Cuban Civil Defense (CD) authorities are using their social media channels to recommend using The Family Guide for Installing a Safe Roof, published by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Cuba on its website, to protect homes from hurricanes.
The document, prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Construction and the Community Architect Program, offers practical guidelines for preventive maintenance and the installation of wind-resistant roofs.
Recommendations include tightening screws and hooks, placing sandbags on eaves and ridges, and reinforcing the tiles with steel or bamboo rods.
The guide suggests inspecting roofs before and after a hurricane, replacing damaged rubber seals, applying anti-corrosion paint to rusty surfaces, and ensuring metal purlings are properly secured.
In terms of construction, the text provides guidance on the need for truss beams, 10- or 13-millimeter steel anchors, slopes between 30 and 40 percent to facilitate rain drainage, and eaves that do not protrude more than 300 millimeters.
It also specifies that the tiles must be secured with self-tapping screws at the bottom of the wave, with one screw every three waves, and that the edges must be hermetically sealed to prevent water and air leaks.
The publication is part of international cooperation efforts to strengthen the resilience of Cuban communities following the damage caused by hurricanes such as Irma and Sandy, and seeks to improve family safety through local construction solutions.
Taken from the Cuban News Agency (ACN)
