Protecting roofs from extreme weather events with Polyglass

By Jesse Sanchez. 

How Polyglass tackles extreme weather with advanced underlayments. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Karen Edwards sat down with Alex Manos from Polyglass who shared insights on the company’s innovative approach to roofing underlayments, particularly in response to the increasing intensity of extreme weather events. As climate patterns shift, roofing materials must evolve to offer better protection and resilience. Polyglass has positioned itself at the forefront of this movement by developing advanced underlayments designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions, from high winds to wildfires. 

“We've seen storms intensify with higher winds, higher gusts and longer sustained winds,” Alex noted during the discussion. This observation has driven Polyglass to engineer underlayments that do more than just waterproof the roof deck. Their products, like Polyanchor HV and Polystick XFR, are tailored to address the specific challenges posed by severe weather. 

One standout innovation shared by Alex is Polyanchor HV, which is designed with dual-fix technology to enhance wind uplift resistance. “It's a replacement for that 30-pound anchor sheet that's commonly used by contractors,” he explained. The new membrane not only provides superior bonding but also allows for fewer fasteners, thus saving on labor time — a crucial advantage in high-wind areas like Florida and the Midwest. 

In addition to wind resistance, Polyglass has also focused on fire protection. Alex introduced their Class A fire-rated underlayments, Polystick XFR and Polyanchor XFR, which offer top-tier protection against wildfires — a growing concern even beyond California. Alex remarked that they are seeing it in places such as Texas and Florida and focusing on the widespread need for fire-resistant materials. These underlayments achieve a Class A fire rating with just one layer, which simplifies installation and reduces costs compared to older, multi-layer methods. 

As roofing contractors face increasingly stringent building codes and unpredictable weather, the demand for such high-performance materials is growing. Polyglass continues to innovate, ensuring that their products not only meet but exceed these evolving standards. 

Read the Transcript or Listen to the Podcast to learn more about Polyglass’s advanced underlayments and how they can benefit your roofing projects! 

Photo source: Polyglass