New emphasis is being focused on building homes stronger, so you and your family can feel and be secure during storms despite all the lightning, thunder, high winds, and storm sirens. Yes, the chance of severe weather damaging your home is low, but on average, it storms about twice per month. If bad weather causes fear and anxiety for anyone in your family, you will be affected negatively every month. But, if you know you are in a well built, “resilient” structure, or you have access to a storm shelter, you will face the storms with a subtle peace of mind.
How can you build a structurally resilient home? Start by bolting your walls to a steel reinforced foundation and tying the walls and roof together with steel fasteners instead of simple toe-nailing. Building a storm shelter capable of withstanding most any storm instead? Use concrete for the floor, walls, and roof; install a steel door with steel jamb and triple-deadbolts; and fasten them all together with steel rebar. That will meet FEMA safe room specifications. http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/saferoom/faq.shtm Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) filled with reinforced concrete are excellent for building a structurally resilient new home or a storm shelter for an existing home. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulating_concrete_form.
Be mindful that tornadoes and even straight-line winds have a way of finding the weakest points in a building. Floor, walls, and roof must respond as a single, reinforced unit. Even concrete walls fastened properly to the footings and ground can’t offer the protection you need if your roof is not fastened to them with steel plates and fasteners.
The FORTIFIED for Safer Living® program, created by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, helps homeowners and homebuilders build stronger, safer homes from the ground up. http://www.disastersafety.org/fortified .
It’s clear our weather patterns are changing. Why is the question. My next blog addresses this controversial topic – so stay tuned.
Orlo Stitt
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