What wind speed can damage a house?
2 min read
Asked by: Inga Hartung
65+ mph: The highest risk of damages to homes and businesses occurs when wind speeds reach 65 mph or greater. Heavy to severe structural and tree damage occur and travel is dangerous.
How strong does wind need to be to destroy a house?
EF-2 and EF-3 tornadoes with 111 mph-165 mph winds can destroy a property in four seconds. Flying debris shatters windows and other openings and create holes in exterior walls. Once an opening is created, air rushes inside the structure and pressurizes it like inflating a balloon.
How fast does wind have to be to destroy a building?
There can be serious structural roof damage caused by winds in the 70 to 80 MPH range. Even secured mobile homes and buildings can be destroyed by winds of 90 MPH.
What wind speed blows roofs off?
Typically, winds as fast as 70-90 mph (miles per hour) are the starting point for wind that can cause roof damages. However, sometimes a gust at 50 mph can give your roof a beating.
How much wind can a regular house withstand?
An average house can usually withstand wind speeds of about a 100 mph, or 110 mph if located in an area where strong winds are a common event.
How much wind can a house handle?
According to a report by FEMA, new wood-frame houses constructed according to building codes perform well structurally, in winds up to 150 mph, while a steel homes can withstand winds up to 170 mph. However, building wind-resistance homes can cost about 7 to 9 percent more than less wind-resistant structures.
Can 70 mph winds break windows?
A Design Pressure or DP rating measures the strength of a window. Standard residential windows have DP values between 15 and 50. A DP 15 window can reasonably be expected to sustain winds of roughly 77 mph before shattering. A DP 50 window is expected to sustain winds up to 173 mph.
Can wind lift a house?
As wind passes over your roof, it creates a lifting effect. If the connection between the walls and roof is weak, the entire roof may be uplifted from the rest of the structure. This is called uplift.
How much wind does it take to lift a roof?
Starting at 45 mph, the wind itself can lift loose shingles, and even cause weak trees or limbs to break off and cause damage to your home.
