Service FAQs

Undercover Systems® of the Heartland Under-Deck Ceiling Specifications

 

Undercover Systems® is a modular designed roof system for the underside of decks. This roof/ceiling system consists of individual ceiling panels and integrated guttering that both collect water from the system and also are the support members for the ceiling.

 

DESIGN

Modular components, custom manufactured to deck configuration.

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COLORS & ACCESSORIES

Undercover Systems® comes in 6 beautiful solid colors, 4 wood tones, and 2 finishes: Soft White, Bright White, Tan, Grey, Bronze, Black, Smooth Finish, and Beadboard Finish. It can be installed with a vast selection of accessories, including recessed speakers, can or hanging lights, fans, swings, cameras, and more. 

 

FASTENING

Gutters/supports attached with #8 galvanized screws (on wood) and 3/16 “Tapcon” fasteners (on brick). Gutter bracket supports are installed as required. NO PART OF THIS SYSTEM ATTACHES TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE DECK. WE MAINTAIN A 4 INCH TO 7 INCH SPACE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE DECK AND THE TOP OF OUR CEILING. THIS ASSURES THAT THIS PRODUCT WILL NOT CAUSE ANY HARM TO THE DECK ABOVE.

 

SEALING

Panels are self sealing. Mitered joints and downspout connections are sealed with urethane caulk. The Gutter/support system is sealed to the structure with polyurethane caulk.

 

FRAMING

All wood installed is Pressure Treated. Wood is installed with ACQ and MCQ approved, galvanized fasteners.

 

SLOPE

1/8” per 12” with a minimum of 2” slope from back to front.

 

DOWNSPOUTS

Determined per job; based on square footage and potential for debris entering system.

 

CLEANING

Exposed surface can be cleaned with mild soap and water as needed. Debris can be cleared from ceiling by raising panel over downspout and removing debris around downspout connection. Gutter can then be rinsed with water to remove any remaining debris. See Cleaning Instruction sheet for more information.

 

ACCESS

Ceiling can be disassembled and removed if required.

 

SUBSTRATE

22 gauge, G-90 Galvanized Steel.

 

COATING

Dura Coat high durability polyester paint system = high-performance coating that seal, protect and beautify metals.

 

WARRANTY

Limited lifetime leak and paint warranty. Engineering specifications available upon request.

 

PRICING

Price is based on total area to be covered and complexity of job. Costs will be determined during an onsite visit by Undercover personnel.​

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Limited Lifetime Warranty

 

We will warranty your Undercover Systems® Clearspan Underdeck Roof System for as long as you own your home against paint, substrate, or material failure. This warranty does not cover damage, acts of God or any other Natural Disaster. This is intended to cover defects with material and finish. The workmanship is covered in the first year. Cleaning and other maintenance is not covered. Any leaks outside of our guttering/ceiling system ARE NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF Undercover Systems®, Inc. Damage is defined as, but not limited to, painting, paint stripping, modifications to the ceiling by someone other than Undercover Systems®, bleach, or any caustic substance. Neglect or improper cleaning as outlined in Deck Cleaning and Treatment will void the warranty.

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​What's covered

• Leaks

• Corrosion

• Warping

• Paint Damage

• Substrate or Material Failure

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Not Covered

• Leaks outside of our guttering and ceiling system

• Damage or Natural Disasters or Acts of God

• Modifications to the ceiling performed by someone other than Undercover Systems®

• Damage from Bleach, or any other caustic substance

• Neglect or improper cleaning as outlined in below will void the warranty

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Deck Cleaning and Treatment

 

One of the questions that we are asked quite often is what can I clean my deck with that is safe for my Undercover System? The answer depends on the type of decking material used on your deck.

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You should never use Chlorinated Bleach. Chlorinated Bleach is harmful to plants, not good for metals (painted and unpainted), and unsafe for the environment. Not to mention that continued use of Chlorinated Bleach can cause damage to fasteners, some of which attach your deck to your home. I know that it is easy to pour a little bleach in a bucket, dilute with water and proceed to bleach away, but the long term effects are not worth it.

 

Natural Wood Decks – Sodium Percarbonate is good choice for excellent cleaning properties, safe for plants, humans and the environment.  Oxyclean is this type of product but the sodium percarbonate content is not great enough in some instances to properly clean a wooden deck. Sodium Percarbonate cleaners are available on-line (https://www.restore-a-deck.com/deckcleaning.html) or at a commercial paint supplier. Usually the Big Box Home Stores do not carry this product. They stock deck cleaners that have Chlorinated Bleach as one of the ingredients.

