May 19 2010
As seasonal severe weather conditions intensify throughout the Midwest, many people wonder how they can protect their homes from hail associated with strong storms. Sometimes reaching the size of softballs, hail can destroy a standard roof in less than 10 minutes.
DaVinci roof
"Being safe and secure comes as a result of selecting the right building products for your home," says Ray Rosewall, president and CEO of DaVinci Roofscapes®. "There were 1,156 tornados recorded in 2009 nationwide plus countless hail storms resulting from severe weather. The force of hail hitting a low impact roof can completely destroy it within minutes. If you live in the Midwest or another geographic area subject to strong storms and hail, then you have to seriously consider investing in an impact-resistant synthetic roof to protect your home."
Standard slate and shingle style roofing tiles manufactured by DaVinci are Class 4 impact rated, meeting the UL 2218 Impact Test. "Average sized hail stones literally bounce off these roofing tiles," says Rosewall, "The tiles are so impact-resistant that we back them with a 50-year warranty.
"Mother Nature throws everything at the Midwest from March through September. Our company is located in Kansas City, so we know what it's like to live with the threat of tornados, hail, high winds and strong storms. There were 108 recorded tornados in Kansas in 2009. There was not one claim of roof damage to a DaVinci roof."
According to Jill Hassling, executive director of the Weather Research Center in Houston, hail occurrences are usually highest in May and June each year, and Kansas sees a significant amount of hail storms. "In Kansas City from 1980 to 2006, there were 10,616 reports of hail," says Hassling. "They had an average of 46 days of hail per year. Compare this with Rapid City, S.D. with 3,831 reports of hail over the same timeframe … and they had 39 days of hail per year."
To combat potential hail damage, durable DaVinci roofing tiles are manufactured from a proprietary engineered polymer that includes multiple virgin ThermoPlastic Olefin (TPO) resins, organic fire retardant, state-of-the-art color and UV stabilizers, and inorganic pigments that are safe for the environment. The tiles have successfully been independently tested to resist straight line winds at 110 mph. The DaVinci products has also passed the TAS-125 certification test for wind uplift resistance in High Velocity Hurricane Zones and the TAS-100 certification test for wind-driven rain.
"As any Midwesterner knows, hail isn't the only weather we face in the central states," says Rosewall. "So our roofing tiles are designed to withstand a variety of severe weather conditions including extreme winds and rain. These roofing tiles are also Class A rated for fire retardance and can help people save on their homeowner insurance costs."
Like all of the DaVinci products, Bellaforte Slate roofing tiles have achieved a Miami Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) and meet Florida Building Code (FBC) qualifications. Bellaforte tiles have shown that they can endure Hurricane Zone Force Winds up to 175 mph. Category 5 hurricanes have sustained winds greater than 155 mph during severe weather conditions.
Source: http://www.davinciroofscapes.com/