Window & door installation are critical aspects of construction projects. Windows & doors are crucial in protecting your building from external elements such as wind, rain, and especially in Florida, hurricanes. To ensure the windows and doors are installed correctly and perform optimally, contractors need to choose the right windows & doors for their projects. One of the tools contractors can use to make this decision and help obtain a building permit is a wind pressure chart.
What is a Wind Pressure Chart?
A wind pressure chart, also known as a window and door opening pressure rating chart, is a tabular representation of the amount of wind pressure a particular opening experiences in a maximum design event. The chart is based on engineering calculations from ASCE 7 & is used to help determine the correct type of window and door for a construction project based on the building’s location, dimensions, and the maximum expected wind conditions.
Why use a wind pressure chart
Choosing the right windows and doors for a construction project is crucial. Windows and doors that are not suitable for the wind and debris impact conditions in the area can lead to structural damage, leaks, and other issues. A wind pressure chart helps contractors to determine the right windows for the project by showing the maximum wind pressure each opening needs to withstand. This information can then be used to select windows and doors that meet the local building codes and provide adequate protection for the building.
How to Use a Wind Pressure Chart
Using a wind pressure chart is straightforward. The first step is to determine the wind zone and exposure for the building’s location. This information can be obtained from the local building code or from the Applied Technology Council (ATC). Once the wind zone has been determined, the contractor can then use the wind pressure chart to find the corresponding wind pressure for each opening based on the factors in the tables. Then the contractor uses that wind pressure result from the table to find windows and doors that meet those ratings and obtain a building permit. There are many places to find product wind rating information such as FloridaProductApprovals.com or MiamiDadeApprovals.com If you would like to see the steps you should take for the permitting process, simply click here.
Where to get a wind pressure chart
Engineeringplans.com sells wind pressure charts as engineer-sealed documents, ensuring the chart is accurate and reliable. For windows, doors, & shutter plans. To find them, click here. We also offer wind pressure charts for garage doors and large openings. We even have ASCE 7-16 wind pressure values for sunrooms, pergolas, & canopies. Our plans follow the strict wind velocity guidelines for South Florida’s Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward counties.
No matter what part of the country your business is in, our engineered sealed documents will assist you in every factor. This includes required site components and cladding wind pressure when submitting for a building permit. For any site-specific design or modification to one of our pre-engineered plans, click here.
