Library

Florida building code including all the amendments and additions by Florida for the wind-borne debris regions and the high-velocity hurricane zone.

Guide describing the requirements by FORTIFIED Home™ for improving the home's resistance in severe thunderstorms, straight-line wind events, and high winds at the outer edges of tornadoes.

Article from the Sierra Club explaining 5 steps to take to ensure your home's resistance to wildfires, including site maintenance and roof construction guidelines.

Webpage providing mapping tool for obtaining ground snow load, based on ASCE 7-10, for any location in the contiguous United States, with the exception of locations requiring a case study due to extreme local variations in ground snow loads. Fee required for some data.

Article from California Earthquake Authority on the benefits of retrofitting homes to withstand earthquake forces, with a focus on foundations, walls, and chimneys.

Report providing water management details for roof assemblies.

A guide on the use of rain barrels for greater water efficiency and use in gardens and lawns.

A PDF containing the SERC Solar PV System Field-Inspection Checklist.

Fact sheet describing how to prepare for hurricane season and mitigate damage from floods and high winds.

Calculator determining the appropriate design pressures for steep-slope roof coverings for roofers and evlauators.

Checklist intending to clarify FORTIFIED Home™ eligibility requirements that relate to a home’s foundation.

Checklist providing prescriptive instructions on how to retrofit ladder framing on gable end overhangs to achieve a maximum depth of 18 in. from the face of the wall.

Checklist providing information about the specific requirements of FORTIFIED Roof™ design and construction standard for re-roofing specific for high wind and hail resistance.

Checklist highlighting key concepts of wind design uplift pressures and design uplift pressure ratings for proper selection and installation of residential roof covering systems to comply with section R905.1 of the 2015 International Residential Code for a FORTIFIED Roof™–New Roof designation.

Fact sheet instructing installers about flashing installed on a FORTIFIED roof and points to roof covering manufacturers for flashing installation instructions.

Website offering an online training that teaches disaster-resistant best practices for roofers.

Guide describing the requirements by FORTIFIED Home™ for improving the home's resistance to high wind and hail.

Checklist for verifying FORTIFIED levels and documentation needed.

A document aimed at reducing the vulnerability of a gable end roof to wind damage in a hurricane.

Article describing how to counterflash a chimney by tucking the upper pieces of counterflashing into the chimney mortar joints and overlapping them over the various pieces of base flashing, which are nailed to the roof deck.

An installation training manual discussing the installation of metal roofing materials and related accessories, for both new construction and retrofit projects.

This report requires all elements of rooftop PV panel systems to be designed for component and cladding pressures per ASCE 7-10.

Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

Website providing guidance on how to reduce the risk of damage to a home from hail.

An EPA guide describing the causes and impacts of summertime urban heat islands, promoting strategies for lowering temperatures in U.S. communities.

Report providing architects, designers, and homeowners with information to make house plans useful for constructing a more wind resilient structure.

Factsheet providing homeowners with an overview of approaches for flashing and sealing roof penetrations to help discussion with a roofing contractor.

Fact sheet describing flashing of roof penetrations to make a home more resistant to high winds, hurricanes, and rainwater intrusion.

Fact sheet describing the test procedure for wind and wind driven rain resistance of discontinuous roofing systems.

Manuals describing design, materials, and installation techniques applicable to almost all types of roof systems; four-volume set includes Metal Panel and SPF Roof Systems, Membrane Roof Systems, Architectural Metal Flashing and Condensation and Air Leakage Control, and Steep-Slope Roof Systems.

Article from Purdue University on the potential for white paint technology to lower air conditioning usage requirements.

Report covering the migration of wind-blown embers in roof vents.

Study showcasing the location of the highest uplift force on the hip, ridge, and perimeter regions of roofs, and thus roofing material needs for the most fasteners and adhesive at these locations.