Fight Hurricane & Tornado Storms with Metal Connectors
Fight Hurricane & Tornado Storms - Tie Your Home Down
Several nights ago, I was watching TV. There was a show on about natural disasters. One segment showed some incredible video of close-up shots of tornadoes. This one video showed all sorts of debris swirling around the vortex. The narrator made a special point, and replayed the video to show, that some of the black spots that were floating in the air were three and four thousand pound cars and trucks. When they slowed down the video, it was clear as a bell that cars and trucks were about to drop from the sky like bombs!
Think Sailboats
Do you know what an average sailboat weighs? I would guesstimate about 2,000 pounds. Once in the water, imagine how much drag is on the hull from the water. After the sail is in place and set correctly, a sailboat can really motor through the water. Crank up the wind speed about ten times and imagine what kind of force is pushing and pulling against the average house during a tornado or hurricane. I can tell you that it is enormous.
Uplift Forces
Wind storms look for the weak links in your home's armor. The first place they go is the garage door, windows, doors, and roof overhangs. If the wind blasts down a garage door, it is now pushing against the walls and the ceiling of the garage. It is this force that blasts apart the structure, not inward pressure from the storm. The same is true for your house. Once exterior windows have been shattered, the wind works from the inside out. This is why window shutters in hurricane areas are helpful in not only keeping debris from breaking glass, but they help to keep your house in one piece.
Continuous Connection Path
I have never seen a concrete house slab or foundation lifted from the ground during video footage of tornado or hurricane damage. I imagine, it possibly has happened in rare cases. For the most part, if you can connect the roof rafters back down to the foundation or slab, you have a good chance of weathering most storms. You can achieve this by using simplistic metal framing connectors and some high quality nails. They are available at most lumber yards and home centers. They may not stock all of the connectors, but you can have them ordered with little or no problem.
Installing Connectors
If you are getting ready to build a new home, you should really give the high wind connectors a serious look. They are not difficult to install and require minimal effort and time. The least experienced person on the crew can install them with about 10 minutes worth of training.
In fact, many of the connectors can be installed by you if the builder will let you do it on your own. You simply have to install them at the right time before other tradespeople get in your way.
Not 100% Foolproof
The high wind connectors can't guarantee your total safety. What they can do is provide you with valuable time to get to a basement, tornado shelter or even a bathtub. The most powerful tornadoes that deliver direct hits on houses will overcome the framing connectors. Houses on edges of big storms and those hit by weaker storms will fare well with these swell inventions!
Companion Articles: Metal Connectors Minimize Wind / Storm Damage, Interior Hurricane - Tornado Shelter, Hurricane & Tornado Storms with Metal Connectors, Underground Tornado Storm Shelter, Tornado & High Wind Damage
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