Common Types of Wind Damage
Wind damages a commercial roof in several characteristic ways, and understanding the common types helps you know what the response addresses. Here are the common types of wind damage on a Anson commercial building.
Membrane Damage
A common type of wind damage is membrane damage, where the wind has lifted, loosened, or torn the roofing membrane. The membrane may be billowing, lifted at the edges, torn open, or loosened from its attachment, any of which compromises the roof and exposes it to water. For a Anson building, membrane damage is a primary type of wind damage, since the membrane is what keeps water out and the wind's force on it is a common way roofs are compromised. The membrane damage must be addressed to restore the roof's watertightness. This membrane damage is a frequent type of wind damage, since the wind's uplift catches and works the membrane, and restoring or replacing the damaged membrane is central to repairing the roof and protecting the building after a windstorm.
Edge Metal and Coping Damage
Another common type is edge metal and coping damage, where the wind has lifted, bent, or torn away the metal trim and caps along the roof's perimeter. Because the edges are where wind forces concentrate, the edge metal and coping are particularly vulnerable to this damage. For a Anson building, edge metal and coping damage is a frequent type of wind damage, since the perimeter takes much of the wind's force. When the edge metal is displaced, the roof's edge is exposed and water can get in, and the damage can progress inward. This edge metal and coping damage is a common type of wind damage, since the perimeter is where wind does much of its work, and restoring the edge metal and coping is part of securing the roof's perimeter against water after a windstorm.
Flashing Damage
Wind commonly causes flashing damage, lifting, bending, or tearing away the flashings that seal the transitions at walls, curbs, and penetrations. Damaged flashings leave these vulnerable transitions exposed, creating leak points where water can enter the building. For a Anson building, flashing damage is a common type of wind damage, since the flashings at the roof's transitions can be caught and displaced by wind. The damaged flashings must be repaired to restore the roof's defense at these critical points. This flashing damage is a frequent type of wind damage, since the flashings at the roof's many transitions are vulnerable to wind, and repairing them is part of restoring the roof's watertightness at the transitions and penetrations where leaks so often originate after a windstorm.
Blown-Off Roofing
A severe type of wind damage is blown off roofing, where the wind has torn away portions of the roofing entirely, leaving the underlying structure exposed. This is dramatic, obvious damage that creates a direct opening for water into the building. For a Anson building, blown off roofing is among the most serious types of wind damage, since it leaves the building directly exposed and requires the fastest response. The exposed area needs immediate temporary protection followed by repair to close the opening. This blown off roofing is the most severe type of wind damage, since it removes the roofing entirely from an area and exposes the building, demanding immediate temporary protection to stop the water intrusion and a permanent repair to restore the roof and protect the building.
Debris Damage
Wind drives debris, and debris damage is a common type of wind damage, where wind driven objects have struck the roof and harmed it on impact. Branches, materials, and other objects carried by the wind can puncture the membrane, dent metal, or otherwise damage the roof where they hit. For a Anson building, debris damage is a frequent consequence of high winds, since the wind carries objects that strike the roof. The impacts can create leak points, sometimes in places not obvious from the ground. This debris damage is a type of wind damage to check for, since the debris a windstorm drives can harm the roof on impact, creating punctures and damage that need to be found and repaired along with the wind's direct effects on the roof of the building.
The Damage You Cannot See
An important type of wind damage is the damage you cannot see, the lifted and stressed membrane, loosened attachments, and compromised seams that do not show clearly from the ground. This hidden damage can still let water in and lead to spreading problems despite not being obvious. For a Anson building, recognizing the damage you cannot see is important, since the visible damage may not be the whole picture and the hidden damage still compromises the roof. A thorough inspection finds it. This damage you cannot see is a type of wind damage that makes a proper assessment essential, since the wind's effects are not always visible, and finding the hidden damage is what allows the full extent to be addressed, protecting the building from problems that would otherwise go unrepaired after a windstorm.
The Forms Wind Damage Takes
Wind damage commonly takes the form of membrane damage, edge metal and coping damage, flashing damage, blown off roofing, debris damage, and hidden damage you cannot see. Understanding these types is what allows a thorough response that addresses the full extent on a Anson commercial building.
Get All Your Wind Damage Addressed
Wind damage to your commercial roof? Call Anson Commercial Roofing at (765) 676-3491 for a fast response and thorough inspection of your Anson building. We identify every type of wind damage, the obvious and the hidden, and address it all, from temporary protection through lasting repair, to protect your building.