Hurricane season is upon us! But what does that mean for your roof, and which storms should you worry about? Obviously, any storm with significant wind speeds can cause damage, and add pouring rain to that, and you can end up needed an umbrella in your bedroom. High winds can blow shingles off, cause tree branches and other flying debris to damage your roof, and, if the winds are strong enough, cause your roof to be sucked off.
These shingles were not installed properly, allowing them to blow off easily.
A tropical depression is a tropical cyclone with sustained wind speeds around 38 mph. So it’s pretty much like a big thunderstorm. Tropical storms have max sustained wind speeds are between 39 to 73 mph, and that can cause damage to roofs with loose shingles, tree branches too close to the roof, and some flying debris can penetrate some flat roof membranes.
Hurricanes are where the more serious damage occurs.
- A category 1 hurricane has wind speeds from 74 to 95 mph. This can cause any loose shingles, siding, or gutters to fly off, and tree branches and trees to snap.
- Category 2 hurricanes have winds 96-110 mph. Most three tab shingles have a wind resistance up to 90 mph, so severe damage can occur to roofs with that type of shingle. Flying debris and falling trees and branches can cause much damage to both shingle and flat roofs.
- The wind speeds of a category 3 hurricane range from 111 to 129 mph. Most architectural shingles have a wind resistance of up to 110 mph, so these type of shingles can begin to blow off.
- Cateogory 4 hurricanes have a wind rating of 130- 156 mph. Even you’re heavy duty designer shingles blow off with those winds.
- A category 5 hurricane is going to render any roofing system you have susceptible to severe damage at best, and total lose at worst. There isn’t a whole lot to be done if this one hits your area.
You can prepare your roof for any tropical system with winds under 110 mph. If you know that a strong tropical storm is heading your way, and they aren’t calling for evacuations, have a reputable roofer inspect your roof. They with be able to fix any issues such as loose shingles, tree branches too close to your roof, seal pipe collars and any exposed nails, and just do a general sweep to ensure your roof is ready and able to withstand the coming storm.
Storm winds blew these shingles up.
At Pro Systems, Inc., that is exactly what we will do for you. When you call us to check your roof, we inspect all penetrations, loose shingles, nail pops, tree branches that can cause roof damage, and loose gutters and siding. On flat roofs, we check to make sure that all scupper boxes and drains are free of trash and debris to allow water to drain, that all HVAC unit doors are secure, and that there is no loose debris on the roof that can cause any damage.
Call us at (757)506-5019, email us at Pros@TheProSystemsInc.com, or check out our website at www.TheProSystemsInc.com to learn more or to have us properly maintain your roof. If you would rather wing it and not have your roof inspected, we completely understand. But just in case something happens, we are available for 24/7 emergency roof leak repairs and will do our best to stop the water from causing any more damage to your home.
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