for your trough anyway, the underside would be the mount for the Boom. You don't need to cover the entire ceiling for this.

 

[mike_d]

Earl,

First of all, I comletely agree with your original ceiling premise - Why?

I just wanted to point out that plans for supporting an array of multiple "topply supported" booms (sounds like the patent office - trying avoid that ceiling word) be considered. For example, if a four boom setup is contemplated this would involve a possible 4 by 4 foot (nominal) support area or framing.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Earl,

For example, if a four boom setup is contemplated this would involve a possible 4 by 4 foot (nominal) support area or framing.

Never seen a place with 4 ceiling booms. Any photos around?

I think the most I have seen was one ceiling and 4 wall mounts.

 

[mike_d]

Yes Sir!

There are lots of four 360 boom arrays in service.

I'll work with Bill to get a photo posted.

 

[soapy]

I know on my washes that the steel ceiling perlins are required for structural integrity of the building. Earth quake codes are the reason. I have seen many washes built with a open end bay that has no roof. Most people who have one say they would never do it again. Lisa Lyons has a wash in So. Cal that has 4 ceiling booms per bay.

 

[pitzerwm]

I can't see an open bay, for the same reason that we all send money for a covering over the vacs. Shade!! and in some places bird poop.

 

[pitzerwm]

Compliments to Mike Doyle, Blasto Dry

 

[robert roman]

A roof helps the building fit-in with the character of the surrounding development.

What business person or homeowner would like to see a roof-less building placed next to their property?

Who does more business; Sonny's barbeque rest. or the guy across the street with a homemade smoker selling pulled pork under the canopy of a closed down gas station?