The weakest link
A building envelope is only as strong as its weakest part. A reinforced concrete wall with an unprotected garage door is still vulnerable, and a protected opening with poor flashing still leaks.
Thinking in systems helps you spot the weak link before a storm does.
Load path and connections
Wind forces travel from the roof to the walls to the foundation. Each connection has to be strong enough to carry them. Straps, anchors and reinforcement tie the parts together so the building acts as one unit.
Your engineer designs the load path, and the builder installs it.
Openings and flashing
Openings need approved products, correct anchoring and a sealed, flashed rough opening. The wall around them needs the right framing or bucks, and the flashing needs to lap correctly with the barrier.
This is where many leaks begin, and where careful detail pays off.
Coordinating the package
When the forms, the reinforcement, the openings and the flashing come from one coordinated plan, the pieces fit. Orders match, approvals line up and deliveries arrive in the order they are used.
That is what a hurricane-ready package is for.
