ABSTRACT
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As discussed in Chapter 4, this volume, low-sloped roof systems contain a pitch of 3:12 or less. They are commonly found on light commercial, commercial, and industrial buildings, and occasionally on portions of residential roofs. This chapter focuses on wind damage claims to low-sloped roof systems. It is not uncommon for wind forces to damage the membrane, insulation, and decking of
low-sloped roof systems. Buildings impacted by wind damage can also incur water damage since storms producing high winds are frequently accompanied by rain. National consensus standards, building codes, and manufacturers provide requirements
and details to ensure that roof systems perform under the design wind speeds to prevent catastrophic damage from occurring. With the exception of storms that produce hurricaneor tornado-force winds, in theory, damage should not occur if the basic installation requirements of low-sloped roof systems were followed. However, improper installation, lack of maintenance, and deterioration can result in the failure of roof system components at wind speeds well below the design speeds. This chapter will provide some basic information on how wind uplift pressures act on a roof surface, discuss some of the common causes of roof failures as a result of wind forces, provide a methodology for low-sloped roof wind damage inspections, and provide case study examples to illustrate wind damage to various low-sloped roof systems.
