Certification Standards for Our Steel Buildings
We get asked all the time what is product certification and do our buildings meet code. Product certification means exactly that. On our catalogue all buildings are priced with certification included. In Florida and the Northern states certification is automatically included in the pricing and is not optional. In the Central states it can be removed from the price of the building in some cases if the customer is doing a concrete slab, the building is 24 feet wide or narrower and the are you are in does not require a building permit.
Our Standard Certification in Central states starts at 140mph 35lbs./square foot snow or live load. This means that the building has been engineered and constructed to sustain a constant 140 mph wind while also having 35lbs. evenly spaced on every square foot of the roof. In most parts of the Midwest this exceeds code anywhere from 20-50 mph. In addition to this our commercial projects are upgraded to 170mph and 40 lbs.
In the North the requirements are totally different and the terms judged differently as well. We do a standard 105mphs and 35lbs. That building is actually significantly stronger than the central building despite the lower numerical listing and is built on a tighter center spacing. We also have the option of upgrading that to 105/65 for an additional cost.
Similarly in Florida live load is not rated but the typical wind load is 140-180mph and once again the actual measure is based on a different standard. For ease of filing and to save money on engineering plans we have simplified it down to two standard wind loads of either 150 or 180 mph. The 150 is standard and the 180 is optional in some areas and in the far southern portion of the state it is mandatory.
We start with a 34,000 psi galvanized steel frame shaped into 2.5"x2.5" tube and 29 gauge. In some cases to meet these standards that will up graded either a slightly smaller 2.25"x2.25 12 gauge 54,000 psi tube or 26 gauge sheet or both in a few cases. Both of these upgrades are available on any structure just understand that even though we know they increase strength and durability they may not always increase the rating on the paper work unless we have previously written engineered plans that indicate that do. As stated above the Certification is documentation that we meet or exceed local code. It does not mean that some times we not exceed what the initial certification reads We figure to too much material and engineering cannot be a bad thing.
Let us know if we missed anything or can clarify any details at [email protected] or (918) 258-0070 so we can keep updating this information to better suit future customers.