What You Need to Know About Very Severe Hail

By Colin Sheehan, RCS Reporter.

Understanding very severe hail classification and the evolving roofing performance testing and requirements.

In order for contractors to consume information and learn from other industry professionals how they want and when they want, RoofersCoffeeShop® (RCS) developed RLW, which stands for Read, Listen, Watch. Now, contractors can read a transcript before bed, listen to a podcast on their morning commute, or watch a webinar while enjoying their morning coffee. 

Our latest RLW featured Steve Kuhel, the senior product manager for FiberTite. During the webinar, Will Your Roof Withstand Very Severe Hail?, Steve spoke with Heidi J. Ellsworth, RCS partner, about hail events, Very Severe Hail (VSH) classification and the importance of roofing resiliency.

The majority of people in the roofing industry have had a costly hail experience. Since FM Global’s classifying of hail events, now known in the market as Very Severe Hail (VSH), lots of changes have been made to the U.S. commercial roofing performance requirements and testing methods. Steve discusses these changes and their impacts on the commercial roofing market during the webinar. “There's a history and evolution that's happening right before our very eyes that is extremely fascinating to be a part of,” said Steve.

The work that goes into understanding hail and preventing its impact is vital. As Steve says, “The emotional elements of hail [outweigh] the actual literal impact to the roof because whatever's underneath that roof is so important to that building owner...there's an emotional impact about that.”

The webinar explores the importance of testing and the changing testing methods. Testing is ultimately an indicator of success and provides customers with confidence that the roof they choose will withstand VSH and other extreme weather conditions.

Understanding how test methods have evolved over time is also important. For instance, older test methods would take a steel ball weighing around a pound and drop it onto the roof from various heights, depending on if they were testing for light, moderate or very severe hail.

“On a very severe hail side, what happens is that a pre formed ice ball, that is two-inch diameters in width, is propelled with an ice ball launcher at the roofing specimen. The ice ball launcher sends that ball at speeds of anywhere between 104 to 109 miles per hour, and results in around 53 to 58 pounds of surface impact on that specimen,” said Steve.

The webinar discusses newer testing methods as well as FiberTite’s proven KEE resilient roof membranes made by the only KEE manufacturer with a VSH accreditation.

Read, listen or watch the full webinar to learn more about these important specifications and how you can protect what’s important.