Roof Preparation for Hurricane Season Part 4

Hurricane season in Hawaii starts in June and ends at the end of November. That’s a five-month window for serious disaster to occur to our island homeowners and business owners. While we often see hurricanes coming from miles away, they still take many of us off guard. One way to avoid this is to prepare your roof for all potential hurricanes this season. 

Why the roof, you ask? That’s because your roof can affect the integrity of your entire home. It’s the one layer of defense between the storm and your livelihood. If your roof were to become compromised, it could devastate the rest of your home. 

Kapili Solar Roofing’s Jon Chun shared some tips with Island Life’s Nikki Kehaulani Holbrook to help homeowners prepare their roofs for hurricanes. 

How Kapili Helps with Hurricane Preparedness

During hurricane season, Kapili Roofing offers 24-hour emergency service to address roof leaks and other issues. “We can come out and do temporary repairs, temporary emergency covers, and other simple fixes until a better solution can be reached. We dispatch our crew as soon as possible when it is safe to do so.” 

Jon shares that Kapili Roofing also offers free roof inspection, and now is a great time to take advantage of it. Scheduling a free roof inspection gives you a chance to protect your home even more if a hurricane approaches. They don’t take long, and you’re under no obligation to work with Kapili Roofing if we do find any damage.

 “If you have solar panels, we also make sure you have a battery backup to use in the event of a power outage. Your battery backup will automatically activate so you can continue having power in your home. The backup should last up to 24 hours, allowing your family to have power for cell phones and emergency services.”

How to Prepare Your Roof for a Hurricane

While you can’t stop a hurricane from coming, there are steps you can take to reduce their impact on your home or business.

The best way to protect your roof during hurricane season is to take preventative measures before the storm hits. Preparation will look a little differently for each homeowner, depending on the type of roof you have. 

For example, if you have a metal roof, make sure all of the seams are sealed and there are no gaps in the panels. 

For shingled roofs, inspect your roof for any missing or damaged shingles and repair them before the storm hits. You may want to install hurricane straps to keep the roof from being pulled off in high winds. You can also install impact-resistant windows and doors to help protect your home from wind and water damage.

The first priority Jon shares is to schedule a roof inspection to find damage that may leave your home vulnerable. “A roofing company will come out and give you an idea of how much work might be needed. At Kapili, we look for signs of damage on the exterior and interior of the roof. 

A roof inspection can reveal potential problems with your roof that you might only find out about during a hurricane. At that point, the damage is done. 

If you have solar panels, the Kapili team can still conduct thorough inspections on your roof. We will check to make sure you have a sufficiently charged battery and that your panels are propertly attached to the home if they’re on racks. In the future, you may want to consider an integrated solution, such as those offered by Kapili Roofing. Instead of mounting the panels on the roof, we integrate them with the roofing system so they create a seamless look and feel.

Jon also mentions trimming long tree limbs or tall trees that are too close to your home. When trees fall, they may crush your roof and leave you vulnerable to the elements. 

“Being proactive will make a very big difference when it comes to hurricane season. Whether you’re sealing your roof, having it inspected, or removing potential disasters like trees, anything you can do now means having less to do later.”

Preparing for a Hurricane with Kapili Roofing

The Kapili Roofing team prides itself on providing quality service to families and business owners in Hawaii. We enjoy making others feel safe in their own homes and being able to help them in times of need. To learn more about how you can prevent any potential disasters, check out our other blogs! 

• Brennan Shares Tips On Hurricane Preparedness
• Stay Ahead of the Game This Hurricane Season
• Top Brands To Keep Your Roof In Tip-Top Shape

To schedule your roof inspection or request information on roofing preparedness, contact us today!