Nona wrote in
:

Hi! We are about to get our roof replaced but are looking into
structural changes to make the roof safer in the event of severe
weather. We live in an area that has occasional hurricanes and even
small tornadoes.

Our property has hundreds of tall oak trees (approximately 1-2 feet in
diameter x 70 feet? tall) that are gorgeous but certainly dangerous
should they fall on the house. It is not a realistic option to remove
all the trees and bracing all of the trees would result in a spiderweb
of wires all over the place that is not a safe or realistic option
either.

Is there anything we can do to improve our own safety with respect to
these trees? I have seen too many news stories during hurricanes
where people were killed when a tree fell on their roof.

We have a two-story gable roof with plywood sheathing and
architectural shingles. Would it help to reinforce the trusses with
horizontal or cross metal braces? Could we put metal sheathing
beneath the plywood? Our goal is not to make the roof impervious to
trees but rather to give us at least a small amount of time to escape
the house safely should a heavy tree fall on the roof.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


Hey Stormy. Surprised you didn't chime in with "Pray".