Is your roof ready for the next storm?

By Dan Lee, TeamCraft Roofing.

One missed detail during installation could mean the difference between a secure home and total roof failure.

It takes just one major storm to remind us how vulnerable a building’s roof can be. Whether it’s a historic hurricane or a freak weather event, the roof bears the brunt of nature’s fury — and a single oversight during construction or maintenance can lead to catastrophic consequences. The dramatic roof damage serves as a wake-up call for homeowners and contractors alike: Are you truly prepared to weather the storm or is your roof an accident waiting to happen? TeamCraft Roofing is here to help ensure your roof is secure, offering expert guidance and solutions to protect your property before disaster strikes.

What’s a metal roof cleat?

A cleat is a separate piece of metal that’s one gauge thicker than the exposed metal edge. It’s nailed in place and the edge metal locks onto it. It helps the roof resist wind uplift and adds protection from winds getting under the metal.  

The metal cleat is installed prior to the finished metal edge. The finished metal locks onto the cleat to provide enhanced wind uplift resistance.

In the pictures below, no cleats were installed on either building. The installation of a cleat costs just a few dollars per lineal foot for both labor and material. In other words, less than $500.00 would have saved both of these roofs.  

While the missing cleats started the failure, there were other factors at play. In the first picture, it is evident that the original installer didn’t use the proper amount or spacing of adhesive to secure the membrane. In the second picture, wind got under the edge (where the cleats should be), subsequently pulled the nails out of the wood and lifted off the membrane.

Due to the lack of metal cleats on both roofs, it wasn’t a matter of if they would fail — but when and how bad. Sign up for TeamCraft’s ShelterCare Program and make sure your roofs are clean and secure before the storm hits.

Original article and photo source: TeamCraft Roofing