Hurricane Season 2020
As of September 4th, there have been a total of 16 named storms in this year’s Atlantic hurricane season — and September is historically the most active month. Now more than ever, it’s important to prepare for (or respond to) any damage to your roofing system. Being prepared and having a response plan can make or break your business:
FEMA has a lot of great materials available on their website, to help with both personal preparedness and business preparedness. They even released a “Ready Business Hurricane Toolkit” to make sure your business can weather the storm. Getting your roof ready to weather whatever comes your way is critical — waiting until you see a storm heading at you could be too late. If you need a roofing contractor’s help to prepare, they may not be available once a storm is imminent.
For all roof systems, FEMA recommends consulting a professional engineer on whether or not the roof can withstand the expected wind loads, provide uplift resistance, and prevent water intrusion. This includes the different features that define the roof, including slope, structure, covering, and attachments, such as:
Roof-to-Wall Connections
Roof Structure
Roof Decking/Sealant
Roof Covering
Roof Flashing
Vents
Before The Storm
A qualified roofing contractor can be a valuable asset in preparing your roof. Having a contractor prepare the roof usually gets your business on a priority list for response after the storm.
If you contact us before a storm arrives, we’ll dispatch one of our roofing experts to inspect your roof in-person, and make any recommendations to help prepare for the storm.
There are also some simple things you can do ahead of time, that could mean the difference between your facility surviving the storm with minimal issues, or having catastrophic damage that closes your business for days or weeks.
If you have someone in-house that’s qualified to be on the roof, we recommend that you:
Inspect the roof. Repair any obvious deficiencies that could let in air or water.
Inspect the roof drains, scuppers or gutters. Make sure they are clean and free flowing. A tropical storm or hurricane can dump a tremendous amount of rain. Making sure the water can get off the roof quickly can prevent deck damage or even roof collapse.
Make sure that equipment mounted on roof curbs has a fastener in every hole that the unit manufacturer provides. One fastener on each side is insufficient to keep the unit attached to the curb in high winds. If a 2’x2’ roof top unit blows off the curb you will have a 4 square foot hole in your roof for the duration of the storm. This has happened to far too many building owners. Their roof and building held up well but the inside of the building was flooded because the unit attachment failed.
Install hurricane straps on all roof top units. Securing a metal piece from the unit to the roof curb or installing straps that go over the units and attaches to both sides of the curb is cheap insurance. FEMA recommends that all rooftop units have secondary attachment with either straps or heavy gage metal clips.
If you prepare your roof by doing these four simple things, you’ll greatly increase the protection of your roof and your valuable business assets this storm season. TeamCraft Roofing can help you prepare. To get a detailed inspection an quote call us. We’re ready to help.
During The Storm
With 24-hour emergency dispatch, we have technicians and supplies at the ready. The earlier we know that we’re needed, the faster we can get on your roof to stop the leaking.
After The Storm
Whether your roof was completely torn off by the wind, or you weathered the storm but want peace of mind, we can handle jobs of any size. We can inspect the damage to see how the roof held up, or we can send out a full production crew to replace your entire roof.
Local and Established vs. Storm Chasers
As a 3rd generation family business with one of the best safety records in the industry, we’re reliable, trustworthy, and know what to do in times of crisis. With offices in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia — we have crews, equipment, and supplies that are ready to respond.