'Tech Set' Helps Build Storm-Resistant Roofs

The latest Tech Set from the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) shows builders in areas prone to hurricanes how to build storm-resistant roofs that protect against structural failure and water infiltration.

The fifth in a series, the Tech Set recommends that builders use:

• Hipped rather than gabled roofs to better withstand strong winds
• Secondary moisture barriers to prevent water infiltration
• Hurricane straps to increase disaster resistance
• Baffled ridge and soffit vents to minimize roof penetrations

PATH notes that a strong, durable roof is a home's first line of protection against a major storm, and that most storm-related damage is not caused by outright structural failure, but by water infiltration, which can lead to mold.

Most of the recommendations for building roofs that can stand up to high winds add minimal additional costs, and many can be beneficial in areas outside of the hurricane belt, according to PATH.