September 29, 2004

• STORM DAMAGE

  I have lived in FL off and on since 1932 (!) and been through many hurricanes. For the past several years I have been spending hurricane season in Maine. We go back to FL next week to one of the few parts of the state that had minimal impact from the four storms.
  Many years ago FL passed building codes requiring all structures to be "hurricane proof". Houses built that way generally are (except for tornados) but are expensive and the designs (No gables - hip roofs, etc.) aren't to everyone's taste.
  Builders and land developers and manufactured home builders have, of course, found ways to get around most of the code and some modern building techniques (plywood sheathing, power nailers, etc) make homes more vulnerable. After Andrew (the worst storm to hit Miami since 1926) many very expensive homes lost their roofs, etc. while those modest houses hand-built by Habitat for Humanity suffered no damage.
  Another area to consider is shutters. Plywood doesn't work, as many people have discovered. Good shutters do work, but again, they are expensive. I've been through hurricanes with and without, believe me, with is better.
  As FL has filled up with people, the cities have moved out onto sand spits, barrier islands and wetlands, all of which are very vulnerable to any kind of rainstorm and especially to Hurricanes, hence the flooding and washouts which TV and the Weather channel get so much joy in showing.
  If you moved to CA, you probably wouldn't buy a house on the San Andreas Fault or one that was not pretty solidly built. If you move to Florida, buy a house that's been through a few hurricanes and that doesn't have any high water marks.

  • 9:38 am
  • 2 Comments