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When dangerous weather is approaching, it’s important to have a plan in place that helps ensure the roofs on your campus are storm-ready. Below is a list of the seven most common problems to look for when preparing your roof for a storm.
Ensure all rooftop blowers, vents, and AC units are secured to their curbs and supports. Secure any other items such as antennae, satellite dishes, splash blocks, etc. Properly remove any items you can before the storm.
If conduits, TV cables, pipes, or condensation lines on the roof are loosely laid and unsecured, be sure to secure the condensation lines and /or anchor other items so they do not become airborne during the storm. Anything being attached or fastened to a roof needs to be secured by the manufacturers approved contractor.
Clean up all leaves, broken branches, bottles, and other debris. If they become airborne, the debris can damage the roof, automobiles, or adjacent buildings – not to mention cause possible injuries.
Make sure drains, scuppers, and/or gutters are open and free of blockage. If these cannot handle runoff from a storm’s heavy rain, the weight of the accumulated water can create deflection to the structural decking and potentially collapse.
Tree limbs and branches that hang over roofs can damage skylights, windows, and rooftop equipment during the storm. Be sure to cut them down as best you can or prune back to minimize risk.
If there are obvious defects in the roof or counter flashings that could cause leaks, such as open flashing joints or pitch pans or holes in the counter flashings, you should repair them with roofing mastics.
If possible, have your maintenance team shoot a video of the roof at various locations. This will be invaluable information to substantiate any insurance claim(s) if there is storm damage.
Download Tremco Roofing’s free printable pre-storm roof preparation checklist and use it as a guide to inspect your roof before the next storm hits.
Tremco/WTI offers a breadth and depth of roofing systems for every environment and the technical know-how to solve E&I members’ biggest problems.
