By Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
Published June 6, 2004
There are some specific actions you should take to make your home safer. To make some of these improvements, you will have to get up in the attic or crawl space with a flashlight. You may feel more comfortable with an experienced and licensed inspector, architect, engineer or contractor inspecting your home. Whatever choice you make, take time to do this well before the storm.
To withstand the forces of wind associated with severe weather, there are four major considerations: your roof, entry and garage doors, windows and a safe room identified in your home.
Roofs
If your roof was built before 1994 and is gabled, brace all gable end framing with horizontal and vertical beams. Also, make sure that there is wood sheathing (planks or plywood) behind the stucco of the triangular gable end walls.
Using a caulking gun, apply a quarter-inch bead of APA AFG-01 certified wood adhesive along an intersection of the roof deck and roof support element (rafter or truss chord) on both sides of the beam. This technique can increase the wind uplift resistance by up to three times, but should be used only on new roofs.
Entry and garage doors
Entry doors are easily damaged by high winds. Bolt all doors that have foot and head bolts with a minimum 1-inch bolt throw length.
Garage doors should be able to withstand hurricane wind loads and the impact of flying debris. If yours does not, replace with a hurricane-resistant one that meets the Miami-Dade County building code (look for the product approval number). About 80 percent of residential hurricane wind damage starts with wind entering garage doors.
Windows
Protecting your windows is crucial to secure your home or office.
Make sure all doors and windows are properly caulked and/or weather stripped. Replace gravel or rock landscaping material with fire-treated, shredded bark to reduce damage. Cover all large windows and glass doors with impact-resistant shutters, securely fastened with proper mounting fixtures, or replace them with impact-resistant laminated window and door systems, if feasible.
SOME METHODS OF WINDOW PROTECTION:
* Plywood sheets (at least three-quarters of an inch) are inexpensive but difficult to handle and install. They should be premeasured, predrilled, labeled and stored where they can be installed quickly.
* Window security film is becoming popular because of its "passive" protection. Once installed, it provides 24-hour protection from violent weather or possible criminal invasion. Some key factors to consider are a wind load rating of 400 pounds per square foot; Miami-Dade County small-missile impact testing (gravel, small branches, etc.); energy savings; and quality of installation. (Please note that no security film will pass the Miami-Dade heavy-missile impact test since the entire window frame cannot be tested. The small-missile impact test rating may be sufficient for units above the third floor, or 30 feet).
* Shutters offer good window protection, but make sure they are strong enough to withstand airborne debris. Steel panels are cost-effective and tend to be easier to handle and store than plywood. Colonial and Bahama-style shutters offer minor preparation and no storage. Roll-down shutter systems offer protection with little maintenance. Choose shutters that pass both the small- and large-missile impact tests, especially on the first and second floors.
* New products include impact-resistant screens and flexible wind-abatement barriers.
Safe room
Do not stay in a room that does not have shielded windows or glass doors. At least find an interior room, hallway or closet that will buffer you from storm winds. Make sure all family members know where the safe areas are in your home.
You can build a tornado-safe room or fortify an existing room bathroom or closet to FEMA standards. For information, go to www.fema.gov
Building or remodeling
* When replacing soffits, check for hurricane clips; install connections between roof truss and walls.
* When repairing a roof, check the decking. Make sure it is secure and nailed properly.
* Install roof covering that is rated for hurricane-force winds and (Class 5) fire resistance.
* When replacing windows or doors, consider impact-resistant glass or some type of shutter/wind abatement system.
* Replace your old garage door with a hurricane-resistant one.
* For tips, go to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes Web site, www.flash.org If you're building a new home, visit go to www.ibhs.org the Institute for Business and Home Safety site, or www.tbrpc.org the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council site.
For mobile home residents
* Anchor mobile homes with tie-downs. Inspect tie-downs annually.
* Never stay inside mobile homes to ride out the storm. Always evacuate to a friend's or relative's home, hotel or motel, or nearby storm shelter.
Generators
Fueled by gas, generators can run appliances and fans. Sizes range from 750 watts, which will run a fan and a light, to 8,000 watts, which will run a house except for the air conditioner. Refrigerators require 400 to 1,000 watts.
If you have lost power, don't connect a portable generator to building wiring (this could injure or kill neighbors or electrical crews). Plug appliances, etc., directly into the generator. Place the generator outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Don't forget to check the oil every time you add gas. Conserve fuel by alternating appliances. For example, refrigerators can be kept cool by supplying power only eight hours a day.
Flood insurance
The National Flood Insurance Program requires new construction and reconstruction in flood-prone areas to be at or above the Base Flood Elevation level. The program also requires structures whose damage is more than 50 percent of the value to be rebuilt to current standards, including elevation.
Make sure your insurance policy will cover the replacement costs of your home and belongings and any costs to rebuild. For information on how to flood-proof your home, call your local building or planning department.
[Last modified June 2, 2004, 13:23:29]
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