The love for the coastal property for many Americans always comes down when it comes to the fear o the hurricane that may sweep away their houses. The risk of buying a coastal house is never fully in the minds of anyone. Every individual has the best feeling for a safe home. and desire
In mid-October Hurricane Michael hit the Mexico beach leaving only a two-story house fully intact. The buildings would have survived the hurricane if the they would have paid attention to the Florida’s updated building codes. The building code requires the inclusion of safe construction features such as shatterproof windows and buttressed roofs. The build code helps you know how to protect your house from a hurricane.
Geoff Chick, an architect, gave us the best information on the building of hurricane-resistance houses
Building to Protect from Hurricane
Home owners have two options to protect their homes from hurricane. The options include, building a new house or renovate an old one to meet the standards. All these features call for increase in the construction costs.
Hurricane Shutters
The shutters are essential in the protection from the debris that may be stirred up by the strong hurricane winds. If you have a broken window, the pressure rises in case of a storm. The rise in pressure may cause the house to blow apart due to the hurricane.
The cost should not be anything to worry you since some insurance companies are there to cover your costs. The insurance companies include Maryland, Louisiana, Rhode Island and Florida. They offer rates that have discounts for the owners who have hurricane shutters.
Impact Windows
The impact windows are best for the individuals that are far from the ocean. Most of the new home owners have their homes with laminated glass. The lamination may include a sheet of Kevlar on the inside.
The push by many insurance companies to have them was a result of the losses they would go through incase there is the hurricane storm.
Impact windows are able to withstand a 2×4 stud that comes towards them at the speed of 150 miles per hour. The protection is awesome but it comes at a price. The price is twice that of a normal window package. The standard window goes for $18000 while the impact window would go for $40000.
Concrete Pilings
If you build a home on a concrete piling you are sure of the best resistance to the hurricane storm. The Concrete piling is also essential in keeping the structure in place even when there are heavy winds.
Hurricane Straps
The straps are pieces of galvanized steel that keep the wall of the home safe and in position. The straps can be added during a retrofit but it is very expensive. The process requires the cutting back of the sheetrock and expose the beams.
Fitting the straps during the initial construction is the best as you are sure the structure will keep safe all the time. The straps ensure that roof will not fly off during a storm.
Impact-Rated Garage Doors
Chick notes that most of the houses had their roof blow away due to the poor construction. A broken garage door could be the start of your roof blowing from the structure. The door would allow wind to enter creating a low and high pressure causing the roof to easily blow away from the structure.
Impact garage doors projects for Chick cause about $10000. Garage doors are the weakest link to your house. While buying garage doors, ensure to go for those that do not have windows as they are very weak. You may also choose to reinforce the doors that you have.
Get Strong Doors That Can Withstand Punishment
The product that get the Federal Emergency Management Agency seal approval has the best features in withstanding a missile, pressure from the wind or a storm. Several doors types have a prove of effectiveness as per the discovery by the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center at Texas. The best product is the storm Pro window shutter system. The brand is very effective as is the best in protecting your home from a hurricane or a tornado. It costs between $5 and $520.
If you are wearing the best bras for wide breasts, you will feel free to move around since the doors are the best way on how to protect your house from a hurricane. You will not have to worry on how you will run in your bra.
Keep Your Lead On
The inward pressure from the tornado wind may cause the roof to blow away from the structure. For the best protection consider using Simpson strong-tie galvanized steel hurricane clips. The design is available in a range of 300 to 1500 pounds protection. The clips act to connect the top and the bottom or the roof and the rafters.
The clips are approximately $500 for 2000 square foot. The size is best for 110 mph winds.
Cable-Tite: Pin Down Your Home
The cable is essential for additional ground support. It comes with a tensile strength of about 6700 pounds. It connects the house with J-bolts to the foundation of the top plate. A cam-locking device works to tighten the base such that it keeps everything intact.
The cable costs approximately $1500 for a 1500 square foot for a home.
Walls of Concrete
The best way to evade the tornado strikes is getting the best structure for your home that ill resist well. You have to consider building your home with new structures such as ICFs. The insulating concrete forms are grid blocks that interlock. They are from resilient foam that have expanded polystyrene. Once you set the building blocks, insert a rebar framework and pour concrete. It results into an air tight, insulation that is also fire resistant. You can stack the block if you need a 24-inch wall.
Concrete Cloth
It is the best material that has been working in line ditches and subterranean walls in mines. It also is the best in repelling bullet and any sharp object in its directions. Addition of water to these concrete fabric makes it to inflate and harden. In case there is a storm it functions to prevent the storm from reaching your house or breaking it down.
The cloth costs an approximation of $600 for a 10 by 10 foot.
Sheltering from The Storm
Another way to keep safe from the effect of a storm is to have a safe in house. Other than build a new home from scratch or fixing the storm-resistant features, get the Du point storm shelter. The design comes from Kevlar, a material that makes the police vest to be bullet proof. It is thus five tines stronger in comparison to steel. The shelter is always in the house and you can easily get to it in case there is a storm.
The sheltering technology is friendly, intact and easy to use. It can be under ground or above the ground depending on what you desire.
Another alternative could be using ICFs to make the walls of the bathrooms, closet or pantry. The storm shelter is FEMA- certified and you are sure of your safety in case there is a hurricane. The prices range between $6500 and $16000. The prices range depending on the dimensions and the available upgrades that you choose.
