DECRA Metal Roofs Offer the Best Protection Against Tornadoes

By DECRA Metal Roofing.

As tornado frequency increases, metal roofs provide the best line of defense for your customers' homes and commercial buildings.

Historically, the states in Tornado Alley were limited to Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas and Kansas, but significant tornado events have spread far beyond the borders of traditional Tornado Alley.

Most disturbing is the rapid increase of tornadoes touching down east of the Mississippi.

In 2019, tornado frequency was on the rise everywhere in the U.S. and NOAA reported 1,359 tornadoes in 2019 through early August. Compare those numbers to just 745 for the same period in 2018.

Severe thunderstorms and the formula for deadly tornadoes

For homeowners who may be on the fence about the need for the best roofing against the threat of tornadoes, here are the three essential ingredients for whipping up a twister anywhere in North America:

1. Moisture in the atmosphere: hardly an uncommon weather condition.

2. Instability in the atmosphere in the form of warm moist air near the ground and cooler dry air higher aloft. That means buildings near mountains, in valleys, plains or coastal regions are all at risk.

3. Severe thunderstorms, even without tornadoes, can generate straight-line winds up to 100 mph, often accompanied by hail impact. Damage paths can reach out to hundreds of miles. Severe thunderstorms are to blame for ½ of all severe damage reported in the lower 48 states.

Nationwide tornado outbreaks, such as the plague of tornadoes that spread across the U.S. from May 17th to May 30th in 2019, easily make the case for the added armor of DECRA stone-coated steel roofs, the reigning champion in all roofing performance categories.

DECRA metal roofs versus conventional roofing materials in tornado regions

Experience shows that conventional roofing materials like wood shakes, asphalt shingles and clay tiles are all too vulnerable to withstand severe weather conditions. They lack the maximum wind uplift resistance, impact durability, and additional shear strength that provides the best protection against tornadoes. DECRA provides all of these high-performance properties and more.

The DECRA 120mph wind warranty rating

All DECRA stone-coated steel roofing products are backed by a warranty rating for winds up to 120 mph. That’s the rating after building code authorities reduce it for extra safety. We actually lab test with wind pressures equivalent to twice that velocity. That provides a 100% safety margin for homeowners, and DECRA meets the toughest wind uplift requirements of Florida’s High-Velocity Hurricane Zones.

DECRA roofs use a unique interlocking system to ensure that once installed, the stone-coated steel panels remain firmly in place. Warping, curling and loosening around the fasteners are never a concern with DECRA’s high-grade multi-layered steel.

Conventional asphalt shingles are only rated to between 60-110 mph and have limited 10-20 year warranties that can easily be voided when the manufacturer determines that installation procedures haven't been followed exactly to the letter.

When conventional roofing products cup, split, warp, delaminate, loosen around the fasteners, or fish mouth over time, the risk for wind uplift increases. When it comes to wind ratings, clay tiles and wood shakes are so vulnerable to wind uplift that they aren't covered by wind warranties at all.

Where there are tornadoes there is risk of debris or hail impact

Impact resistance is right up there with wind resistance when it comes to tornado resilience on the roof. You might point to all the conventional roofs surrounding your prospect’s home or building. In a tornado, those nearby shingles, shakes and tiles with poor wind uplift resistance are hazardous sources for airborne storm debris that their own roof will need to be protected from.

And then there’s wind-driven hail.  

Beautiful clay tile roofs, so popular on elegant Spanish, Western and Old World classic homes are particularly prone to impact fracturing. So much so that they aren't rated against hail impact at all.

DECRA roofing products have earned the highest UL 2218 Class 4 impact resistance rating.

DECRA Villa Tile and DECRA Tile can replicate that clay tile elegance with the added benefit of superior protection.

Shear strength and roof weight for tornado conditions

Shear strength is the capacity of the roof to withstand the parallel forces and stresses of high winds in tornado regions. It’s important to note that even if a tornado isn’t spun off, severe thunderstorms can still produce horizontal winds up to 100 mph, and only DECRA can provide the extra shear strength to reinforce the roof system.

DECRA roofing profiles are also the lightest. An average DECRA roof weighs in at just 3,700-4,500 pounds. DECRA roofs are so light that you can often eliminate complete tear-offs of existing materials. Compare that to the traditional heavyweight clay tile at 18,000 to 45,000 pounds, and thick-cut architectural shingles tipping the scale at 7,500-12,000 pounds.

Build a reputation for roofing excellence with DECRA  

Conventional roofing products can last just a decade or two before needing replacement even in the best weather conditions. At 20 years, a DECRA roof is just getting started on a lifetime of protection, which is why our industry-leading Lifetime Limited Warranty is transferable to a new owner for 20 years after the installation.

Offering DECRA Metal Roofing as the best line of defense for your customers' homes and commercial buildings has never been easier. Check out the DECRA Roof Designer visualizer app for an effective remote sales tool. 

Learn more about DECRA in their RoofersCoffeeShop directory.