With hurricane season coming into full swing, most property and facility managers and condo/HOA boards in Florida have one eye on the news hoping that another 2013 hurricane season is not upon us. Rather than wait until a storm is on the radar and there is little to no time to prepare, now is the perfect time for managers and board members to think about their roofs. Let’s examine the weaknesses in roofs during hurricane conditions and outline the necessary steps to prevent severe damage in the future.
The Causes Of Roof Failure
Installation practices are often the reason that roofs do not perform. Failure of roofing systems usually results from vulnerability at the perimeter and punctures and tears from debris. The attachment to the deck most likely cannot resist the loads created when the perimeter securement fails, which leads to progressive loss of membrane coverage. If you can’t hold the edge down, no matter what kind of roof you have, the whole thing is going to come down. We have seen the issue of fastener corrosion over and over again. When high speed winds enters buildings through these spaces, roofs are compromised.
Preparation 2013
Careful installation practices can make a significant difference in a roof's hurricane preparedness. Nearly 95% of roof failures are caused by poor workmanship and substituted materials. Nearly 95% of roof failures are caused by poor workmanship and substituted materials. We've seen, on occasion, nails from local hardware stores used in place of proper fasteners. The question you should ask yourself now is this: "Is my roofing system prepared for a hurricane?"
The Good News
If you’re unsure or have doubts, you really should call a roofing professional to come and perform a comprehensive inspection. Best Roofing offers free inspections and reviews for all our clients and will provide you documentation about that status of your system. We’ll help you document a dry roofing system which will aid you with your insurance company should a roof become damaged during a storm. Our technicians will review the roof assembly, assure that all the rooftop units are secured and there are no weak spots in the system. We’ll identify missing fasteners, voids and punctures and much more so you can know your system is ready. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
