Metal roofs and hurricane season: what to check in time

In strong wind, a roof rarely fails because of the sheet itself. It fails in the details: a bolt that lost its tightness or rusted, an edge left lifted, a badly fixed overlap or a structural anchor nobody checked. When wind gets in at a weak point, it lifts whatever is around it.

Bolts: complete, tight and rust-free. Sheets: no lifted edges or loose pieces. Overlaps and flashings: well fixed. Gutters and downpipes: clean, so rainwater can get away. Structure: welds and anchors free of corrosion. And around the roof: nothing loose that the wind could throw at it.

Wind resistance is decided before fabrication: purlin spacing, the type and number of fasteners, the structure’s anchors. Our engineering team reviews every project in 3D before fabrication, to the standards the project engineer applies. And a sheet made at exactly the roof’s length avoids intermediate overlaps, which are weak points.

On courts, stages and industrial buildings, the roof covers long spans and the wind acts on a large surface. There, checking the structure’s anchors and joints is as important as checking the sheet. At the Larimar City amphitheater, for example, we fabricated the roof and the railings.

The Coast Plan checks rust and salt corrosion, touches up paint and anchors, re-tightens bolts and checks welds, with a photo report. Scheduling it before June is the simplest way to reach the season with the roof in order. Every roof carries its QR-code plate, with its history.

After a storm it is worth checking again, even if no damage is visible: a bolt that worked in the wind may have loosened. Send us photos of the roof and the location, and we tell you what we see and what should be done.