Typhoon Proof Roof Design

A round or multiple sided home is more resistant to hurricane strength winds.

Typhoon proof roof design.

A cat 5 hurricane proof log house is resistant to the winds up to 245 mph. A gable end roof is generally cheaper to build but less wind resistant than a hip style roof. Probably the most important part of a hurricane house is a reinforced roof. The pressures above show the upward wind pressure on the 3 main types of roof.

Hurricane hugo has proven the strength of the shed roof. In addition to stronger materials below the roof hurricane prone areas design the roofing system differently than buildings which are not in high risk areas. The outer siding of your home also needs to be an approved hurricane resistant material. The round design allows the wind to blow around the home.

This can be illustrated in the diagram below from the whole building design guide organisation. Hip roofs with four slopes will perform better than gabled roofs with only two slopes. Many shed roofs of traditional design have survived the storm. In the design of the hurricane resistant home the length of these overhangs should be limited to 20 inches.

That is to say that conceptually the shed roof would be blown away and the main roof would stay intact. Wall logs in such construction have to be made of circular reference glued laminated timber and all other components of the house have to be hurricane resistant. The breakaway theory has therefore become less applicable to shed. It s more expensive but much more resistant to blown debris.

Roof overhangs are subject to wind uplift forces which could trigger a roof failure.