Steel Building Roofs Will Blow You Away
Just a few days ago, the Caribbean, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeastern parts of the United States were badly hit by Hurricane Sandy. This tropical wave turned superstorm immersed the East Coast in floods, caused a massive blackout, took billions of dollars in damages and losses, and severed lives.
In Waltham, Massachusetts, about twenty five people were evacuated from a condominium on the evening of October 29. This was the same day of Sandy’s landfall on the East Coast. High winds and rain ripped off part of the apartment’s roof. The building was declared unsafe and therefore the residents were promptly asked to vacate the area. Apart from that, there were power outages all over the area. One of the local schools was used as a shelter.
It was a good thing that Bright School in Waltham was available. In Wallingford, Connecticut, residents have one less school to run to as Sheehan High School’s roof suffered the same fate, at about the same time. As a result, water penetrated the building’s two levels. No other damages were recorded and more importantly, no one was hurt.
A barn in West Buffalo Township, Pennsylvania had its entire roof blown off by the hurricane. About a dozen farm animals were inside when it happened but luckily, all are fine. Trees were flying off in the area as well, one even smashed right into a building.
With a recorded maximum wind speed of 110 mph, sustained for about a minute, Superstorm Sandy literally blew away anything on its way. In the aftermath of the storm, the streets were littered not only with debris but also with toppled-over vehicles and uprooted trees.
Now, if you’ll notice, all these buildings are conventional buildings made of concrete, brick, or wood. The main reason why strong winds can pull roofs right off these structures is because they do not offer the flexibility that steel buildings do. Traditional buildings are rigid and are less durable against irregular, powerful forces such as the impact of strong wind and heavy rainfall.
Steel buildings are paired with roof panels using specialized technology. Roof panels for steel buildings are fastened right onto the building’s skeleton, and are further secured with sidings, making it virtually impossible to be simply blown off by strong winds. Roof panels for steel buildings are likewise made of metal and are more durable and cost-effective than traditional materials such as asphalt. So whether you’re reinforcing or rebuilding, invest on a material that won’t be gone with the wind.
