Roof Ventilators and Florida Hurricane Standards

[Rich Goeken]

Looking at a solar powered roof ventilator in Florida. Now I have seen them with the cells as part of the fan housing, and flush. This particular one has a separate panel, about 18" square, mounted to the top of the housing, tilted, and supported with a bracket aimed towards the sun.

Does equipment such as this need to meet Florida Hurricane Standards? Checked with the local inspector, he said yes, but could not point to the section of code that indicated such. Pointed me toward Chapter 3, first paragraph of the Florida Residential Code, which is a vague catch-all. :(

[Jerry Peck]

Find out if it has a product approval (it may not, and may not require one, however, being a component which covers a hole through the roof, I would think it would require a product approval).

If it has a product approval, it likely will state that it has to be removed when the wind is forecast to be 74 mph or greater (basically, a 'Hurricane Watch' warning, by the time it is a 'Hurricane Warning' warning ... it may be too late to safely remove it).

[Raymond Wand]

GAF | MasterFlow Solar-Powered Exhaust Vent (http://www.gaf.ca/Roofing/Residential/Products/Roof_Vents/MasterFlow_Solar_Powered_Exhaust#)

http://www.gaf.ca/Residential_Roofing/Attic_Ventilation_Products/Master_Flow_Green_Machine_Solar_Powered_Roof_Vent/Master_Flow_Ventilation_Products_Florida_Approval_ FL5027_R10.pdf

[Jerry Peck]

http://www.miamidade.gov/building/library/productcontrol/noa/14122413.pdf

(Correct product approval installation instructions) :)