How You Can Protect Your Building with Metal Composite Panels during Hurricanes | CCC

Installing a metal composite panel roof is one of the most efficient ways to safeguard your home from gusty winds and storms like hurricanes. Metal roofs are known to be able to endure high winds of up to 140 miles an hour.

In comparison, other roofing substitutes do not fare as well. For example, slate shingles have less resistance to strong winds. At the same time, asphalt starts degrading as soon as it is installed, resulting in re-roofing every handful of years.

Metal composite panels can also bear other harsh weather conditions like torrential rain, hailstorms, and snow. Due to all the reasons listed above, metal composite panels are preferred for roofing homes, especially in regions prone to wildfire embers, hail storms, and hurricane winds.

When investigating which roofing materials are best for high winds, consider the following factors:

Design

Metal roofs are available in two forms: hydrokinetic and hydrostatic. Hydrostatic metal roofs are made for roofs with gentle slopes and offer protection against water flowing at high pressures. Hydrokinetic is employed on steeply sloping roofs to help with effective water discharge. 

Installation

The proper installation of metal composite systems is an important factor in their performance. To safeguard your home against high-velocity winds, you must carefully install metal roofs for appropriate uplift resistance. Hence, it is mandatory to adhere to the installation guidelines strictly.

Properties

Steel has one of the best specific strengths (strength-to-weight ratio) among a wide range of roofing materials. This makes it suitable for roofing in hurricane-prone regions. Metal composite panels perform remarkably under severe weather conditions.

The metals do not deteriorate easily when exposed to climatic elements, thus retaining their longevity advantages. To prevent corrosion, metal composite sheets can be coated with rust-proof materials like zinc or aluminum.

Interconnected Panels

Metal roofing systems are formed by interlocking panels, which allow them to endure hurricanes. The interconnections hold the sheets in place even in strong winds. Standing seam panels are commonly employed as interlocked panels for metal roofing. Its mechanical lock configuration includes concealed fasteners that can endure wind speeds up to 90 mph.

These metal roofing systems are composed of a collection of panels with a preset length per your roof’s structure. This feature is not available in asphalt shingles or any other roofing system.

Hence, standing seam metal composite panels on the roof facilitate homeowners to combat hurricanes.

Concealed Fasteners

Concealed fasteners are generally employed to install metal composite roofs due to their sleek and modern semblance. They improve the building’s aesthetics while protecting it from corrosion and degradation. High-speed winds pull up the roof from the corners, instead of the center.

As a result, hidden connectors are fastened and locked underneath the metal composite panels. This configuration offers a better chance of surviving a hurricane than those with bare fasteners.

Underlayments

Selecting the proper underlayments to protect your roof from strong winds is also important. The underlayments assist the metal composite panels on the roof to bear environmental stressors, such as hurricanes. They can also endure high temperatures, and prevent leakage.

Metal roofing is particularly suitable for those living in areas with severe and frequent storms. Metal composite panels offer excellent protection against weather, wind, water, and fire. So, it would be best to consider them as a roofing option for your home.