 

Synthetic Decks – We have submitted our metals used on our Undercover Systems® to a company called Corte Clean.  This product is safe for fasteners, the environment and does a good job of cleaning decks and has had no effect on the test samples that we sent them for trial.

Their website is corteclean.com. Tell them that we referred you and they will be very familiar with our company and product.

 

The exposed metal ceiling surface rarely needs to be cleaned but if it becomes dirty, spray with a water hose or low pressure, pressure washer to dampen and remove the debris. If additional cleaning is required, use dish washing detergent and a sponge mop to remove any spots. Rinse after done and dry with towels or blow dry with a leaf blower.

 

One last thing, if you use a pressure washer in conjunction with any of the above, use low pressure so that you do not raise the grain and damage your deck.

 

Cleaning the Inside of your Undercover System - 

Rain will usually keep debris washed out of the ceiling. If you notice a decrease of water exiting the downspouts during a rain, the front gutter may have a build-up. To check this, push the ceiling panel up that is directly over the downspout location and reach in to clear any debris. After the downspouts are cleared, place a hose in the center of the front gutter, between the ceiling and gutter, and allow water to flow and clear the rest of the gutter.​

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Under Deck System FAQs
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WHAT IS AN UNDER DECK SYSTEM?

The under deck itself is exactly what is sounds like, the space underneath your deck. For most people, this is usually the place where lawn equipment, gardening supplies and other clutter is stored. In short, an under deck system is a deck ceiling and deck drainage system that turns that old storage space into a functional outdoor room that can add value to your home.

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WHAT IS THE SYSTEM MADE OF?

Each system is custom designed and manufactured from heavy gauge, galvanized steel.

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WHAT IS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE FOR YOUR SYSTEM, AND HOW IS IT BEING USED?

Most homeowners utilize Undercover Systems® to fully utilize their outdoor home space year round. Our system keeps all water and debris from falling through your deck onto your outdoor décor, hot tubs, etc. The high-quality finish provides a dry and very comfortable area for dining, entertaining, play areas for kids and grandkids, and overall outdoor enjoyment of your home rain or shine. A typical deck size and system installation increase your livable home space. This is also beneficial for the value of your home should you ever sell your home. Our system dramatically improves the exterior views of your home. Some homeowners elect to completely close-in the space underneath their deck once the waterproof finished ceiling is installed.

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HOW DOES YOUR SYSTEM DIFFER FROM OTHERS?

Undercover Systems® has the only patented (Patent number: 6,226,941), engineered, structural under deck ceiling. Our system attaches to the support posts of the deck and to your home. It DOES NOT ATTACH TO THE JOISTS OF THE DECK. Integrated in our Clearspan design, is a clear airspace between the bottom of your deck and the top of our ceiling across the entire system. We maintain a void of between 4 to 7 inches between the bottom of the joists and the top of our system, which allows air to circulate and dry out the entire area. If we were attached to the joists, this would not be possible. We are of the firm belief that attaching metal, plastic, or any other material that catches water and debris to wood, even if the wood is pressure treated, will eventually cause dry rot and premature aging. Special Note: ACQ & MCQ PRESSURE TREATED WOOD AND COMPATABILITY WITH ALUMINUMOver the last few years there has been a proliferation of companies getting into the Underdeck business. It seems that their material of choice is Prepainted Aluminum which is readily available from Gutter Supply Houses and gives those companies a ready source for material. Prior to December 31, 2004 the use of Aluminum in an Underdeck Ceiling was acceptable. However, after that date, the Federal Government mandated that Pressure Treated Lumber no longer be treated with Arsenic as the preservative and instead Copper was to be used as the preservative agent. Those changes were made effective January 1, 2005 and all lumber was replaced at that time. The new specification for Pressure Treated is ACQ which stands for Alkaline Copper Quaternary. This new treatment is much safer for workers and others that may come into contact with Pressure Treated Wood. But there was a downside to the change. Most metals with the exception of Hot Dipped Galvanized, Stainless Steel and Copper will be destroyed when they come into contact with ACQ wood. All fasteners had to be changed as well as any other metal products that are used with ACQ treated wood. I my opinion, it is not a question of whether Aluminum will be undermined by ACQ treated wood, but rather when it will happen.

