Prepping for Storm Season

Make Sure Your Commercial Roof Is Ready For Storms

Due to the fact that strong storms are fairly frequent in Texas, many property owners make the mistake of not taking the warnings seriously enough when the news tells them that inclement weather is on the way. Many of these people end up panicking as soon as they find out the impacts are much worse than expected.

Regardless of the type of roofing materials, you might have, the roof over your property has to be able to handle those straight-line wind storms or even the constant onslaught of violent Texas summer thunderstorms. Even if you do not experience hurricane-force winds,  your roof is still going to be exposed to a lot of rain, and in many cases hail, before this season comes to an end.

What To Do Before A Storm

To prepare for a storm it becomes important to “batten down the hatches”, as wind is typically the largest factor that will affect your roof. Here are a few guidelines to follow:

When the roof decking is fastened during your roof replacement, you can increase the strength when you use ring-shank nails.

Re-cement any shingles that are loose. When winds are high, the loose shingles will tear away and lift off, which will leave the deck of your roof exposed and unprotected.

Use roofing tape or a self-adhering membrane to seal your roof deck. This will help to stop any moisture or water from getting inside under the roof.

Repair And Prepare – Or Restore

It is important to hire a professional and experienced commercial roofing contractor in order to inspect your existing roof for any weak or susceptible areas that may result in issues during severe storms. Below are some the indicators that your roof requires restoration or repair, which are grouped according to the roofing-system materials:

• Shingles – All the flashing needs to be properly aligned and sealed and inspected for corrosion, rust, or separating. Shingle tabs that have lifted or curled from poor seals or from previous wind damages, or the ones that no longer have protective granules, should be resealed or replaced. The roofing contractors should also be checking the vent turbines to ensure they are working properly and sealed.
• Tiles – Tiles, risers, ridges, flashing, and fasteners must all be in good working order. Delaminated, sliding, slipping, or chipped tiles must be restored, replaced, or repaired. Tiles that fly off during strong winds can become highly dangerous projectiles.
• Metal – Metal that is starting to buckle, the wrong fastener types or those that are not functional anymore, unseated or unsealed flashings are all indications of problematic areas on metal roof systems.
• Flat – Emergency inspections for roof repair for flat roofs will involve checking for pooling or ponding water, broken, cracked, or torn surfaces, non-functioning or improper fasteners, poor seals, buckling, and any other type of flashing problem.

Call an Experienced Commercial Roofing Contractor Before Storm Season Begins

It is always a better idea to prepare your roof and property sooner than later. Below are a few more useful tips to ensure your home along with your roof is going to withstand the next severe storm.

Secure all windows and doors – If debris starts to fly around in the air and something ends up breaking one of your windows, pressure on the inside of the property with increase dramatically, which means your roof can become like a large parachute. To prevent this problem, you need to ensure your windows and doors are locked and tightly secured during a violent storm.

Take an inventory of your property inside and out – You need to find out if any damage occurred once the storm ends. You also need to be prepared if you need to contact your insurance provider before they send out an adjuster to inspect your property. You may need to take videos or photos which you can then give to the adjuster as proof of confirmation.

Secure loose objects around your property – Any loose objects can become airborne and cause unnecessary damage. If you are unable to secure objects, consider moving them indoors. You should also think about your vehicles before a storm. If you do not have a garage to park in, make sure the vehicles are far away from trees which might fall over and damage them.

Make sure any tree branches are trimmed back and away from your property and roof – The branches of trees need to be a minimum of 6 feet from your building. When winds become intense, they will turn into large and violent whips over your roof, which can result in significant damage. Be especially careful of any branches that are growing upwards close to the roof’s edge. These are the areas that offer protection against air-lift, which means it is vital that these edges are not damaged.

Make sure your insurance policies are up-to-date and ensure there are no gaps in coverage – If one of your trees does cause damage to your property, it is important to contact the insurance provider you use as soon as possible. The next step will involve contacting an experienced and trustworthy tree service provider. They can assist you in trimming and removing the tree away from your roof. The final step involves contacting a commercial roofing contractor to assist you with any repairs or replacements to your roof. These roofing contractors also come with crews and tarps to assist you in securing your property once the storm has passed.

Taurus Elite Commercial Roof Systems, 512-332-4422, is a commercial roofing contractor based in Austin, Texas, and specializing in Commercial Metal Roof Repair, Commercial Metal Roof Restoration and Commercial Flat Roofing Services. We have been providing professional commercial roofing services to the area for over 20 years. If you need an experienced commercial roofing contractor’s services before or after a severe storm, we’re your best choice.