Living in Florida on the coast means worrying about your custom home in ways that other people may not have to. Hurricane season is a threat every year. Also, changes in the global climate and making storms stronger and more damaging year after year. That’s why today, we’re going to talk about how you can build protection right into your home.
Protection from the Start
If you are in the process of building a custom home, you should think about adding the hurricane protection right from the start. Having adequate protection on your home right away will ensure that no matter when something happens, you start your home’s life safe.
Hurricane protection will ensure that your home is safe from airborne debris, trees, water, and over-pressurization. As such, making sure that your protection is installed correctly can keep your home from losing it’s roof of taking in too much water should the worst happen. Depending on your budget, there are a few options to look at:
First, make sure to install window protection and door protection all over your home. This could be as simple as shutters or as complex as rolling metal blinds. However, they will ensure that your home stays protected while you are away. Next, you’ll want to think about reducing the number of attached structures like sunrooms and porches. These have a high chance of getting ripped away and exposing the side of your home to more damage.
Lastly, starting with the right foundations in home design will be the best and most effective way to protect your home from damage. That’s why we’re going to take a deeper look at hurricane proof home design. Remember if you are looking for a custom home, look no further than Wiltrack Construction.
Custom Home Design
If you are in the beginning stages of creating a home, then you might look at the overall shape of the home that you are building. For example, the more circular the outside of the home is, the easier it is for the wind to move around the home. If wind pressure can’t build up on the side of a home, you don’t have to worry about structural failure. This safety is due to the circular structure, transferring loads easier than a square one.
You should also look at the materials and engineering that will go into building the home. If your home is in a particularly risky patch of Florida, make sure to engineer your home with that in mind.
For example, look at machine rated 2400 psi framing lumber for your trusses and walls will ensure that your home is twice as strong as a traditionally built home. Other options include oversized truss hangers, multiple connections from the floor to the walls, and thicker plywood sheathing than a normal home would have.
The next feature that you should look into is the roof. Creating a roof that won’t fly away starts with the optimum pitch of 6/12 for wind deflection and a reduced lift. In addition, if you choose to use shingles, then you should waterproof your home under those shingles as they have a high chance of being blown away in a storm. Metal roofing might be the better option overall, but it isn’t always the most popular choice.
