HURRICANE LOUVER CODE REQUIREMENT SUMMARY:
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA
AMCA 540 IMPACT RESISTANCE
YES2 YES OR TAS-100 (A)2 YES4 AMCA 550 HIGH VELOCITY WIND-DRIVEN RAIN RESISTANCE
YES OPTIONAL NO FLORIDA PRODUCT APPROVAL
OPTIONAL YES NO MIAMI-DADE APPROVAL (TAS 202)
FLORIDA EXCEPT HVHZ FLORIDA HVHZ ATLANTIC COAST AND GULF OF MEXICO OUTSIDE FLORIDA
YES1 YES OR TAS-201/2033 YES1
¹ For all ventilation louvers within 30' of grade in Wind-borne Debris Regions ² For all intake and exhaust louvers ³ For all ventilation louvers within 30' of grade ⁴ For all intake and exhaust louvers in Hurricane Prone Regions
The information provided above is an overview of the general code requirements for hurricane louvers. Variations to this information may exist in certain localities. Please check with building authorities in your project’s location to confirm the actual code requirements prior to selecting louvers.
AMCA 512 LISTING AMCA, The Air Movement and Control Association, lists louvers that comply with the AMCA 540 impact and /or AMCA 550 high-velocity wind-driven rain test standards. AMCA’s Listing Program is governed by AMCA Publication 512. FBC/MIAMI-DADE TESTING APPLICATION STANDARDS: TAS 100 — is a wind-driven rain test standard published in the Florida Building Code. This standard is actually written for rooftop ventilation systems, but Miami-Dade County has adapted it for louvers. TAS 201 — Florida Building Code impact-test standard required for Miami-Dade product approval. TAS 202 — is the primary standard for static pressure testing of hurricane louvers. It rates the louver’s ability to resist pressure from hurricane-force winds. TAS 203 ‑— the primary standard for cyclic pressure testing of hurricane louvers.
LARGE MISSILE IMPACT TEST
HIGH VELOCITY WIND-DRIVEN RAIN TEST
AMCA 540 Test Method for Louvers Impacted by Wind Borne Debris – Large missile impact test. This test utilizes a 2×4 timber projected at 50 fps (feet per second) or 34 mph to qualify for Basic Level D protection. To qualify for Enhanced Level E protection, the louver must be tested successfully at 80 fps or 55 mph.
AMCA 550 Test Method for High Velocity Wind-Driven Rain Resistant louvers – It is a pass/fail test subjecting louvers to 8.8" per hour simulated rain and up to 110 mph wind effects. This test should not be confused with the AMCA Standard 500-L Wind-Driven Rain test, which is a different procedure and is not required by any codes.
AMCA 512 Listed models are advertised with a red AMCA Listed seal. Included next to the seal will be text specifying which performance standards the design has attained. To gain an AMCA 512 listing, a manufacturer must submit test reports and catalog pages to AMCA for review. Requirements were initially implemented in the 2012 editions of the IBC and IMC and are in all subsequent editions.
Miami-Dade approval requires the following testing: 1. Static pressure (TAS 202) to establish resistance to wind load. 2. Following the static pressure test, impact testing to verify that the design can resist wind-borne debris. 3. After the impact test, pressure cycling to check fatigue limits and confirm that the louver has not been structurally compromised by the impact test. 4. High velocity wind-driven rain testing is optional, but the lack of this performance will be noted on Miami-Dade approval documents. MIAMI-DADE CERTIFICATION The original hurricane certification, Miami-Dade County Product Approval, is technically valid only in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is often specified in other areas due to the high level of respect this approval has within the engineering and architectural communities.
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