If your home is located in Tornado Alley, ensure your roofing is strong enough to endure the most intense winds and protect your family and belongings for the duration of tornado season. Below are a few ways to fortify your home with a solid roofing installation.

What to Look for in a Durable Roof

Steel Roofing Installation

Metal roofing — particularly steel — provides some of the most effective storm protection. Steel shingles or panels can resist the damage often left behind by intense winds. With an interlocking pattern and secure hardware, steel metal roofing installations have the potential to withstand EF3 tornadoes while sustaining only moderate damage. They also offer suitable protection from fire and lightning strikes, lasting upwards of 40 years.

Hail Ratings

Besides a material that secures the roof against high winds, look for a roofing installation that protects against other elements that come with a tornado. Heavy rain, lightning, and hail can accompany a funnel cloud. Choose a roof with standards based on ASTM International and impact ratings by an Underwriters Laboratory test, UL 2218. Opt for ASTM D3161 for steep-slope roofs or ASTM D7158 for asphalt shingles, and ensure impact under UL 2218 is at least Class 4.

Other Considerations

Whichever material you choose, strengthen your roofing with steel straps. This will secure trusses and rafters to wall studs and keep roofing components anchored even during the highest winds. Straps must be affixed to top plates on both ends for extra security.

ABC Seamless of Lincoln in Lancaster County, NE, offers roofing installations with an incredible wind rating of 160 miles per hour — the same strength found in an EF3 tornado — making them a top choice when you need extra protection in Tornado Alley. Their steel roofing measures at a UL Class 4 impact rating, which is the highest level for hail and debris during intense winds. Besides being a trustworthy roofing contractor, the team is also proficient in siding, gutters, and window installations, ensuring the exterior of your home is solid. Call (402) 477-5400 to get started or visit them online for their current specials.