The strong winds which blow during big storms and hurricanes can wreak havoc on anything in their path. When the wind gusts get vigorous, many homes experience damage to their roofs. While roofs are designed to withstand heavy winds, just one windstorm is enough to take your roof from strong and secure to damaged and unstable.
This is why you’ll want to take preventative measures to ensure your roof won’t be blown off during a windstorm.
What Causes Roofs to Blow Off?
Roof blow-offs during wind storms has a lot to do with air pressure. The air pressure in your house is lower than outside. When the wind enters your house from an open doorway or broken window, the air pressure inside will increase and push upwards towards your roof.
Combine the pressurized air inside with a suction pulling from on top of the roof and you have a push-and-pull scenario. This increases the likelihood of your roof getting blown off from the house.
How to Prevent a Roof From Being Blown Off
A roof can only withstand a windstorm if it’s well-installed and properly sealed. The first step to preventing roof damage is having it inspected when a storm is imminent. Roofs aren’t as resilient to high winds when they’re damaged or have defects. Even the smallest issues can become major problems when your roof is exposed to a wind storm.
Your roofer will look for roofing materials that are curled, raised, cupped, broken, or otherwise not lying flat because these are prime spots for roof blow off. Any damage should be repaired to increase the stability of the roof.
It’s also important to ensure the roof edges are well-affixed and sealed as necessary to reduce the possibility of gale-force winds from getting under the edge and blowing off the roof. Also, ensure each side of the roof rafters is sealed to prevent wind from finding its way under the decking.
Another beneficial measure for preventing roof blow off involves the use of hurricane roofing clips. Your roofer should also ensure the roof coating is tightly secured.
These measures can be retrofitted to your existing roof, but in some cases, having your roof replaced is the best option. However, we understand there’s only so much you can do to prevent your roof from blowing off and Mother Nature can always surprise you.
If your roof experiences any storm damage, you can count on Bill West Roofing for quality roof storm damage restoration. We’ll inspect your roof, determine an appropriate solution, and restore your roof back to its working condition. Contact us today to learn more about roof storm damage and schedule a roof inspection in Lee’s Summit, MO.