Why:
Keeping the roof structure attached to the exterior walls is essential in order to minimize wind and water damage to your home during a hurricane. Most homes built in Florida have some type of tie down connections such as roof clips or straps (see illustrations below); however, in many instances existing straps do not have sufficient strength to hold the roof to the exterior walls of the home due to wind pressures caused by hurricanes. Homes built before 1995 are likely candidates for improved fastening of the roof structure to the exterior walls.
What to do:
Have your roof inspected to determine if roof straps are present on each truss/rafter and if they are installed per the manufacturer’s recommendations. If improvements are recommended, several options may be available for retrofitting the tie-down connections.
How:
The inspector will identify suitable opportunities for improvement in your home but generally the following describes the procedures for strengthening tie-downs methods:
Wood frame construction can often be improved by adding roof straps to the outside of the home. If soffit material is installed, it will have to be removed to accomplish this installation. New soffits may be reinstalled horizontally to hide the new tie-down brackets. If access is adequate from the inside, tie-down brackets may be installed from the attic.
Masonry construction may also be improved by adding roof straps to the outside of the home. In this case, the brackets will have to be screwed into the concrete tie/bond beam and nailed or screwed to the wood-framing members. If soffit material is installed, it will have to be removed to accomplish this installation.
CONTACT YOUR AGENT TO DETERMINE THE VERIFICATION PROCESS REQUIRED TO QUALIFY FOR FWUA CREDITS FOR MITIGATION ACTIVITY.
Contact a licensed Building Contractor to determine the process and accompanying cost to install tie-down clips or straps on your home.
View Mitigation Verification Affidavit Form (MIT-1)