When the Winds Rise: Commercial Roofs Built for New Orleans Storms
The Problem: Storms Keep Testing Gulf South Roofs
In New Orleans, storms aren’t rare events — they’re a recurring test of your building and your business. Wind, rain, and heat attack seams, clips, and fasteners. Once seam integrity is compromised, water intrusion can shut operations down.
Katrina (2005): Winds over 100 mph peeled the Superdome’s roof and stripped coverings from warehouses across Orleans Parish.
Zeta (2020): With gusts topping 90 mph, panels and coverings lifted at corners and seams — the exact points where uplift forces hit hardest.
Ida (2021): Gusts near 100 mph in New Orleans tore entire roof systems open, shutting down businesses for weeks as water ruined equipment and inventory.
Olga (2019): Even at tropical storm strength, Olga exposed leaks in aging commercial roofs, proving it doesn’t take a Category 4 to cause costly downtime.
The lesson is clear: uplift forces pull at seams, edges, and fasteners. Once the seal breaks, water intrusion brings operations to a halt.
The Butler® Solution: MR-24® Standing Seam Resilience
The MR-24® roof system is engineered to resist the failure modes that storms exploit, especially in Gulf Coast conditions.
Weathertight Seams
The MR-24® roof system is the only standing-seam roof system where the critical 180 degrees of the roof panel seam is mechanically field-rolled to complete a 360-degree Pittsburgh double-lock seam — creating one of the tightest seams available today. Inside the seam, a factory-applied sealant assures weathertightness in even the most unforgiving conditions.
Roof Clip — Allows Roof Movement
Because metal roofs expand and contract with daily and seasonal temperature changes, the MR-24® roof clip is designed to provide a positive attachment and allow the roof to move freely in both directions. This moveable clip allows panels to expand and contract without causing seam fatigue.
Concealed Fasteners
The MR-24® system uses fully concealed fasteners, eliminating exposed penetration points and reducing long-term leak risk.
Staggered Panel Splices
Butler staggers panel splices to avoid the “four-corner condition,” helping maintain weathertightness and providing a stronger and superior roof system.
Factory-Punched Components
All roof panels and structural members of the MR-24® system are factory-punched to assure proper alignment, which supports weathertightness and consistent performance.
Galvalume® Panels
Galvalume® panels resist corrosion and deliver long service life in Gulf Coast conditions. Installations in New Orleans continue to perform decades later, even under extreme humidity.
Tested and Certified for Gulf Coast Weather
The Gulf South demands a roofing system built to perform. The MR-24® roof carries a UL Class 90 wind uplift rating, has been tested under ASTM E 1592 standards, and is included in FM approved assemblies for wind uplift performance.
These certifications help ensure performance in hurricane-exposed regions.
The Payoff for New Orleans Facility Owners
Choosing MR-24® means:
Long-term weathertight performance from mechanically field-rolled seams
Fewer leak pathways due to concealed fasteners
Reliable thermal movement with engineered floating clips
Precise alignment supported by factory-punched components
Reduced maintenance requirements compared to traditional systems
Built for the Gulf South. Installed for Performance.
New Orleans buildings face heat, humidity, salt air, and hurricane exposure. The Butler MR-24® system is engineered for these conditions — and Gulf South Metal Works installs it with deep regional expertise.
Let’s prepare your facility for the next storm season.
Contact Gulf South Metal Works today to schedule a consultation and put Butler’s storm-proven roofing to work for your business.