I know this is a stupid question

[jes]

But I've got to ask it anyway. From what I understand one of the reasons to board windows is to prevent the pressure change if a window breaks which can cause the roof to come off. Now my question --- My house has a carport that was built with the house ----- all under the same roof. So the wind will be coming into the carport ---does that make any difference? I don't understand the pressure change concept. The carport and house are under the same roof --- why is it Ok for the wind to come into the carport, but not the house?

[Frank P]

actually loosing your garage or carport door is not good... especially if they are part of your house ... what really happens is when you loose a door or window you are allowing a direct path for the wind to channel into your home.. if your house remain intact during the storm it just might be about to survive Cat 3 or 4 winds... you start loosing doors or windows, and especially garage doors, then you have a much greater chance of experiencing major house damage due to the wind, once the wind gets into your house it can create lift on the ceilings and roof, and poof... its gone... ... there are some commercially available garage door support bracing attachments that you can add to your door to help it withstand the force of the winds.. houses built with hurricane straps tied to the joyces and rafters also might within the lose of a window or door, structurally wise, but will still experience significant wind and water damage... sheet rock does not hold up well in a major hurricane.... hope this helps... I know a little bit about construction as I built my home on the beach in Biloxi

[jes]

Frank,

I don't have a garage door --- it's a carport which shares a common roof with my house. So, the wind will come in. If it blows the carport roof off the house roof will go with it since they are one continuous stretch of roof. Since the wind will be coming in anyway through the carport what's the point of spending all the money to board my windows in the house.

[Frank P]

my bad, I miss understood.... however, it might not be all that bad for you if, the garage roof is properly strapped with hurricane ties, and the support posts are anchored to the flooring by some mechanism... in addition, the carport will allow the air flow to basically come in and out somewhat since I'm assuming it perhaps has a front and a side ... that's better than just a large single opening which would channel the wind directly into the house forcing it up into the ceiling because is has no place else to go... also add the fact that the construction of the carport should be suitable for outside conditions, ie plywood roof on the carport ceiling and not sheet rock like you would have in your house... so I don't think I would worry about it all that much... its not the same scenario that I discussed in my earlier post.... good luck

[Frank P]

I would still board up my windows because your carport might just do fine and then you might suffer unnecessary house damage because of not boarding up the windows.... something to consider

[wxmann_91]

From what I understand one of the reasons to board windows is to prevent the pressure change if a window breaks which can cause the roof to come off.

I know that it has been long since this thread has been touched, but I don't think that pressure changes inside a hurricane/tornado can affect a house - in fact it is a common misconception. It's the wind that damages the house if a window breaks.

"I'm going to open the windows on the side opposite the wind so the difference in air pressure doesn't explode my house!"

Folklore: This used to be the rule in areas affected by hurricanes and/or tornados, but not any more! In fact, studies have shown that opening a window can actually increase the amount of damage done by wind. When a hurricane threatens, you want your home closed up tight, with solid window protection to keep the wind out. What causes the most damage is the wind getting inside, and pushing up on the roof. This lift can rip the roof off your home, especially if it's not properly strapped down.

[wayoutfront]

Boarding a windows main purpose is keeping your neighbors bar b que grill out of your house.. secondly... it will keep your window from breaking allowing water to penetrate onto your stuff.

Also a breach to the interior of a house such as a garage door blowing is akin to blowing a ballooon up.. If wind is continously forced into a confine space the energy has to go somewhere.

Garage doors are one of the major culprits in total structural failures.

I saw many folks back their car up aginst the garage door to help hold it

[jes]

Thanks --- I understand better now. Since my carport is constructed of brick on the bottom and lattice on the upper half of the wall on two sides and of course is completely open on one side it seems the wind will be able to escape. So even though the roof is joined to the house roof it doesn't seem there will be much danger since the wind won't be confined or trapped in the carport ---- right?

[Persepone]

The wind should go through a carport. It would probably destroy most of the lattice, etc. Wind through the carport does not enter the house (even though they share a common roof.) But you still need to shutter or board up all the windows. You do not want ANY open windows, etc.

As someone else said, you have shutters because you don't want loose missiles from outside (pine cones, your neighbor's barbeque stuff, etc.) breaking windows and allowing wind, rain, etc. into your house. You want to keep wind, rain, etc. out of the house and do whatever you can to achieve this.

If the house roof and the carport roof are one continuous roof, that still does not mean damage to one would necessarily damage the other. I actually think it wouldn't. My house has essentially the same type of arrangement: one roof goes over a "detatched" garage, then over a sort of covered walkway from the front to the back of the house and then over the house itself. But I do think damage to the different areas would not necessarily damage the other parts of the roof. Of course if I lost, say, the garage roof or the walkway roof, when I went to repair, I might have to reshingle the whole thing or it would look horrible--but structurally the roof sections are rather different. So no, I don't think damage to the garage roof or walkway roof would necessarily affect the house roof.

That type of roof is fairly common here and we do get wind events that damage roofs--and these roofs don't seem to be especially prone to wind damage. But of course we do not get cat 3/4/5 winds! We do have to shovel snow off these roofs to avoid collapse when snow goes above 24."