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The five main keys to a wind resistant flat or low-slope roof are the roof deck,
its attachment to the roof structure, the type of membrane used, the method of
attaching the membrane to the roof deck, and the anchorage of the flashing around
the edge of the roof. Many of the failures of low-sloped roofs in hurricanes
start with the detachment of the flashing or edge metal from the edge of the roof.
In many cases these failures lead to tears in the roof membrane and/or a peeling
back of the roof membrane. The failure of the edge metal can also lead directly
to water entry around the edge of the roof. If the structural deck is covered
with insulation boards before the membrane is installed, the whole assembly has
to be securely fastened to the deck. When this anchorage is done with adhesives,
then each layer of adhesive has to be able to resist the entire uplift load from
the wind uplift pressures applied to the roof membrane.
You can check specific product approval information for a particular membrane roof
product at the
Florida Department of Community Affairs Product Approval
website by looking up the product approval information and the evaluation report.
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Roof deck failure with ceiling
joists remaining in place.
(click image for larger version) |
Roof flashing damage on
windward edge of roof.
(click image for larger version) |
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