2007 Florida Building Code Wind Resistance Requirements for Air Conditioning Equipment and Appliances

Summary:

Florida Building Code, Mechanical

Section 301.12 Wind Resistance.

Requires equipment and appliances to comply with the Florida Building Code, Building

Florida Building Code, Building

Section 1609.1.1 requires determination of wind loads in accordance with Chap 6 of ASCE 7-2005

ASCE 7-2005

Section 6.5.15.1 establishes the method for determining wind loads on rooftop equipment

The relevant sections of the codes and standards are given below:

2007 Florida Building Code, Mechanical

301.12 Wind resistance. Mechanical equipment, appliances and supports that are exposed to wind shall be designed and installed to resist the wind pressures on the equipment and the supports as determined in accordance with the Florida Building Code, Building. Roof mounted mechanical units and supports shall be secured to the structure. The use of wood "sleepers" shall not be permitted.

And

2007 Florida Building Code, Residential

M1307.2 Anchorage of appliances. Appliances designed to be fixed in position shall be fastened or anchored in an approved manner. Strapping shall be at points within the upper one-third and lower one-third of the appliance's vertical dimensions. At the lower point, the strapping shall maintain a minimum distance of 4 inches (102 mm) above the controls.

M1307.3 Wind resistance. Mechanical equipment, appliances and supports that are exposed to wind shall be designed and installed to resist the wind pressures on the equipment and the supports as determined in accordance with the Florida Building Code, Building.

2007 Florida Building Code, Building

1609.1 Applications. Buildings, structures and parts thereof shall be designed to withstand the minimum wind loads prescribed herein. Decreases in wind loads shall not be made for the effect of shielding by other structures. All exterior wall coverings and soffits shall be capable of resisting the design pressures specified for walls for components and cladding loads in accordance with Section 1609.1.1.

1609.1.1 Determination of wind loads. Wind loads on every building or structure shall be determined in accordance with Chapter 6 of ASCE 7. Wind shall be assumed to come from any horizontal direction and wind pressures shall be assumed to act normal to the surface considered.

ASCE 7-05

6.5.15 Design wind Loads on Other Structures. The design wind force for other structures shall be determined by the following equation:

F = (qz)(GCf)(Af)(1b)(N)

Where

qz = velocity pressure evaluated as height z of the centroid of area Af using expsure defined in Section 6.5.6.3

G = gust-effect factor from Section 6.5.8

Cf = force coefficients from Figs. 6-21 through 6-23

Af = projected area normal to the wind except where Cf is specified for the actual surface area, ft. sq.

6.5.15.1 Rooftop Structures and Equipment for Buildings with h <= 60 ft. The force on rooftop structures and equipment with Af less than (01Bh) located on buildings with h<= 60 ft shall be determined from Eq. 6-28, increased by a factor of 1.9. The factor shall be permitted to be reduced linearly from 1.9 to 1.0 as the value of Af is increased from (.01Bh) to (Bh).