This 2004 marks a record year that
Floridians could well do without. Not since 1886 have
so many hurricanes hit one state in one hurricane season.
In that year, Texas was struck by four separate hurricanes.
Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne before
reaching the Floridian coast, also ravaged various tropical
islands in the Caribbean Sea.
Unfortunately almost nothing remained untouched by the
path of these storms. Of course, rooftops received the
brunt of the hit. The resources of F.J.A. Christiansen
aided hurricane recovery efforts ranging from the island
of Grand Cayman to the state of Florida. While our Grand
Cayman activity has been directed at certain key national
account resort facilities, our Florida recovery efforts
have been spread across a variety of facilities along
both coasts. Our efforts were made possible through
the resources of our parent company, Tecta America Corp.,
as well as the local operations of Murton Roofing (a
sister company) in Miami and West Palm Beach. As our
“clean and green” fleet became visible to
Floridians and transplanted “snowbirds”
from back home, our local offices received numerous
calls for roofing assistance.
The damage occasioned upon rooftops
was tremendous. On Grand Cayman, hurricane winds of
155 mph with gusts to 220 mph blew for 5 hours on Sunday
morning September 12. As they say, a picture tells a
thousand stories – here are some pictures that
tell the story of rooftops exposed to hurricane force
winds:
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Click to enlarge
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1- Structural
decks, underlayment and metal shingles destroyed above
multiple condominium units, leaving interior exposed.
2-
Rooftop equipment and surrounding roof areas unable
to withstand the forces.
3- Mansard areas received
a direct blow as the hurricane approached on this side
of the hotel.
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
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4- System consisted of
isocyanurate insulation installed in a foam adhesive below
a fully-adhered PVC membrane. Beads of adhesive, damaged
isocyanurate (note removal of facer board) and the concrete
structural deck are the only remains.
5- Adjacent roof areas
with PVC membrane removed by winds.
6- Metal coping caps formerly
covered the exterior walls. Hurricane forces caught the
outside edge and the damage just continued from there.
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
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7- Blue tarps have become
a part of the Florida landscape. Less fortunate property
owners were left with no roof to cover.
8- Foreground: damaged
PVC membrane. Background: damaged and removed standing
seam metal panel covering walkway area. Grand Cayman hotel.
9- Hurricane Ivan did
not discriminate between roof systems. Those more fortunate
suffered damage only to their rooftops, from clay tile
to asphalt shingles to other low-slope systems. Unfortunately,
structural damage was also severe.
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