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Westlake Royal Building Products announces very severe hail (VSH) rating for Unified Steel® Stone Coated Roofing
Lightweight, weather-resistant roofing product the first in its category to obtain VSH rating.
Westlake Royal Building Products™ (Westlake Royal), a Westlake company, announced today that Unified Steel® Stone Coated Roofing has received the Very Severe Hail (VSH) rating in accordance with ANSI FM4473 American National Standard for Impact Resistance Testing of Rigid Roofing Materials by Impacting with Freezer Ice Balls. The durable, lightweight roofing system, which benefits from the structural strength of steel, is the first stone coated steel roofing product on the market in the U.S. which has obtained the VSH rating.
“The roof is often the first point of contact for the hailstorms that damage homes every year,” says Steve Booz, Vice President, marketing, Westlake Royal Building Products. “Hailstorms are increasing the repair and insurance costs incurred by homeowners and, as a result, roofing materials that have been tested to the most stringent in hail resistance standards are in high demand.”
NOAA reported 6,962 hail events in the United States in 2023 alone, an increase from the 4,436 hail events recorded the year prior. As of April 22, 2024, NOAA had reported 1,182 severe hail events in the U.S.[ii] Hailstorms are now responsible for billions in damages each year in the U.S.[iii] As a result, insurers are reporting large losses. In 2023, State Farm paid 27,300 claims for hail damage to homes and businesses, up from 23,200 in 2022. The company’s payouts for 2023 totaled $6.1 billion, more than the previous two years combined.[iv]
In order to qualify as an FM4473 certified roofing product, steep slope roofing materials must possess adequate physical properties to demonstrate hail impact resistance as it relates to hailstorms. Minimum accepted performance is Class 2 nominal 1.5-inch (38.1 mm) diameter ice ball. Classifications also include Class 3 nominal, or 1.75-inch (44.5 mm) sized ice ball, and Class 4 nominal, or 2.0-inch (50.8 mm) sized ice ball. Certification for these ratings is contingent on two successful test specimens meeting the acceptable criteria to qualify for the given classification.
For the Very Severe Hail (VSH) rating, 2.0-inch (50.8 mm) ice balls are also used, however they are weathered prior to testing. Additionally, three successful test specimens must meet the criteria. During both Class 4 and VSH testing, a 2-inch ice ball is shot at the test subject at different speeds, producing a set kinetic energy at impact. Class 4 shoots the ball to target a kinetic energy of 26.8-foot pounds of force, while the VSH Classification doubles that to 53-foot pounds of force. To double the force in Unified Steel’s qualifying testing for VSH, the speed of the ice ball was increased from about 55 mph to approximately 110 mph.
Unified Steel has achieved both the Class 4 and VSH classifications.
“By meeting the VSH classification outlined by FM Approval and listed in QAI CER 1008, Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing has demonstrated the ability to help protect the structure from further damage caused by severe hail impacts,” says Eric Miller, Vice President, sales, for Westlake Royal Building Products roofing solutions. “The VSH designation also sets Unified Steel apart from most steep slope roofing products.”
The product is offered with a 50-year limited and fully transferable warranty.[v] Explore Unified Steel here. For information on the company’s full suite of concrete, composite, clay, steel, and components roofing options, visit Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions.
About Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing
Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing is a premium roofing product line by Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions, the roofing solutions group of Westlake Royal Building Products and nationally recognized leader in durable and sustainable roof systems and components. Unified Steel benefits from the structural strength of steel, providing enhanced performance and weather resistance on the roof. An ultra-lightweight roofing system line, the stone coated roofing weighs just 1.5 pounds per square foot, providing an ideal solution for both retrofit and new construction roofing applications. Unified Steel is offered in five distinct profiles emulating the look of traditional shingle, clay tile, cedar shake or slate. The system is Class 4 Rated for Hail Impact Resistance, offers a Class A Fire Rating (when paired with designated underlay materials, and is Hurricane Performance Rated with Miami-Dade County HVHZ Approval (the most stringent hurricane resistance standard in the U.S.).
About Westlake Royal Building Products
Westlake Royal Building Products USA Inc., a Westlake company (NYSE:WLK), is a leader throughout North America in the innovation, design, and production of a broad and diverse range of exterior and interior building products, including Siding and Accessories, Trim and Mouldings, Roofing, Stone, Windows and Outdoor Living. Westlake Royal Building Products manufactures high quality, low maintenance products to meet the specifications and needs of building professionals, homeowners, architects, engineers and distributors, while providing stunning curb appeal with an unmatched array of colors, styles, and accessories.
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