Installing hurricane clips on my old house for insurance discount

IfItAintBrokeFixItAnyway

I want to install some Simpson StrongTie H2.5 hurricane clips to my 1919 house (Jacksonville, FL) to get my hurricane insurance premium down...it got really ridiculous over the last few years...(thanks Andrew, Charley, Ivan, Jeanne!)

Simpson's installation instructions for the H2.5 clips call for 2 1/2" 8d nails...

http://www.strongtie.com/ftp/catalogs/S-INSTALL09.pdf#page=22

Do people really use 2 1/2" nails through the rafters? Is an inch of nail out the back of the rafter something the wind insurance inspector is going to be looking for or something?

I thought I would use some regular 1 1/2" joist hanger nails in the rafters?? Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks!!

TheCamper

I have never used a nail longer than the thickness of the material I am nailing into. I don't have the catalogue available to me right now but if you check the general nailing specifications in the front I believe it is going to tell you to use the same diameter nail, .131, and that you can shorten it to the thickness of the material that you are nailing into,
typically 1 1/2" for a rafter. I have the specs at work and can check in the morning. If you don't have a definitive answer by tomorrow evening I will post again. Good Luck.

IfItAintBrokeFixItAnyway

Thanks.. It really does seem stupid to use a longer nail. I'm thinking 8d 1 1/2" on the rafters and 2 1/2" on the top plates would make sense?

I swear I once saw someone bending the nails that were protruding out the other side while swearing "now it'll NEVER come off!"

I'm also going to get a palm nailer for it unless there's a better tool... Swinging a hammer while laying on my face in fiberglass just doesn't sound like much fun...

Gary in WA

8d x 1-1/2" gives 160# uplift resistance with DF wood, blue chart; and SPF wood- pink chart here: http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/H.asp

Gary

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IfItAintBrokeFixItAnyway

Thanks for the link. That chart is confusing to me. Is the 160# per nail?

In the H2.5A row (the cliips I'm planning on using) it says 5-8d under "To Rafters/Trusses" and also under "To Plates". Then in the blue part it says uplift 600#, or uplift w/ 8d x 1 1/2" is 480#.

Seems like I could get away with using 1 1/2" nails on both top plate and rafter since it doesn't make much sense to make one end of the same connector stronger...yes?

Those ratings are PER anchor according to footnote #2 at the bottom. Would installing them in pairs then effectively double the uplift resistance?

Do I NEED to install them in pairs for Wind Mitigation inspection?

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it. I just really don't want to find out after installing 100 of these that I used the wrong nails.

concretemasonry

The codes and charts are really not applicable in all cases.

The code is just the minimum to be legal for occupancy.

When it comes to discounting insurance premiums, their requirements must be meant to get the discounts. They are based on experience and losses for an area and not the minimal codes. They set the rules to earn discounts.

Since you are just worried about the clips, that is normally not a big problems if the discount is enough. For some areas the discounts can be over 60%, but it entails much more and on new construction the standard gable ends built to codes are not. Garage doors and anchorage are also necessary in the critical locations. If it is new construction along and close to the coast, the requirements and discounts are a real bargain - for an existing home it is more trouble and costly. The discounts can be a great option depending on the home and location.

Dick