January 17th, 2008 by Jim Chadbourne
For the most part, Rubb shelters (Models THA, THB, and THX) do not require a lot of attention from their owners. Although not designed to the specific snow and wind loads of our building range products, these simple shelters have been destruction tested at our factory to ensure their reliability in the field. Simply stated, once the structure is erected and all the connections are tight, owners can expect many years of service from these durable products with little required preventive maintenance.
One area that Rubb shelter owners do need to pay attention to concerns significant weather events: specifically, high wind speeds and heavy snow loads.
Winds in excess of 50 mph or greater can occur year-round in many climates, however, simple precautions will highly reduce the risk of any damage to the building. When high winds are predicted, check your shelter(s) for loose connections and make sure all doors are secured and properly latched. Do this in advance of a storm and the shelter should weather the storm well.
Heavy snow loads pose another challenge for Rubb shelter owners, but with proper attention, this can also be overcome. Generally speaking, snow build up on the roof will tend to slide off the building naturally as the PVC membrane is very slick. However, there are times when heavy wet snow and/or ice may accumulate on the roof membrane and will need to be removed. Should this occur, pushing on the inside of the roof with a broom will loosen up the snow and cause it to slide off the shelter.
Unlike competing products, Rubb shelters are built with the same hot-dipped galvanized frame, outstanding PVC membrane and commitment to quality manufacturing as our above-code building range products. Pay attention to heavy wind and snow and these versatile shelters will last for a long time.
June 5th, 2007 by Glen
The 2007 hurricane season is upon us here in eastern North America. During a hurricane, wind forces, especially with the presence of tornados, can likely exceed building code design requirements. However, in our experience, proper precautions will assist the ability of a structure to endure hurricane force winds. Damage in hurricane situations can also result from flying debris, unsecured doors on the building, etc. If your company owns a Rubb building that may be in the path of a hurricane event, the following are some suggestions for securing your structure in order to minimize potential for damage:
- Close all doors to the Rubb Building. This applies to large equipment or hangar doors as well as smaller personnel doors.
- Affix any loose or flapping PVC cladding. If you have small tears in the PVC membrane, they should be patched with a PVC Repair Kit to strengthen the area around the tear and prevent flapping in the wind, which can lead to additional tearing. Cut a radius at the end of the tear to spread out the tension in the fabric and prevent the tear from spreading.
- Check base tensioning of the PVC. The PVC tensioners around the base of the structure should be applying even tension on the covering. Any loose tensioners along the sides should be tightened. Caution: overtightening the gable ends may pull the fabric off.
- Secure debris in the area. Although a hurricane can carry windborne debris for miles, you can minimize damage to the PVC membrane by securing any loose items on your site that could blow into the building and start a tear in the fabric.
- Make sure foundation is anchored. Smaller shelters (such as our THA range) are not designed for heavy loads, although they have proven to hold up well in high winds. Check that the proper number of anchor spikes or bolts is being used to hold down the foundation. If needed, secure the frame of the shelter to ballast to help hold it in place.
In the event that you do need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at 1-800-289-7822 as we are prepared to help.
