These are small metal devices that secure a roof to the top of structure walls. They are inexpensive and widely used in areas of the country like Florida where hurricane wind loads are a part of life. These metal strips help secure brick walls to the wood structure. Dr. McDonald said they are most effective when spaced no farther apart than 16 inches horizontally and two feet vertically. Sheathing is also being attached with screws using a new tool that permits quick installation to minimize labor costs.
High winds can buckle a weak door, creating entry for wind that can easily lift an unclipped roof.
Consider a heavier gauge garage door. Terry Slade, assistant director of the Kentucky Division of Building Codes Enforcement, stressed the need to tie structures to their foundations with correctly installed anchor bolts of proper dimension. In structures with concrete block foundations, the bolts should be at least 15 inches into the foundation in order to reach the second course of blocks, Slade said, providing better odds that they will not be pulled out of the foundation in strong winds. Officials stressed that these measures will help make a home structurally sound for maximum protection against tornadic winds. They will not guarantee safety in a direct hit of a storm as powerful as that which hit Kentucky May 28, but survival odds will be enhanced.