A hipped roof is one that
slopes upward from all sides
of the building. Because of
its aerodynamic properties
and construction techniques,
most hipped roofs will
perform better in windstorms
than the second roof type: a
gabled roof.
A gabled roof has two slopes
that come together to form a
ridge or a peak at the top,
each end looks like the
letter A. Homes with gabled
roofs are more likely to
suffer greater damage, such
as collapse of the end wall
from high winds because they
are often not braced
properly during
construction.
If your home is built with a
gabled end wall, use one of
the following construction
techniques.
Continuous wall construction
or Balloon framing. Use
full-height studs, concrete
or solid masonry walls from
the floor below all the way
up to the roof.
Balloon-framed gable end
walls perform better in
windstorms because they do
not have the hinge that
usually exists where the
triangular part of the gable
sits on top of the wall
below.
Platform framing. Brace the
intersection of the gable
and the end wall. This
intersection is a
particularly weak point and
those that are not properly
braced can collapse, causing
major damage to the roof,
allowing wind and wind
driven rain into the home.
In homes with attics, an
attic floor or ceiling
diaphragm with the proper
bracing techniques can be
used to provide the lateral
support of the gable end
wall if the end wall is
framed full height.
Install bracing along the
top and the bottom of the
gable end. In addition,
connect the gable end to the
top of the end wall using
metal hurricane connectors.
In homes with high
cathedral-like ceilings,
where there is no ceiling to
brace the gabled end, will
have to be balloon framed or
will require a special
design by a registered or
licensed engineer.
Visit www.flash.org or call
toll-free (877) 221-SAFE for
more information about
protecting your home from
disaster.
Copyright 2004 Federal
Alliance for Safe Homes --
FLASH, Inc. All rights
reserved. |
