As hurricanes grow stronger, roofs must, too

By Emma Peterson. 

Carlisle SynTec Systems’ SureTite™ Cleats provide edge metal systems the strength needed to survive what hurricane seasons have in store. 

As we approach the end of the 2025 hurricane season, we can all start to breathe a little easier. This year’s weather was surprising, with Jonathan Erdman of the Weather Channel reporting, “There has not been a mainland U.S. hurricane landfall, so far. The last season without a single mainland U.S. hurricane landfall was 10 years ago, in 2015.”  

While this is an incredible statistic, it is important to note that even with the low hurricane count, there have still been intense storms brewing in the Atlantic. Jonathan explained, “Hurricanes Erin, Gabrielle and Humberto all were intense. Each intensified to at least Category 4 at their peak, with both Erin and Humberto reaching Category 5 intensity. It was the fourth year in a row of at least one Atlantic Basin Category 5 hurricane, tied for the most consecutive years on record with 2016 through 2019.” And these storms did have impacts even if they didn’t make it to the mainland. Flooding in Texas, North Carolina and Viriginia are examples of the damages left in the wake of such storms.  

As Jonathan pointed out, these storms are just the continuation of a pattern – intensifying hurricane seasons. So, what can we do in response? The solution is to create stronger building envelopes that can withstand severe winds and the harsh weather that comes with hurricanes. The best place to start is on the roof, which is the first line of defense between building occupants and Mother Nature.  

RICOWI, Texas Tech and Factory Mutual (FM) researched the best methods to defend against hurricane damages and found that “60% of the roof failures were due to compromised metal edge systems.” Further research continued to illustrate the importance of a strong edge metal system. In 2003, the International Building Code (IBC) added an ES-1 Certified Edge System requirement into their code. 

In response to the need for these ES-1 compliant systems, Carlisle SynTec Products developed a SureTite™ Prefabricated Cleats. These cleats work in tandem with Carlisle roof systems to offer incredible protection from the elements. In fact, when applicators install SureTite Cleats with Carlisle’s prefabricated flat sheets, they can build systems that qualify for the Carlisle Edge-to-Edge Warranty, which provides coverage for 20 years at 90 MPH wind speeds! In addition to their strength and performance in a roofing system, SureTite Cleats offer a variety of benefits:  

• Convenience: SureTite Cleats are packaged in bundles that provide contractors with all the fasteners needed to complete an installation. 
• Accessibility: You can get SureTite Cleats from any Carlisle-approved distributor. 
• Flexibility: Because the cleats come in a variety of sizes, they work well with most nailer heights. Additionally, the cleats work with a variety of cover pieces, including shop fabricated, local metal fabricated and Carlisle prefabricated. 
• Efficiency: The prefabricated nature of these cleats saves you time and labor by eliminating the need for field fabrication. Further, the snap-on feature of the cleat means that you no longer need to strip-in edge metal! 
• Value: Because these cleats are already approved for ES-1 certification when installed with the correct Carlisle prefabricated flat sheets, contractors can skip the costly and time-consuming process of getting their roof systems independently certified.  

Learn more about the Carlisle SynTec SureTite Cleats.