Roof Anchor Points and What They Do
July 18, 2021Roof anchor points are critical to the safe placement of your roof on your home. You would need a reliable roof anchor point system to hold your roof in place in case of strong winds, rainstorms or extreme storms. In fact, your roof anchor points may actually determine whether your roof will survive a severe storm or not. Storms that hit the United States have already proven that they can be quite destructive. Even though this is the case, it is good to know how you can prevent them from doing damage to your home.
As mentioned above, there are two common types of roof anchor systems; mechanical and dynamic. The mechanical system is composed of steel clips that are used to attach the roof structure to the building or a precast or reinforced concrete slab. This type of anchor is more reliable because it can withstand stronger winds and rains. However, when you are choosing a roof anchor system, you should make sure that you get one that will work best for your particular roof structure. In terms of dynamic anchors, these use an aluminium fall rod that connects to a ground anchor point.
Roof fall arrest harnesses are considered the best type of system for strong winds. These come in both automatic and manual forms. They will also work better if you have extra space on your roof. Compared to the mechanical system, the automatic ones will work best in calm weather. However, the manual fall arrest harnesses will work better when there is a lot of wind on your roof.
If you want to install a fall arrest harness in your home, you should first talk with a professional to see which would be best for you. Some of the fall arrest harnesses will only work with certain types of roofs such as metal, asphalt and concrete roof types. Others will not work with any type of roof at all. For example, you would not want to get one that uses steel for a roof as they can potentially break during strong winds.
Roof anchor points are important in that they keep the entire roof structure stable. The problem is that if they are not kept steady, you can expect the whole roof to sag or move when a strong storm comes through. This can potentially cause damage to the people living inside the house and even to some properties around the area. Roof anchors are used on either side of the roof but typically the right and left sides will be used together. This is done so that the anchor point will keep the entire roof structure in place.
A number of the options for roof anchor points are used depending on where the anchor will be attached. The most common ones include the use of steel ribs and horizontal tiebacks. While they may be effective, they will not last forever. Eventually, they will begin to rust and wear out. This is why you should make sure that you check your anchor points from time to time so that they are still in good condition.
It is important to keep in mind that many homeowners make the mistake of not checking the roof anchor points regularly. They believe that they will not have to worry about them until a hurricane happens or a tree falls on the home. However, this is not how things work. The main reason for the need for anchor points is so that the roof does not shake when there is wind. You will want to be able to feel confident that your roof is secure before it comes time to leave the house.
You should also take a look at the type of anchor that you will be using when you are checking the roof anchor points. It is better to use an anchor that is made specifically for your particular roof structure. This way you know that it will be strong enough to hold the weight of the building or home that is on top of it. Keep in mind that if you do not feel comfortable using the anchor points that are set into the roof then you can always have someone do it for you. Just make sure that they know exactly what they are doing so that your building does not collapse due to a lack of anchor support.
External Resources:
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1702/safe-work-roofs-information-sheet.pdf
