Hurricane Season Has Lessons for Commercial Roofs Everywhere

As Dorian recently showed us, another hurricane season is underway. Even if you don’t live in a hurricane zone, there are roof lessons to be learned that apply to any serious weather event.

Heavy Rains

Hurricanes dump enormous amounts of water over large geographic areas. For example, some areas near Houston reported more than 60 inches – 5 feet! – of rain that fell during Hurricane Harvey alone. That rain water can pool quickly on a flat commercial roof that has insufficient drainage, potentially weakening and even collapsing the structure. Lesson: make sure that your roof drainage system is engineered properly for your building and location, and that it’s unblocked.

Leaks and Water Damage

New leaks can be created and small leaks can become big ones during a hurricane or another significant rain event. Water leaking into the building is never a good thing, as leaks can damage equipment and inventory, plus lead to mold. This is a very serious concern, as mold can be expensive and complex to clean up. Lesson: take care of any small leaks now before they become big leaks, and make sure your roof is watertight everywhere.

High Winds

When wind blows across a flat roof, it reduces air pressure above the building, and the higher air pressure within the building pushes upward against the roof. The stronger the wind, the stronger the uplift, and a roof membrane can literally be peeled off the deck. And of course, storm winds can be powerful enough to rip shingles, gutters, downspouts, edge details and other roof components right off a building. Blowing limbs and other debris is also a threat. Lesson: roof membranes should be properly fastened or adhered to the roof deck – especially the perimeter. Also, any loose roof system components should be properly secured and neighboring tree branches should be pruned.

There’s little you can do to protect your building from a direct hit by a monster storm. However, most serious weather events can be mitigated with proper preparation. By keeping a watchful eye on your commercial roof and being diligent about maintenance and repairs, you can help it withstand extreme weather events.