Glossary

Roof-to-wall connection

The hardware that fastens roof rafters or trusses to the top of the walls, which decides whether a high wind can lift the roof off the house.

Also called: roof-to-wall attachment, hurricane clips, hurricane straps, roof tie-downs, toe nails, single wraps, double wraps

Wind does not only push on a house, it pulls up on the roof. The roof-to-wall connection resists that pull: the nails, clips or straps joining each rafter or truss to the wall plate below. A weak connection lets the roof lift away, and then the walls and contents are exposed.

Florida's wind mitigation form sorts the connection into four types, from weakest to strongest. Toe-nails are nails driven at an angle through the truss into the plate. Clips are metal connectors that do not wrap over the top of the truss. Single wraps are a strap that goes over the truss and is nailed to the wall on one side. Double wraps cross the truss and are nailed on both sides. Many older houses have only toe-nails. Stronger connectors can be added to an existing house, usually from the attic, but have a contractor or engineer confirm the design.

An inspector verifies the type from the attic or from permit records, and your insurer credits the wind premium when it beats toe-nails. Do not assume a newer house has better connectors; check the report. The wind mitigation inspection entry explains the scoring, and the roof-deck attachment guide covers the other half of the roof system. FORTIFIED Gold requires an engineered path through the connection, per FORTIFIED Home.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

In the index now

Related terms

Wind mitigation inspection An inspector's checklist of a house's storm-resistant features, such as roof fastening and window protection, that insurers use to apply wind discounts. FORTIFIED Home A voluntary construction standard from the insurer-funded IBHS that strengthens a house against wind, hail and storm damage, with certified designations. Secondary water resistance A second layer on the roof deck, such as a self-adhering membrane over the seams, that keeps rain out of the house if the shingles blow off in a storm. Opening protection Impact-rated glass or tested shutters over a home's windows, doors, skylights and garage door that keep debris and wind from breaching the walls in a storm. Home hardening Upgrades to a house's roof, openings, vents and materials so it resists a specific hazard such as wind, hail or wildfire embers, not just insures against it. Windstorm The peril of damage from high winds, including hurricanes, tornadoes and thunderstorm gusts, which most policies cover, sometimes with a separate deductible.

Related guides

The FORTIFIED Home standard and insurance discounts What IBHS FORTIFIED Roof, Silver and Gold require, which states mandate discounts, what it costs, how long it lasts, and the 2027 shingle limit. Hurricane shutters and impact windows: protection and savings How shutters, impact windows and wind-rated garage doors compare, which ratings count, how states turn them into insurance credits, and the paperwork. Secondary water resistance and roof-deck attachment What a sealed roof deck and stronger deck nailing do in a hurricane, how Florida re-roof rules and FORTIFIED treat them, and how to document them for a credit. Wind mitigation inspections and discounts What a wind mitigation inspection checks, who may sign Florida's OIR-B1-1802 form, how long it lasts, and how to turn the report into a lower wind premium.