Question:
In which regions of the United States are houses required to be engineered to resist high wind loads?
Answer:
The 2003 International Residential Code (IRC) requires that houses be engineered in all localities where the basic wind speed is equal to or exceeds 110 miles per hour. These regions are located along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Maps with the basic wind speed for the entire United States can be found in the IRC, International Building Code (IBC), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE7). Houses located elsewhere in the country are only required to comply with the prescriptive provisions of the IRC.