ZIP System® Roof Sheathing Saves East Tennessee Builder Thousands in Storm Repairs
East Tennessee custom home builder, Blane Chrisman of Radius Homes, uses ZIP System® roof sheathing along with ZIP System® wall sheathing and AdvanTech® flooring to construct high-quality energy efficiency and moisture resistant homes. Little did Chrisman know that on April 27, 2011 a home he was building near Knoxville, Tenn., in the Lowe’s Ferry community, avoided unimagined hail damage thanks to ZIP System roof sheathing.
Following one of the worst days of weather-related destruction ever in the Southeast, Chrisman watched neighboring builders file significant insurance claims while his project stood virtually unharmed. On April 27, there were 314 confirmed tornados across the region including two that touched down within miles of Lowes Ferry .
“The house next door to mine reported $60,000 in roof damages alone due to the storm on April 27,” said Chrisman. “As a long-time builder and engineer, I know that it was using ZIP System® roof sheathing rather than standard oriented strand board that kept my house from experiencing the same kind of damage experienced by other properties in the area.”
Chrisman credits the ZIP System roof sheathing’s built-in moisture protective barrier, which eliminates the need for felt and H-clips, for preventing damage to his roof during the storm. Designed to improve speed of installation and resist moisture, according to Chrisman the built-in barrier and rigid nature of ZIP System roof sheathing absorbed and deflected the hail’s energy leaving the shingled roof unscathed. In contrast, the homes built with traditional oriented strand board flexed when struck by hail causing nails and fasteners to come loose while stretching, deforming and in some cases breaking shingles.
“Initially, I installed ZIP System roof because of the product quality and Huber guarantee,” stated Chrisman. “The ZIP System roof delivered on its promise of moisture resistance and easy installation, but its unexpected performance during the storm was a huge benefit that really makes it unmatched by other products. I’m even more confident in using ZIP System roof sheathing as well as ZIP System wall sheathing and AdvanTech flooring on the homes I build moving forward.”
Research suggests that days like April 27 will become less an anomaly and more the norm. With this past April as the wettest on record for the Tennessee valley, products like ZIP System’s durable roof sheathing are up for the task and builders, like Chrisman, are reaping the rewards of its innovative approach and sound finished product . ZIP System® roof and wall sheathing consists of structural panels with built-in protective barriers rendering its predecessors, like traditional housewrap, obsolete. 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 120-day rough dry-in, allowing builders to schedule subcontractors sooner and ultimately complete the house in less time
For more information Radius Homes and ZIP System roof and wall sheathing, visit www.radiushomes.com and www.zipsystem.com.