Buchanan Company, Inc.
Western States Distributor      Phone: 1-626-331-3014  Extn. 229
PUBLICATIONS: TRASH CHUTES

Roofer Magazine - July 1997 Issue (Pages 36 & 37) - Written by Benjamin Anson, V.P. Superchute®

The use of a chute prevents damage to windows, cars and people.
  a safe dumping station. At the ground level airborne dust is reduced, and nails, shingles, and gravel aren't strewn across the lawn or parking lot. The risk of injuries, damaged cars, and broken windows is lessened. Aside from its functional value, a trash chute inspires confidence in the roofer's work. Its presence on site helps project a professional approach.
 
STEEL VS. PLASTIC
....Up until 10 years ago chutes were made of steel. Steel chutes were heavy, lacked a linking system, and were awkward to install. The plastic chute is much lighter, is equipped with a proper linking system, and can be easily installed by the contractor himself.

....Modern plastics enable manufacturers to offer plastic chutes of tremendous strength, while their weight and cost is a fraction that of the older steel chutes. The plastic is treated to withstand cold, heat, sunlight,and is incredibly resistant to abrasion. It can handle all debris types: BUR, membranes, insulation, bricks and rubble.
Getting rooftop debris into the container presents special difficulties for roofers. Consider the choices available: Debris can be thrown from the roof, lowered in a bucket, or placed in a trash chute.
buckets is an unattractive option as it greatly slows the pace of the job. Could a trash chute be a sensible option?
 
BENEFITS OF A TRASH CHUTE
....With a trash chute, debris removal is a safer, cleaner and quicker operation. The falling debris is contained in a tube all the way to the container. At roof level the mouth of thechute provides
 
DESIGN OF THE CHUTE
....A plastic chute system consists of slightly tapered, modular sections, generally 4 ft high and 30 inches in diameter. Sections are combined to achieve the required length (which could be anywhere from 10 ft to 200 ft). Each section is equipped with wire cables for linking one section to the next.
....Some designs incorporate a
....If your employees jettison debris from the roof edge, then expect scattered debris, clouds of dust and, disgruntled neighbors. Lowering and raiding debris
 

 

Chute emptying into dumpster.
Engineered chute hoist for lifting & anchoring the chute.
Chute on a commercial site emptying into containers.
clasp to allow the section to be opened and stacked, like sheets of plywood. The lay-flat design accommodates job-to-job transport and storage needs. It is the preferred design of roofers who use pick-up trucks to transport materials. If the chute section has no clasp, then it is a permanent tube. As a more voluminous section, the permanent tube is less desirable for meeting storage and transport needs.
....The cost of a chute system ranges from $75 to $200 per section depending on the quality and thickness of the plastic wall.Some companies will stamp your company name into every section, to advertise your firm and deter theft.
 
Installation
....A small but typical plastic chute system, 30 ft in length, weighs approximately 350 lb. Because the total weight of even a small chute system is substantial, proper installation is essential.
....There are two aspects to installing a chute system: Lifting it, and anchoring it. Lifting the chute is the easy part. Anchoring can present difficulties as roofs often lack built-in anchors or structural members that can be used as anchors. For this reason, chute systems are best installed using the manufacturer's chute hoist.
....A properly designed chute hoist is able to lift the chute & anchor it in place. As well, the chute hoist should facilitate the emptying of wheelbarrows, rubble buckets, and loaders. Chute hoists generally use a manual winch box, which is fast enough for chute installation. They anchor the chute using counter weights, or expansion anchors. Always check that the chute hoist you purchase is engineered, and has ample capacity for the heights you work at.
....There are various models of chute hoist available. Some lift and anchor 20 ft of chute, while others can lift and anchor up to 200 ft of
chute. The cost of a chute hoist reflects the quality of its design, construction, and the amount of chute it can lift. A chute hoist capable of supporting 30ft of chute will cost approx. $1000. The larger chute hoists (200 ft capacity) cost approx. $10,000.
....Alternatively, the chute can be lifted with a crane or a material hoist, and affixed to structural members of the building. Do not use parapet clamps to anchor your chute: Parapets were never designed to support heavy loads, and their strength can vary greatly from one building to another. Trash chute systems are rapidly becoming a part of the roofer's toolbox. The trash chute speeds the roofer's work and keeps the job site clean. Trash chutes are one more way in which roofers can use a new tool to obtain a competitive edge. RM
 
Benjamin Anson, is vice president of Superchute®.
Top hopper section
(mouth of chute)
Lay-flat chute with clasp open Lay-flat chute with clasp closed

 

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