A Weak Garage Door Can Cause A Severely Damaged Roof

9/10/2020 (Permalink)

A Weak Garage Door Can Cause A Severely Damaged Roof

Heavy thunderstorms often create high-wind conditions in Henderson, CO. Severe weather produces large hail, strong winds, and even potentially tornadoes – all of which can cause a damaged roof.
The National Weather Service closely monitors local weather and issues all official storm alerts. A severe thunderstorm is defined as one that develops one or all of these signs:

• Hail that is at least 1 inch in diameter or larger.
  
• Wind gusts of 58 mph or greater.
  
• A tornado of any size.
  
  

One of the more surprising causes of a roof leak is a weak garage door. It’s often neglected, so it’s a potential soft spot in the building envelope.

The Weak Links
Any area in a business that isn’t reinforced is a possible weak link. Windows are the most obvious of these. Not only are they structurally weak, but the broken glass is also a serious hazard to property and an extreme hazard to humans.
Doors can be weak points, depending on how they were built. Roofs that are missing shingles or have received previous debris strikes are likely to develop a roof leak. But garage doors are a special case: they have a huge surface area compared to their frame and can buckle in under certain wind conditions.

Under the Roof
Once the garage door is gone, wind can become concentrated in the garage if it’s blowing straight in. This creates a great deal of lift under the garage roof. It’s common in these circumstances for the roofing structure to be damaged beyond simple repair.

Inspect the Frame
If you suspect your garage door frame is weak or that you have a roof leak, you can have it inspected by a local storm damage remediation company. A garage door that wiggles back and forth is clearly a candidate for inspection. If any of the framing is not secured to the wall, it should be repaired immediately, especially when severe weather is expected.
Once the storm passes, your remediation company can use plywood and tarps to secure exposed areas. This prevents further water damage or mischief by curious humans.