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Hurricane Roof Protection System Case Study: Ultimate Protection from the Most Powerful Natural Disaster

Location: Houston, Texas

Situation

The 2017 hurricane season is one that will not soon be forgotten. After more than a decade of good fortune, U.S. shores were impacted by significant hurricanes. The rash of devastating storms brought the most expensive damage ever recorded during a season.

Hail-and-Flood-DamangeStock Photo                                                                      Stock Photo

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma blasted the U.S. coast with winds exceeding 130mph, causing incredible structural loss. Seventeen storms in all rolled through during the June 1-November 30th hurricane season. While figures aren’t official, tabulations show upwards of $200 billion dollars in damages were sustained to parts of Florida and Texas, as well as severe hail regions in North Texas and Oklahoma.”

Facilities including businesses, school districts and universities in the gulf coast and southeast regions count on protective building envelope products to safeguard assets during even the most catastrophic events like hurricanes. But can commercial roofing systems be expected to withstand storms of this magnitude?

Roofs Put To The Test

Since the early 1980s, Hyload has been a trusted source of tough and long lasting commercial roofing systems that withstand the worst nature can offer.

“Hyload is known for roof products that have performed to unprecedented standards,” said Dave Afanador, Hyload’s business development manager. “Our solutions have been specified and applied to roofs in some of the harshest conditions, including hurricane zones in Florida and Texas.”

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Photo taken at Collins Elementary prior to coating (photo taken by D. Afanador)

Hyload stands by their product and has over 1000 active warranties. Several of these warranties exist within the zones that took the brunt of the 2017 hurricane season. Specially engineered products are used in high risk areas and as the expert, Hyload advises for such products in these types of environments. Hyload ballasted roof systems and white membranes with fleece offer a 4-inch hail warranty option and essentially serve their purpose as hurricane roofing systems.

Six different school buildings in the Alief Independent School District were re-roofed during the summer of 2017. Every building was completed just weeks before Hurricane Harvey came ashore.

Installed solutions included Hyload 150 with aggregate top and Hyload Alproof with Fleece, high performance, thermoplastic roofing membranes. The two solutions are constructed in a similar fashion, but the Alproof has an added 50 mil thick 5.0 polyester fleece adhered to the back.

These lab and field-tested products provide extra protection to withstand harsher conditions like wind, heavy rain and extreme hail. They have been used for the protection of commercial roofs in the hurricane belt for decades.

“I’ve been writing roof specifications for Alief ISD utilizing Hyload for more than twenty-five years,” said Jim Barton, Roofing Consultant with ARMKO Industries. “Alief ISD has millions of square feet of Hyload products installed on their buildings. Hyload’s record speaks for itself.”

Results

When catastrophic events occur in areas with our products applied, Hyload is proactive instead of reactive.

Days after the high winds and heavy rains of Harvey made landfall, the technical department of Hyload reached out to their local product representatives to make sure there was assistance if needed. The representative in that area had not received one call on the brand-new roofs at Alief ISD, nor any other installation of Hyload membrane in the area.

“There are no leaks or warranty issues on any of these roofs,” Barton said. “Hurricane Harvey’s rain total was more than fifty-two inches and still no issues with Hyload products. I plan to specify Hyload in the future with other clients.”

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Photos taken at Collins Elementary during inspections 6 months after Hurricane Harvey (photos taken by D. Afanador)

Installing a Hyload roof on your investment, gives the owner, and the specifier piece of mind during the harshest of weather events.

We received feedback from Randy Lawrence, Alief ISD’s Maintenance Forman after Hurricane Harvey:

“Alief ISD over the course of 17 years has had the Hyload 150E roof system installed on approximately 38 different campuses and facilities starting in November 2001 to present date, with three more campus buildings designated for 2018 summer projects. Overall, there has been no documented failures, or leakage into the buildings from the roof perspective, and Alief ISD was extremely grateful during the 2017 Hurricane Harvey to not have to worry about roof leakages with the Hyload roof systems.

Any issues in the past which we encountered have always been addressed through ARMKO Ind. and Hyload Inc., which has been very minimal but promptly addressed. Hyload roof systems are proven dependable, with long-term water tightness for Alief ISD.”

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