How to Prepare Your Roof for Hurricane Matthew

10/6/2016

The 100-plus-mile-an-hour winds and torrential rain of Hurricane Matthew are heading straight for the southern United States. Even if the hurricane veers away like we all hope, it’s clear that we’re still in for high winds and a soaking, which can cause major leaks and damage within a facility.

In order to make your roof "Matthew ready," use Tremco Roofing’s free printable pre-storm roof preparation checklist to inspect your roof and correct any issues before the storm hits. Below are seven of the most common problems to look for when preparing your roof for a storm:

1. Ensure that all rooftop blowers, vents and A/C units are secured to their curbs and supports, in addition to securing any other items such as antennae, satellite dishes, splash blocks, etc. Be sure to remove any items you can before the storm.

2.  If conduits, TV cables, pipes or condensation lines on the roof are loosely laid and unsecured, be sure to remove the condensation lines and remove or anchor the other items so they don’t become airborne during the storm.

3.  Clean up all leaves, broken branches, bottles and other debris. If they become airborne, the debris can damage the roof, automobiles or adjacent buildings.

4.  Make sure that drains, scuppers and/or gutters are open and free of blockage. If they cannot handle the runoff from a storm’s heavy rain, the weight of the accumulated water can create deflection to the structural decking and potentially collapse.

5.  Tree limbs and branches over-hanging the roofs can damage skylights, windows and rooftop equipment during the storm. Be sure to cut them down as best as you can.

6.  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.

7.  If possible, have your maintenance department shoot a video of the roof at various locations. This will be invaluable information to substantiate any insurance claim if there is storm damage.

Following this checklist can help you reduce damage from this potentially devastating storm. From all of us at Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance, we hope that you and your loved ones ride out Hurricane Matthew safely.