The peak of your roof sees the highest uplift forces. Those metal connectors at the ridge keep your roof from flying away!
Get accurate ASCE 7-22 wind load calculations for ridge beam connections on your Broward County project.
Calculate Roofing LoadsAt the peak of your roof, all the rafters come together at the ridge. This is where the two sides of your roof try to push apart under their own weight, and where wind uplift concentrates during hurricanes. It's the most critical connection point!
Hurricane winds create massive suction on your roof. At the ridge, this force tries to pull rafters away from the ridge beam and lift the whole roof assembly. In Broward County, a typical house ridge sees thousands of pounds of uplift force during a major storm.
Simple toenails are not enough in hurricane country. Every rafter needs a metal connector to the ridge - whether it's a hanger, hurricane tie, or engineered bracket. These steel connectors ensure rafters stay attached even when wind is pulling with 500+ pounds per foot.
A ridge board is a thin board that rafters butt against for alignment - it carries no structural load. A ridge beam is a structural member that actually supports the rafters and carries roof loads to posts or walls. In Broward County, cathedral ceilings and open floor plans often require ridge beams with engineered connections to resist hurricane uplift.
Wind uplift tries to lift the entire roof off. The ridge is where opposing rafters meet, making it a critical point in the load path. Without proper metal connectors, uplift can pull rafters away from the ridge and the roof fails. Hurricane ties at the ridge ensure forces transfer properly even under extreme uplift.
With 180 mph design winds, ridge connections in Broward County can see over 500 pounds of uplift per linear foot of ridge. A 30-foot ridge beam experiences over 15,000 pounds of total uplift trying to lift it off its supports. Every rafter-to-ridge connection must be designed to resist its share of this force.
Common options include Simpson LSU or LUS hangers for rafters bearing on ridge beams, hurricane ties like H2.5 or H10 for additional uplift resistance, and custom engineered connectors for heavy loads. The engineer specifies connectors based on calculated forces. Never substitute connector types without engineering approval.
WindLoad.co provides ridge beam sizing and connection requirements for Broward County wind loads. Get the connector schedule you need!
Calculate Roofing Loads