Zeroing in on wind uplift risk for commercial roofs

By Jesse Sanchez. 

How equipment design, stricter codes and severe weather are pushing contractors to rethink wind uplift and rooftop attachments. 

Anchor Products is helping contractors navigate a fast-changing landscape as equipment profiles shift and codes tighten due to the rise in severe weather. On this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Karen Edwards talks with Harley Coleman, Southeast regional manager at Anchor Products, about why wind uplift is no longer just a membrane issue and how smarter attachment strategies can protect both the roof and the equipment riding on it. 

Harley has spent 20 years in the roofing industry; much of it spent above the deck. His field experience now shapes the work he does at Anchor Products, where he develops the Southeast region and supports contractors facing tougher wind conditions. 

 The company, founded about 15 years ago, first made its mark in solar attachment but has stayed focused on providing reliable anchor points for rooftop equipment. Its system is delivered as a single prefabricated unit that includes the waterproofing built directly into the hardware, a design meant to simplify installation and eliminate the leak-prone details that have long challenged building owners. 

Company founder Joel Stanley developed a prefabricated anchor that combines structural hardware and waterproofing into a single unit that arrives ready to install at the roof level. Harley noted, “It comes prefabricated with the waterproofing component of it already incorporated into the hardware itself.” 

That approach is designed to solve a long-standing headache for building owners and contractors. Traditional penetrations and tie-off anchor details, such as pitch pockets and stanchions, often become maintenance items and chronic leak points over the life of the roof. Harley said Anchor Products’ integrated system “really [is] what differentiates us from some of the more traditional tie-off anchor point applications.” 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about how Anchor Products is helping contractors address wind uplift and protect rooftop equipment!