THE EFFECT OF UL WIND UPLIFT RATINGS ON INSURANCE COSTS

The Wizard of Oz is an American Classic - both the book and the movie. It's also a wonderful example of wind uplift. During the frightening tornado, Dorothy's farmhouse is literally lifted up off the ground, like an airplane or kite, and re-deposited directly on top of the Wicked Witch of the West.

When air pressure below a roof line is greater than the air pressure above the roof line - common in situations where high winds cause air to move directly into a building as well as across the top of the building - the roof and a well-attached building below can literally take flight. Metal buildings are particularly susceptible to wind uplift because they are lighter than traditional wood-framed buildings and, without careful design attention, they may not be anchored by the proper foundation.

KEEP INSURANCE COSTS DOWN: DESIGN TO CURRENT WIND UPLIFT RATING REQUIREMENTS
While entire buildings aren't typically lifted as the result of high wind, serious damage can occur as the result of a roof that is sheared of or ripped apart. For this reason, your insurance company has a vested interest in the design of your metal building.

Keep in mind that:

The less prone it is to destruction, the less money they will need to pay out as the result of a future insurance claim.
If uplift and windstorm classification ratings don't meet code requirements in your area, you may have a more difficult time securing an insurance policy, or you may have to pay significantly more for the policy coverage you need.
Roofing systems that meet or exceed wind uplift/windstorm classification ratings for your neck of the woods may actually save you money on your annual insurance premiums.
Your insurance carrier will want to know all kinds of details about your building design and its materials specifications

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN METAL BUILDINGS?
So, what does all of this mean for a builder or someone who is interested in building or purchasing a metal building, be it for residential, commercial, agricultural or hobby purposes?

WORK WITH A REPUTABLE METAL BUILDING MANUFACTURER.
If you are embarking on a new construction project, work with an experienced metal building manufacturer. This one simple step will ensure your building is engineered and designed to meet - and often exceed - the wind uplift rating code requirements for your particular geographic location.

In many cases, you can choose to work with a design-build firm so the entire project is handled under one "roof," so-to-speak. If you will be purchasing the building first and using an independent construction firm for the build-out, make sure your building comes with site-specific plans for the foundation. This may require surveying and grading work beforehand, but will ensure that your foundation is designed well enough to increase your building's resistance to wind uplift.

LOOK FOR FM DIAMOND CERTIFICATION MARK WHEN PURCHASING ROOFING PRODUCTS.
Just as the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) is a nationally recognized, third-party, safety consulting and certification agency, FM Approvals is a stringent testing laboratory that certifies certain building materials as well as fire protection and electrical equipment designed to reduce or prevent building damage.

If you are purchasing a metal building on the second-hand market, it is worth your while to verify whether or not the roofing systems is certified by FM Approvals or another, equally reputable third-party certification program.

In addition to meeting wind uplift ratings, the FM diamond certification mark also signifies a roofing system is resistant to:

Hail
Long-term weather exposure
Fire exposure from both the interior and exterior surfaces
Pests, mold and rot
If the building in question lacks this certification, weigh weather or not it will be more cost-efficient to look for another building at a different site or to replace the building's current roofing system with one that meets building code requirements in your area.

AVOID COMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS REGARDING WINDSTORM CLASSIFICATION RATINGS.
When you begin looking at windstorm classification ratings - you'll see them listed 1-60, 1-90 or 1-120. Those who are unfamiliar with these ratings assume that means the roof is rated to meet the demands of correlating wind speeds, 60, 90 or 120 mph, respectively. This is not the case. Those numbers do not relate to wind speed but, rather, to the uplift pressures in pounds per square foot (psf) exerted on the roof.

Thus, your building designer will use a variety of factors, including building height, geographic terrain, building use and occupancy, and other design features to determine which windstorm classification rating is necessary to meet top wind speeds in your area.

Purchasing a building that is designed and built to meet wind uplift and other code requirements in your area is one of the smartest things you can do to keep your annual insurance costs down.


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