Durable Roof Survives Hurricane Irma

By Cayden Wemple.  

A roof in the British Virgin Islands survived the Category 5 Hurricane Irma thanks to DaVinci Roofscapes. 

After Hurricane Irma devastated The British Virgin Islands, over 85% of the homes on the island had their roofs destroyed or severely damaged, but Brent Brydon’s home was still standing strong. Brent’s home was equipped with the wind resistant, synthetic DaVinci Roofscapes Multi-Width Shake and escaped the storm with just a few scratches. 

Planning ahead 

“Roofs were stripped off homes all over the island,” says Brydon with Providence Engineering and Project Management Ltd. “Bark was peeled off trees. It looked like a war zone. Yet, our roof sustained very minor damage.” 

Brent, who is an engineer by trade, relates that most roofs on the island are metal. Many of them were blown off. 

“Failures were often related to compromised building practices rather than the specific roofing material,” says Brent. “When we selected our DaVinci material back in 2008, we beefed up the installation method. Instead of using nails, we used stainless steel screws and washers on the shakes. In this environment, that has made a huge difference.” 

As an engineer, Brent thinks ahead to anticipate “weaker” aspects of any building project. He consulted with a DaVinci representative when placing his original roofing order about his idea for enhanced security of each shake. His advance planning paid off. 

“There were wind gusts up to 200 mph during Hurricane Irma,” says Brent. “We lost just a few ridge cap shakes. In addition, a few regular shakes had been torn in half. Some of the two dozen bent shakes were literally moved by the wind, but they stayed in place. Even though the roof has been through many storms, it still looks and performs great, which makes us very happy.” 

Staying with a winner 

Now, almost 15 years later, Brent has ordered more DaVinci product for a second wind-resistant synthetic roof. He’s getting ready to add a second structure on his property in Trunk Bay on Tortola. He will again use DaVinci Multi-Width Shake in the Tahoe color blend. And, he will again use screws and washers to install the composite shakes. 

“We’ve seen first-hand how these DaVinci tiles hold up over time and through extreme weather conditions,” says Brent. “This is an impressive product. As soon as we decided to create the new studio suite/villa rental unit on our property, I knew we would go with DaVinci tiles. They’ll help maintain some consistency in the character of architecture on our property. And, most importantly, we believe they’ll help protect the structure from future storms.” 

Original article source: DaVinci Roofscapes