Will Your Home Survive This Season’s Wild Weather? Experts Warn: Avoid These 3 Terrible Mistakes (and learn how to choose the right roof for your home)
- Metal Roofing Alliance
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
Key Points:
From hurricanes and hail to wildfires, protecting your home against severe weather starts at the top.
Roofing experts share their top three mistakes to avoid when choosing a new roof, and how to make sure your roof will perform over the long run.
Homeowners living in hurricane region share their real life story for how and why they made the decision to put a metal roof on the new home they built.
Homeowners everywhere know that spring can be a wild ride. From blizzard conditions and “heat domes,” to early wildfire threats, high winds and hail storms, current nationwide weather trends can be summed up in one word: Unpredictable.
And that’s just the beginning. In certain regions like the Gulf Coast, spring also signals it’s time to prepare for the coming hurricane and tropical storm season. In the West, predictions of a dangerous wildfire season are already looming, while in the Midwest and central parts of the country, the potential for sudden tornado strikes and costly hail and thunderstorm damage are a scary reality.
According to the roofing experts at MRA, the one commonality wild spring and summer weather has is your home’s roof will bear the brunt of it—and above all else—you need to be able to rely on it to protect your home. With this season’s trifecta of threats in mind, experts say it’s best to avoid these three common mistakes if you want your roof to survive whatever Mother Nature may have in store for it:
1. Don’t discount quality in favor of a “bargain”
Cheap is not always better, especially when selecting materials that will stand up over the long run against severe weather extremes. Quality matters and not just for what you see on the surface. Remember, if your roof decking or sheathing isn’t structurally sound, the roofing materials or upgrades you use won’t matter. Be sure to incorporate safeguards and accessories (such as hurricane clips and snow guards) that will help your home literally “baton down the hatches” in the event of extreme storms and protect it from damage. Installing a Class A roof, the highest possible rating for wildfire protection, and ignition-resistant underlayment can guard against wildfire threats.
“No matter what your upfront costs are for re-roofing your home, it’s no bargain if it gets damaged or destroyed by severe weather and you have to repair or replace it again prematurely,” said Renee Ramey of the Metal Roofing Alliance. “And don’t forget to also factor in energy cost and insurance savings that can be realized by putting on a better quality roof.”
2. Avoid installation shortcuts
How your roof is installed is just as important as the materials selected when it comes to long-lasting, durable protection. For example, when installed properly, metal roofs are rated to stand up to F2 tornado wind speeds (F-scale stands for the Fujita Scale of Tornado Intensity, with F2 equaling wind speeds of 113-157 mph), resist leaks and are much less likely to puncture, tear or crack due to flying debris or massive hailstones. Class A roofs designed to protect against ignition caused by burning embers from wildfires also rely on proper installation methods to achieve optimal performance.
Other installation solutions, such as securing a roof to the walls, decreases the potential of the roof flying off when it’s under intense pressure from high speed winds and severe air pressure fluctuations. During a tornado or hurricane, massive changes in air pressure caused by a penetration such as a broken window can blow a roof off. Securely attaching a roof to the walls of your home helps prevent this phenomenon from occurring. Additionally, talk to your roofer about whether to consider installing a movable flap next to the seam of your roof, which also can help stabilize air pressure.
Other things to be sure and ask your installer about? Make sure your roof has proper insulation, venting and underlayment designed to meet or exceed regional building codes for ongoing savings and protection.
3. Work with your roof design and weather conditions, not against them
More and varied roof slopes can improve the aerodynamics of a structure and reduce the pressure on a roof caused by high winds. For new construction or major remodeling projects, work with your architect and engineer on ways to better control and reduce the effects of strong wind force. Keep in mind that high tech metal roofing paint and coatings can make a huge difference for increasing protection and reliability while reducing energy costs. For regions that experience snow and ice, installing snow guards properly also means taking into account your roof’s slope and design, and making sure it’s strong enough to withstand heavy loads without the need for structural reinforcement.
Style practicality really shows when a roof is subjected to forces like hail. Even if they look intact, asphalt roofs are particularly prone to impact damage and can crack, dislodge and break, resulting in the need for premature replacement and increasing the potential for costly interior damage. Quality metal roofs can withstand blows and remain intact even when subjected to the heaviest of hailstorms. Textured metal roof design patterns also may help disguise small dings and the minor cosmetic imperfections resulting from hard-hitting impacts.
According to Ramey, to help your home tame the beast that is extreme spring and summertime weather, your best bet is to choose exterior materials and installation practices that promise resiliency, durability and long lasting protection. Doing so will pay off not just this season, but all year long and well into the future.
