Wind Mit - Roof to Wall Attachment

Clip.

For those who say don’t count gable end walls, show me a reference. The form says weakest roof to wall connection. The roof is attached to the top of a gable end wall.

I guess to each their own but outlooker connection for a fly rafter is a completely different framing connection than the say front to back structure. It is a piece of 2x4 or 2x6 and not a truss. Heck on the end it doesn’t even sit on a wall so technically i guess it would have no connection.

Every State or re-inspection program I have been involved with, do not count the outlookers over a gable end for weakest RTW connection. Similar to not surveying the first 5’ of a hip roof with jacks.

It most definitely qualifies as you are insinuating that if the connectors weren’t in place at the rafter that it wouldn’t make any difference. The OIR-B1 1802 when applied to existing structures is 110% intended to incentivize retrofits of weak or missing/damaged connections.

It’s a bit rudimentary but still provides some valuable information on outlooker retrofits (outlookers are rafters as they support the roof deck and covering):

Some info on the program you don’t see too often. I have contacts at the state level who have actually been challenged for their involvement with this program.

“The agents say faulty implementation by the state’s insurance regulator — including a misplaced emphasis on granting insurance credits over making sure mitigation efforts are effective– and apparent fraud in the inspection process are largely to blame”

“They also say homeowners are being led to believe they are safer, when they are not, and the system is contributing to woes in the state’s property insurance market.”

“Florida’s mitigation initiatives were implemented several years ago in an effort to encourage homeowners to harden their homes against storms, using insurance premium discounts as an incentive.”

“The original intent of the premium credit system was to motivate homeowners to harden their homes,” said Grady. “However, it doesn’t work if homeowners get the credits without having to make the upgrades. Even worse, they get an inflated credit for something that doesn’t really protect their families or their home in the event of a storm.”

"FAIA said its interviews with insurers reveal that as many as 55 to 80 percent of inspections may have errors.

“Whether an insurer, agent, inspector, or consumer, one consistent theme we uncovered is that a public message emphasizing only premium savings appears to justify fraud in the minds of those committing it, especially when, as in this instance, there is little or no oversight or enforcement,” the report says."

“The report says the flawed premium credit system leads homeowners to believe their homes are safer than they really are.”

“This false sense of security ultimately could result in the loss of lives — lives that could have been saved if homes were hardened appropriately,” the group warns."

Gee, I wonder where the “wind mitigation experts” teaching inspectors to complete the form now came from…I wonder?

False!

1993 under Florida Statute 627.711

If you go by the out-lookers at the gable then any gable home would never receive a credit as the fly rafter has absolutely nothing. Cant even give them toe nails because it doesn’t even sit on a wall

1993? Wasn’t it in 2002 where the law was passed to provide discounts yet no one new about it? Didn’t 627.711 address it as we know it now with a wind mitigation form etc around 2005? What was in the 1993 version?

I agree with all of that as a builder, but as a wind mitigation inspector, the gable end outlookers / outriggers are not part of the equation (but should be). The program pulled out of the gable end bracing verification before the 2012 form came out…why is that?

I remember taking a CE class around '93 for wind inspections. It was a FL State sponsored program where I would bid on thousands of these. I don’t remember the program, but I bet I still have the manuals. It was similar to the MSFH program which gained popularity due to State grants to the consumer for retrofitting.

Says who?

I don’t see “seam tape” listed on the form yet it’s being applied by inspectors in the same section that only lists a self-adhering underlayment or foam sealant for a qualifying SWR.

The form is a “deemed to comply” document just like the FBC. As an example, there are several different building standards you can use to build a home in Florida besides the FBC…where would those house be marked on the form? Do they not qualify?

Hence, “built in compliance with

Unless you have a amendment to the form from the F.S.C. stating such, it’s just an opinion. The O.I.R. has ZERO authority over building practices in the state of Florida. ZERO! They are also not authorized, qualified, or legally charged with interpreting of approved building practices or implementing new building methods. The Florida Building Commission is the authority. PERIOD!

At some point inspectors need to see the light before this form gets removed. Hopefully sooner than later.

There is something new coming just over the horizon, the details are being worked out now and will hopefully be in effect by the new year.

** Timeline of Legislation Regarding Wind Mitigation Discounts in Florida **

Definitions
HB: House Bill
SB: Senate Bill
CS: Committee Substitute (for the original bill)
L.O.F.: Laws of Florida

November, 1993, Special Session
Ch. 931-410, L.O.F. (CS/HBs 33-C and 43C), as amended by Ch. 93-411, L.O.F. (HB 131-C) and Ch. 93-412, L.O.F. (SB 54-C)
627.0629, Florida Statutes
Retrofit discounts
Residential property insurance rate filings must include discounts or reduced deductibles for properties on which fixtures that reduce windstorm losses have been installed (e.g., hurricane shutters).