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HOW LONG DOES THE PROCESS TAKE?

The turn-around time between order and installation is approximately 8-12 weeks. The on-site time is usually 3-5 days. Larger, more complex decks will take longer.

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CAN THIS BE INSTALLED ON MY EXISTING DECK?

Yes! Unlike some other under-deck products, Undercover Systems® can be installed on both new and existing decks. Since product installation takes place entirely underneath the existing deck, no deck boards or any existing deck structure needs to be changed.

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WILL THIS TRAP MOISTURE AGAINST MY DECK, CAUSING THE POTENTIAL FOR IT TO ROT OR BE COMPROMISED?

The ceiling system has a patented design that allows continuous airflow between the ceiling and deck wood ensuring it will not compromise the health of the deck by trapping moisture, humidity, or pools of water against the wood structure of the deck.

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CAN I ENCLOSE MY SPACE TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE LIVABLE?

Yes! The area under the deck can be enclosed to provide additional uses for the space such as screened in porches or fully framed enclosures.

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WHAT SORT OF ACCESSORIES DO YOU OFFER?

We can add all sort of accessories to your new under-deck living space including ceiling fans, recessed lighting, outdoor heaters, speakers and more. Contact a member of our team to learn more about how we can transform your space.

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WHAT COLORS DO YOU HAVE?

We offer soft white, bright white, tan, bronze, light gray, black, and four 3-D printed wood looks. All of our colors are low gloss Polyester finishes.

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CAN I INSTALL THE CEILINGS MYSELF?

No – Undercover Systems® warranties the product for life, and therefore must have our certified installers perform the installation. The value of the product is really in the product itself, as typical installations are usually 3 to 5 working days. Our installers complete a rigorous training procedure and are certified prior to being allowed to install our Clearspan System. All of our installers are employees of Undercover Systems®. We do not use Sub-contractors.

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CAN YOUR CEILING BE CLEANED AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THE DEBRIS?

Our ceiling and gutter system is extremely low maintenance, however is still very accessible to the home owner. Due to our Clearspan design, most debris will collect in the front gutter and wash out of the downspouts. If you see or think there is a clog, the first notice of this will be debris in the gutter opening to the downspout. Simply push up the panel over the downspout and check the opening. If it is clear, lower the panel and check again in a few months. If the opening is clogged, clear the debris from each downspout opening and place a garden hose in the center of the gutter to flush any remaining debris. Also, you can contact us directly and we will have a Trained Installer come to your home and inspect your system.

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CAN THE CLEARSPAN SYSTEM CEILING BE REMOVED?

Yes, and this is an important feature. We have removed our ceiling so that decks can be repaired or changed structurally and reinstalled without any loss of material. The homeowner simply removes the panels themselves, or asks UCS to remove and reinstall the system. We have seen other products that have to be removed and scrapped because they cannot be reinstalled. (Remember other systems install on the joists of the deck with screws or nails, which renders them worthless if they have to be removed).

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WHAT DOES AN UNDERCOVER SYSTEM COST?

The cost is based off of square footage and therefore different for each deck. The under deck system can be installed to any new or existing deck. When an under deck system is added, the homeowner is gaining outdoor space that will add value to your home. 

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WILL AN OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE INCREASE MY HOME VALUE?

Since this product is brand new to the Midwest, we cannot put a number on the value it adds to your home. However, in areas where this product is already installed, their home value can increase by as much as 20% when adding an outdoor living space. The space can now be used year round, and it will stay dry and comfortable. 

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WHAT IS YOUR WARRANTY?

We will cover your Undercover Systems® against leaks and paint failure for as long as you own your home. See Warranty above for specifics. The Undercover Systems® roof is beautiful, strong and unique. No other under deck roof system is like it. We patented the system to prevent imitations. Our materials and processes are superior. Our installers receive extensive training and are employees, not sub-contractors. Our warranty guarantees you years of satisfaction while you own your home.

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HOW LONG CAN AN UNDER DECK LAST?

An under deck will last a homeowner a lifetime. Undercover Systems® provides a warranty that is good as long as you own your home. Our competitors can't offer this warranty. 

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WHAT IS YOUR SERVICE AREA?

We service South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota.