Secure Metal Siding and Metal Roofs
PROTECTING YOUR PROPERTY FROM HIGH WINDS
FEMA
April 2011

High winds can damage buildings with metal siding and metal roofs in 
primarily two ways: 

If the siding and roofing panels are not adequately attached to the frame of 
the building, the force exerted by 
the wind can lift them, possibly to the point where the fasteners pull 
through or break. When this occurs, 
entire panels can be torn off. 

Windborne debris can puncture siding or roofing panels and make them more 
susceptible to further wind damage. 
In both situations, wind will be able to enter the building, increasing the 
likelihood of severe structural damage 
inside as well as injuries. 
Metal siding and roofing in high-wind areas should be securely attached to 
the frame of the building with 
exposed fasteners such as screws or bolts or with concealed clips. The 
spacing of the fasteners or clips will 
depend on their strength and on the design and strength of the siding and 
roofing panels. In general, fasteners 
should be more closely spaced at the edges of panels Also, all edges of 
siding, such as along the 
corners of the building, should be covered with a metal cap or molding and 
secured so that wind cannot work 
its way underneath. For information on additional types of siding (vinyl, 
wood, and fiber cement), refer to FEMA 
P-499, Home Builder's Guide to Coastal Construction, Technical Fact Sheet No. 
5.3. 
For buildings within 3,000 feet of the ocean, use corrosion resistant 
fasteners.
BENEFITS OF UTILIZING THIS MITIGATION STRATEGY

Helps to prevent damage to a structure and its contents 

Helps to prevent injuries from large windborne debris

TIPS 
Keep these points in mind when you inspect and repair metal siding and roofs: 

Have your buildings inspected periodically and repaired as necessary. Loose 
or missing connectors, rust, 
and damage caused by past storms can leave metal siding and roofing more 
vulnerable to serious damage 
from high winds.  

If the siding or roofing on your building is attached with metal clips, make 
sure they are strong enough to 
resist the force of the wind without bending. If you can bend a clip with 
your hands, it is likely to fail when 
high-winds act on the siding or roofing. 

Windows and glass doors are usually more susceptible than walls and roofs to 
penetration by windborne 
debris. You should consider protecting windows and glass doors with permanent 
or temporary covers that 
can be closed or installed before a storm arrives. For more information, 
refer to the separate high wind 
protection fact sheet titled “Protect Windows and Doors with Covers.” 

You can also help protect your building against damage by windborne debris by 
removing or securely 
anchoring any loose objects on your property that could be picked up and 
moved by the wind. Trash, 
construction debris, warehouse pallets, and other loose materials should be 
removed or stored inside. 
Other objects, such as signs and trash cans, should be bolted down or held in 
place with chains or cables. 

ESTIMATED COST 

A contractor will probably charge to inspect the exposed fasteners in a 
building with metal siding or a metal roof. 
If any modifications are necessary, the cost will depend on what must be 
done. 
OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION 
FEMA 488, Hurricane Charley in Florida: Mitigation Assessment Team Report, 
Observations, 
Recommendations and Technical Guidance, “Hurricane Recovery Advisories,” 
April 2005, 
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1444.
FEMA 489, Hurricane Ivan in Alabama and Florida: Mitigation Assessment Team 
Report, Observations, 
Recommendations and Technical Guidance, August 2005, 
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1569. 
FEMA P-499, Home Builder's Guide to Coastal Construction, “Siding 
Installation in High-Wind Regions,” 
Technical Fact Sheet No. 5.3, December 2010, 
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2138.  
FEMA 549, Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast: Mitigation Assessment Team 
Report, Building Performance 
Observations, Recommendations, and Technical Guidance, July 2006, 
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1857. 
NRCA Architectural Sheet Metal and Metal Roofing Manual, 2006 Edition, 
National Roofing Contractors 
Association, http://www.nrca.net/rp/pubstore/details.aspx?id=320.
Protect Windows and Doors with Covers fact sheet, FEMA, April 2011, 
http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/howto/index.shtm.
To view and download FEMA publications visit the FEMA Library at 
http://www.fema.gov/library. To obtain FEMA 
publications please call 1-800-480-2520 or fax 1-240-699-0525 Monday through 
Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST. 
You may also email your request to FEMA-Publications-Warehouse@dhs.gov. 
Please provide the title, item 
number, short number, and quantity of each publication, along with your name, 
address, zip code, and daytime telephone number.