The Best Roof for Hurricanes or High Winds, According to FEMA (2024)

​What is the best type of roof for high winds or a hurricane? According to FEMA, metal roofing is probably the best option.

​After Hurricane Michael passed through Florida in 2018, the MAT (Mitigation Assessment Team) assessed the performance of asphalt and metal roofing throughout affected cities along the Panhandle. We recommend you review their observations below and consult with a roofing professional if you have a desire to make a change.

Asphalt Shingles

"Damage to asphalt shingle roofs was observed on both relatively new construction (post-2017) and houses that were 10 to 15 years old."

While the damage appeared extensive, rooftop observation was difficult, as many homeowners had already put tarps up. But the MAT did discover a few prominent trends while examining piles of asphalt debris:

1. First, fasteners in shingles were incorrectly installed above the proper location, which would have been a major damage factor during extreme high winds. There's a dedicated nail zone when installing asphalt shingles, which pins both the shingle on top and the shingle on bottom to the roof underneath.
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2. Second, the majority of hip-and-ridge shingles (the shingles that cover the hips and ridges of your roof) that were examined seemed to lack roofing cement. Shingle ridge caps and exposed nail heads should always be set in cement. Without that bond, wind and debris become even more of a threat.

With each shingle blown off, the entire roofing system becomes weaker and leaves the home or building vulnerable to water and wind damage. Based on the MAT observations, it seems like a lot of the damage to asphalt shingles could have been avoided if they were installed properly using a shingle with a high wind-resistance rating.
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Metal Roofing

​"Metal panel roof systems...performed reasonably well overall in the areas visited by the MAT....It is worth noting that most of the metal panel roof damage observed was in areas where the estimated wind speeds were above the design level wind speed."

One of the most common forms of damage found amongst metal roofing systems was the failure of ridge vents. The ridge vent allows warm and moist air to leave your attic, which ultimately decreases the amount of moisture within the attic. So when a ridge vent is damaged or dislodged during heavy wind and rain, a gaping hole is left, and water can quickly get into the interior and cause a lot of damage. In one particular home observed by FEMA, water damage was limited to the loss of ridge shingles and vents, meaning that if those ridge shingles and vents were either properly installed or of a higher wind-resistance level, there would not have been any damage.

The MAT also recorded a few instances, including a multi-family complex, where metal roof panels had been applied over existing asphalt shingles. The damage here could have been a resultsof failure to re-nail the roof sheathing upon application of the metal panels. The FBC (Florida Building Code) does not require re-nailing of the roof deck when metal panels are installed on top of existing asphalt shingles, but re-nailing could absolute prevent future damage.

We discourage re-roofing altogether.

​Additionally, the MAT observed what are known as sealed roof decks, which have been tested and proven to significantly reduce wind damage and subsequent water intrusion. A sealed roof deck is a secondary layer covering your primary roof, commonly composed of engineered wood panels with a water-resistant barrier and advanced acrylic tape. According to the IBHS (Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety), "A sealed roof deck can reduce water entry by as much as 95%."

​FEMA's direct recommendation is that "Designers should specify, and contractors should install, a roof deck with a secondary roof membrane for critical facilities designed with structural standing seam metal roof panels."
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Gulf Coast Supply, a metal roof materials supplier in Florida, offers valuable insight into the durability of properly installed metal roofing during hurricane-force winds:

"In wind uplift tests, metal roofs earn a 140-mph wind rating...and some can withstand gusts up to 180 MPH. Hurricane Michael’s strongest winds were 155 MPH, though as the storm came ashore, gusts were in the 104 and 129 range...Factors that contribute to metal roofs’ superior wind resistance include the attachment methods and the interlocking and overlapping panel system which when correctly installed, leaves little area for storm winds to penetrate under the roof panels and cause uplift."

Jeff Hock, technical director of the Sheffield Metals department atIntertek Laboratories in West Palm Beach, has an extensive knowledge of the strength of metal roofing in high winds. Intertek conducts extreme weather testing for metal roofing.

"Metal roofing is as good as you install it. I've seen systems where the roof stayed on and the deck pulled off. Obviously there are conditions where nothing is going to last, but if you install it per the environment that you're in, you have the best chance that you can."

When installed correctly, asphalt shingles with a high wind-resistance rating can withstand hurricane weather. But metal roofing will do a better job. Whichever roofing material you choose, make sure it is installed the right way to minimize the likelihood of wind and water damage.
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