The push for maintenance-free attachments

By Jesse Sanchez 

How eliminating compression seals is changing the game for rooftop equipment installation. 

Joel Stanley, founder of Anchor Products, is challenging the roofing industry to rethink how rooftop equipment is installed and more importantly, how it stays secure. In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Joel joins host Heidi J. Ellsworth for a revealing conversation about the often-overlooked risks of traditional equipment attachment systems and how innovation is paving a safer path forward. While most discussions about rooftop attachments center on strength or ease of installation, Joel highlights a far more critical concern: long-term maintenance. 

“I needed to design a product that didn’t require maintenance,” Joel said. “It couldn’t include any sealants, it couldn’t include any re-tightening of bolts or of nuts or things like that over time.” As rooftop equipment like HVAC units, satellite dishes and communication systems grow more complex and widespread, the risks of equipment movement and the damage it can cause to roof membranes are increasing. 

That kind of real-world thinking is what drives Anchor Products and its U-Anchor system, which eliminates the need for maintenance-prone seals while meeting the high standards of major roofing manufacturers. As Joel explains, U-Anchor integrates directly into the existing roofing assembly, becoming “a component of the roof system,” rather than an external overburden. 

“Everybody else today has a compression seal,” Joel said. “I don’t see how a compression seal can be effective. You have to maintain that seal, you have vibration of the roof, you have vibration of the equipment, which is going to loosen nuts or bolts.” For Joel, whose experience spans decades in hands-on roofing work and product engineering, these aren’t hypothetical risks. The consequences of a failed attachment system can be catastrophic, not just for the roof but for critical infrastructure underneath. 

With codes now requiring rooftop equipment to be “bolted, welded or otherwise positively fastened,” Joel says it’s time contractors and facility managers adopt smarter, low-maintenance solutions that won't compromise roof integrity over time. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how Anchor Products is solving rooftop attachment challenges and why compression-free designs may be the future!