Flagpole Wind Ratings: What to Check Before Adding a Second Flag

Adding a state, service or organizational flag below an existing flag changes the display you are asking the pole to support. Before buying another set of attachments, gather the information needed to check the proposed combination with the pole manufacturer. The useful question is specific: does this exact pole and installation support these two flags?

Identify the pole, not just its height

Find the original invoice, model label, specification sheet or installation records. Record the manufacturer, model or series, exposed height, shaft dimensions shown in the records, and mounting arrangement. Note whether the pole is sectional, telescoping or a commercial tapered model.

If identification is incomplete, send the supplier photographs and the documentation you do have. Avoid substituting a rating from a similar-looking pole. Leave unknown specifications blank so they can be confirmed rather than silently assumed.

Read the conditions beside the wind-speed number

Concord American Flagpole's wind-speed guidance distinguishes flagged and unflagged configurations. It also states that its product-table ratings use ground-set installations with the specified nylon flag size. Those conditions are part of the rating.

When reviewing any manufacturer's paperwork, highlight the configuration described beside the number. An unflagged value does not answer a two-flag question. Ask the manufacturer which current document applies to your model and what design basis the project team should use for your location.

List both flags completely

• The height and length of the upper flag.
• The height and length of the proposed lower flag.
• The material and construction identified on each product listing.
• Whether either flag or banner is a custom size.
• Any additional accessories or display elements proposed for the pole.

A short description such as “two standard flags” leaves too much unresolved. Save the actual product links with the dimensions so the person reviewing the setup can see exactly what you intend to order.

Look for a documented two-flag configuration

Concord's published wind-speed chart has separate columns for single nylon, single polyester and double nylon configurations. Its double-flag footnote defines the size combination used. This is a useful example of why the full chart and footnotes matter, not a rating that transfers to another manufacturer's pole.

If your proposed combination is absent, ask for an application-specific answer. Do not invent a universal percentage reduction, combine the two flag areas into an assumed equivalent flag, or treat a smaller lower flag as automatic approval.

Check the mount and operating instructions too

Concord directs customers to request separate information for certain mounting arrangements and multiple-flag combinations outside its chart. Include the actual mount in your question, along with any changes since the original installation.

Ask for the operating guidance that applies to the approved setup, including when flags should be taken down for weather. A design wind rating should not become a personal storm-removal threshold calculated from a weather app.

Shop after the configuration is confirmed

Keep a one-page record of the manufacturer response, both flag specifications and compatible attachment hardware. That record makes future replacements easier to check. If the existing pole cannot be identified, resolve that first rather than purchasing around an assumed capacity.

For a new equipment shortlist, browse FORTISVEX outdoor flagpoles, then confirm the intended two-flag display against the selected model's own documentation.