Builder Withstands Hurricane Irene with ZIP System® Roof Sheathing
North Carolina custom home builder, John Paul Corey of East Carolina Construction, uses ZIP System® roof sheathing along with ZIP System® wall sheathing to construct high-quality energy efficiency and moisture resistant homes. During installation, Corey would have never predicted that on August 27, 2011 a home he was building on the North Carolina coast would be in danger of damage as Hurricane Irene raced ashore.
Following some of the worst weather-related destruction in North Carolina, Corey saw multiple homes under construction that required replacement and costly rework, while his project stood virtually unharmed. ZIP System had recently been applied to Corey’s waterfront project when the hurricane produced winds in excess of 80 miles per hour and a storm surge in areas of 8.5 feet.
“Other projects in the area had either tar paper on the roof, or building wrap on the exterior, and 60 to 70 percent of their materials blew off during the storm that then had to be replaced,” notes Corey. “I was worried before I came out to the project the day after the storm, but very pleased that I did not have to do any repairs to the siding or to the roofing. ZIP system is an ideal product anywhere, especially along the coast.”
Corey credits the built-in moisture protective barrier of ZIP System sheathing, which eliminates the need for felt and H-clips, for preventing damage to his roof and walls during the storm. Designed to improve speed of installation and resist moisture, according to Corey, the built-in barrier and rigid nature of ZIP System sheathing deflected the wind driven rain, leaving the walls and roof unscathed.
Corey’s experience with ZIP System tape also helped to make him a repeat user of the product. “The tape has been an essential part of this project. As builders know, valleys in the roof tend to collect water, and I was skeptical that the tape would be able to withstand this amount of water, but we did not have to re-tape any valleys in the roof, even after Irene blew through the area.”
ZIP System® roof and wall sheathing consists of structural panels with built-in protective barriers. The seams of the roof and wall panels are sealed using ZIP System tape providing moisture resistance for seams, valleys and ridges, ultimately reducing the occurrence of air leaks. ZIP System’s cutting edge formula meets and exceeds industry standards set by the Seal and Insulate with the ENERGY STAR® effort, and is code recognized as window and door flashing tape when used with ZIP System wall sheathing (ESR-2227). With this innovative product, ZIP System roof and wall sheathing is faster to install than traditional methods and provides an instant 180-day rough dry-in, allowing builders to schedule subcontractors sooner and ultimately complete the house in less time
For more information East Carolina Construction and ZIP System roof and wall sheathing, visit http://www.eastcarolinaconst.com/ and www.zipsystem.com.