Protecting Your Fire Island Property from Wind...
Are You At Risk?
If you aren't sure whether your house is at risk from hurricanes or
tornadoes, check with your local building official, city engineer, or
planning and zoning administrator. They can tell you whether you are in an
area where these high-wind events occur. Also, they usually can tell you
how to protect yourself and your house and property from the effects of
high winds.
What You Can Do
Hurricane and tornado protection can involve a variety of changes to
your house and property -- changes that can vary in complexity and cost.
You may be able to make some types of changes yourself. But complicated or
large-scale changes and those that affect the structure of your house or
its electrical wiring and plumbing should be carried out only by a
professional contractor licensed to work in your state, county, or city.
One example of hurricane and tornado protection is adding bracing to gable
end roof framing. This is something that only a licensed contractor should
do.
Brace Gable End Roof Framing
 Gable end roofs
are more susceptible to damage by high winds than hip roofs or flat roofs.
The gable end presents a large obstacle to the wind and receives its full
force. If the framing of the gable end and the rest of the roof is not
adequately braced to resist the wind, the roof can fail. Roof failures,
especially in unbraced gable roofs, are a common cause of major damage to
houses and their contents in high winds.
If your house has a gable roof, you should check to see whether the
roof framing is braced. The figure shows a cutaway view of an unbraced
gable end roof. This is a truss roof, but some gable end roofs are
constructed with rafters rather than trusses. Both types should be braced.
If you are unsure whether your gable end roof is adequately braced, check
with your local building department. After inspecting your roof framing, a
building official can tell you whether bracing is required and if so, how
it should be added.
Tips
Keep these points in mind if you have bracing added to a gable end
roof:
- Bracing can be added fairly easily, but you should have a contractor
perform the work to make sure that the bracing is properly designed and
attached.
- If you have a building official inspect your roof framing, ask about
other changes you may be able to make to your house to protect it from
high winds.
Estimated Cost
If you hire a contractor to brace a gable end roof, you can expect to
pay about $75 for each gable end. This figure is for a gable end about 30
feet long. Bracing longer gable ends may be slightly more expensive.
Other Sources of Information
Against the Wind, FEMA 237 (Brochure 2-0003; Video 0-0001), 1993
Building Performance: Hurricane Iniki in Hawaii -- Observations,
Recommendations, and Technical Guidance, FIA-23, January 29, 1993
Building Performance: Hurricane Andrew in Florida -- Observations,
Recommendations, and Technical Guidance, FIA-22, December 21, 1992
Best Build I, Constructing a Sound Coastal Home, FEMA and the
NAHB (videotape)
To obtain copies of these and other FEMA documents, call FEMA
Publications at 1-800-480-2520. Information is also available on the World
Wide Web at http//:www.fema.gov
Source: FEMA
   
Revised:
01/14/04 |
