High Wind-Resistant Construction for Homeowners
Protecting Your Home
If you live in a high-wind region, you’re likely familiar with the damage that can be caused by events like hurricanes and tornadoes. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help protect your home. Building to meet or exceed code requirements can significantly influence how well your property withstands the next big storm.
We invite you to learn more about how high winds can affect structures, and what you can do to increase your home’s resilience.
High-Wind Retrofit Solutions
A guide providing recommendations on reducing the risk of hurricane- and other wind-induced damage to existing homes.
Download the GuideUnderstanding the Basics
Unfortunately, homes are not always built to withstand a major storm. But there are construction methods and retrofit solutions that can help protect your home from a hurricane or high wind event. Before you begin, learn more about how high winds and hurricanes affect your home and what you can do to increase your home’s storm resistance.
A continuous load path is critical during an earthquake or hurricane because it helps hold the house together when ground forces or high winds try to pull your home apart.
Make your home safer, stronger and more storm resilient. Steps you can take now to strengthen your home can greatly minimize the cost of repairs afterhigh-wind events.
Once your roof is gone, your house is gone. Reinforcing roof-to-wall connections with metal hurricane ties and fasteners is the first step to keeping your roof, and your home, safe.
Nearly all parts of the country are subject to high winds. It’s important that your house is designed to withstand a high wind storm. Know whether your house is storm ready.
Explore Our High Wind Resources Library
Resources from Industry Partners
Programs for Homeowners
- How building codes can help prevent losses from disasters
- Why a “fortified” home is stronger
- Finding a certified service provider in your area
- Is your home #HurricaneStrong?
- State handbooks for preparing for natural disasters
Publications and Guides
- Selecting Anchors and Connectors for High-Wind Areas
- FLASH® Guide for constructing more wind-resilient structures
Damage Assessment Reports
Are You in a High Wind Hazard Zone?
- Severe Weather Prediction Center
- Site-specific hazards by location
- Interactive Map of Properties Damaged in Extreme Events
News and Media
- IBHS, “The Importance of a Strong Continuous Load Path”
- CNBC, “Here’s how to build a hurricane-resistant house — not as expensive as you may think”
- Structure Magazine, “The Story of a Survivor”
- Washington Post, “Houses intact after Hurricane Michael were often saved by low-cost reinforcements”
- The Newsstand — Clemson University, “Testing the wind: Clemson engineers work to make buildings stronger in face of storms”
