Oklahoma's Number One Home Builder

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"We think houses should be made stronger to withstand high winds."

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In the wake of the recent Central Oklahoma tornado disaster, Jalal Farzaneh toured the destruction in Moore. He noticed something. Exterior walls were held down with just nails ... and so were the roofs!
He sat down with Harlod Conner, University of Oklahoma Professor Emeritus of Construction Science, and came up with three additions he could make to his homes under construction.

First is the use of anchor bolts, placed every 6 feet, to fasten the bottom plate of exterior walls to the foundation.
Second is better exterior wall bracing. This is achieved by using a plywood or OSB sheathing nailed to the wall studs every 12 to 16 inches. This further connects the walls to the foundation.
Third is using tornado straps to secure the rafters to the walls, thereby securing the roof to the walls, further connecting the house to the foundation.

     "Testing research that I have done on tornado straps," said Conner, "indicates that the Tornado Straps that attached the roof rafters to the studs in the wall can increase the resistance for winds up to 160 mph. That means that 96 percent of tornadoes could be resisted." Conner said he inspected a house devastated by the tornadoes on May 3. "The roof of this house was raised several inches, then set back down. The house is a total disaster, but this could be prevented with the straps." Adds Farzaneh, the tornado strap is the most important of the new construction practices. "Once the roof is blown off, the house collapses faster. If the roof stays on, damage could be minimized."
     Farzaneh is quick to add that another tornado of the magnitude of the one that raked the area May 3 would likely take down anything in its path. "I just think we can try to build homes with a higher standard now. Our homes should be twice as resistant to winds." Farzaneh said any home in the framing stage will be modified to the new specifications.
     On May 8, 2003, an F3 or F4 tornado again ravaged the Oklahoma City area, and left evidence that the safety features implemented by Home Creations have improved the durability and stability of homes. The tornado devastated a steel-framed bank building 200 yards from a Home Creation's neighborhood. The homes with the Home Creation's safety features were not seriously or structurally damaged. According to Harlod Conner, the tornado safety features used by Home Creations should be implemented in every home. Home Creations is the only major builder in the metro area using all three of the tornado safety features.

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