1995 Regular Session
Ch. 95-276, L.O.F. (CS/HB 2619)
Rate factors
Requires rate filings to include factors reflecting the quality of enforcement of building codes, as approved by Department of Insurance.
Requires discounts for mobile homes that meet new federal standards.

1997 Regular Session
Ch. 97-55, L.O.F. (CS/SB 794)
Rate Filings
Authorizes insurers to provide up to a 10 percent discount for mobile home owners who provide evidence of a current inspection and certification of tie-downs.

2005 Regular Session
Ch. 2005-111, L.O.F. (CS/SB 1486)
Notice of Premium Discounts for Hurricane Loss Mitigation

You didn’t answer my question, Robert. Do some research on that one. By the way, we are not talking about FBC homes.

Gable end bracing is still listed in the form, it’s right next to the word “seam tape”.

All kidding aside, can you tell me why a specific method that isn’t listed on the form as qualifying applies but gable end bracing doesn’t? Do you have an addendum to the form from the F.S.C. to qualify seam tape under a section that doesn’t even list it? If you complete a legal affidavit and state that a home has a “self-adhering underlayment” or “spray foam sealant” when it fact it doesn’t, isn’t that insurance fraud?

It is if you believe what you are saying. Unless you have an addendum to rule 690-170.0155 qualifying this feature as an approved method, you are committing insurance fraud.

Or are you?

If the form is a “deemed to comply”, as I have stated, then alternate methods that are approved by the Florida Building Commission/Code can apply, like gable bracing. Roof geometry is integral with several features of the home which includes the roof structure. If it is damaged, lacking sufficient bracing, or improperly installed it should be noted in the form so the owner knows where to strengthen their home.

That is the intent of the form, to strengthen existing homes and verify properly installed approved mitigation techniques…including gable end walls that are retrofitted with FBC approved techniques. It’s a requirement of an insurers rate filings that FBC approved feature that enhance roof strength must be included MUST BE INCLUDED:

627.0629 Residential property insurance; rate filings.-- **
(1)
A rate filing for residential property insurance must include actuarially reasonable discounts, credits, or other rate differentials, or appropriate reductions in deductibles, for properties on which fixtures or construction techniques demonstrated to reduce the amount of loss in a windstorm have been installed or implemented. The fixtures or construction techniques shall include, but not be limited to, fixtures or construction techniques which enhance roof strength, roof covering performance, roof-to-wall strength, wall-to-floor-to-foundation strength, opening protection, and window, door, and skylight strength. Credits, discounts, or other rate differentials for fixtures and construction techniques which meet the minimum requirements of the Florida Building Code must be included in the rate filing. All insurance companies must make a rate filing which includes the credits, discounts, or other rate differentials by December 31, 2002.

But wait, it gets even better. Part of your job is to supply information on how the building code is being enforced in each jurisdiction when it comes to these techniques, this would include gable end bracing. How’s that going to work if they are not even being applied? If we exclude certain techniques but include others simply because an insurer says so?

*(2)(a) A rate filing for residential property insurance made on or before the implementation of paragraph (b) may include rate factors that reflect the manner in which building code enforcement in a particular jurisdiction addresses the risk of wind damage; *however, such a rate filing must also provide for variations from such rate factors on an individual
**

(b) A rate filing for residential property insurance made more than 150 days after approval by the office of a building code rating factor plan submitted by a statewide rating organization shall include positive and negative rate factors that reflect the manner in which building code enforcement in a particular jurisdiction addresses risk of wind damage. The rate filing shall include variations from standard rate factors on an individual basis based on inspection of a particular structure by a licensed home inspector. If an inspection is requested by the insured, the insurer may require the insured to pay the reasonable cost of the inspection. This paragraph applies to structures constructed or renovated after the implementation of this paragraph.basis based on an inspection of a particular structure by a licensed home inspector, which inspection may be at the cost of the insured.

Sure we are, FBC approved mitigation techniques that are installed on new OR existing homes…that’s what this entire post is about, no?

Does this help?

**2014 Florida Building Code, Existing: 1701.1 Purpose. **
This chapter provides prescriptive methods for partial structural retrofit of an existing building to increase the resistance of gable end walls to out-of-plane wind loads. It is intended for voluntary use and for reference by mitigation programs. The provisions of this chapter do not necessarily satisfy requirements for new construction. Unless specifically cited, the provisions of this chapter do not necessarily satisfy requirements for structural improvements triggered by addition, alteration, repair, change of occupancy, building relocation or other circumstances.

Not really. All of this has to do with retrofitting a home. That is not the conversation, but I guess you really can’t help yourself, can you?

You still didn’t answer my question, I answered yours.

How can “seam tape” (which isn’t listed on the form as a qualifying feature) qualify yet gable end bracing can’t because “it’s not even listed on the form”?