Solar metal roof mount approved for Florida hurricane zones

S-5! has received Florida Building Code approval for its PVKIT system to be used in high-velocity hurricane wind regions.

October 14, 2025 John Fitzgerald Weaver

Image: S-5!

The S-5! PVKIT 2.0 rooftop mounting system is now certified for use in Florida’s High-Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ). The company received Florida Product Approval (FPA) for its rail-less, metal roof mounting solution, allowing it to be deployed in regions subject to extreme wind speeds.

The approved design, part of the PVKIT 2.0 system, combines S-5! mini-clamps that grip the metal roof seam with a WEEB (Washer, Electrical Equipment Bonding) component that penetrates the solar module’s frame coating to establish a grounded electrical connection. A mid or end-clamp then secures the module to the roof seam.

By using different S-5! roof attachment units, as shown in the featured image, the same PVKIT can be adapted for most metal roof types.

The official evaluation report approved two components: the MidGrab and EdgeGrab units. The EdgeGrab, which holds onto a solar module at its edge, has an allowable perpendicular connection capacity of 353 pounds of uplift. The MidGrab, which sits between two solar panels, has an approved capacity of 861 pounds of uplift.

Because the system is rail-less, a 50 kW installation requires only 149 pounds of racking components, compared with 970 pounds for a traditional rail-based system. That represents a reduction of more than a quarter of a pound per square foot. In addition to the lower weight, the simplified design uses fewer parts, reducing both material and labor costs.

S-5! reports that its rail-less “Direct Attach” mounting system uses 674 components and costs $3,434.06. A comparable railed system requires 1,259 components and costs $6,173.91 delivered. The company estimates that installers can save 29 labor hours, worth about $1,450 at $50 per hour, by eliminating 585 parts. Combined, the labor and hardware savings amount to roughly 8.3 cents per watt.

RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute) recently released a hardware-focused report on field-tested hurricane survival strategies for solar installations, identifying best practices for securing rooftop and ground-mount systems in extreme weather. About two weeks earlier, a federal court ordered FEMA to consider funding distributed solar and storage in Puerto Rico as the territory continues to rebuild its grid following 2017’s Hurricane Maria.

Under Section 1616 of the Florida building code, HVHZ design requirements are based on three-second gust wind speeds that vary by county, distance from the coast, building type, and occupancy category. The highest design wind speeds for the state’s two most populous counties are as follows:

Miami-Dade County:

Risk Category I: 165 mph
Risk Category II: 175 mph
Risk Category III and IV: 186 mph

Broward County

Risk Category I: 156 mph
Risk Category II: 170 mph
Risk Category III and IV: 180 mph

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Ultimate Design Wind Speeds for Risk Category IV Buildings and Other Structures

Florida’s wind-speed standards were significantly strengthened after Hurricane Andrew in 1992 exposed weaknesses in residential and commercial building construction. Category IV structures, defined as “essential facilities,” have the most stringent requirements and include hospitals, fire and police stations, and emergency communication centers.

The Miami-Dade Building Code serves as the foundation for the state’s broader building regulations and has influenced wind codes across much of the hurricane-prone southeastern United States.

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