Certain types of homes are more likely to need a seismic retrofit than others. If you answer yes to any of these questions, you should consider retrofitting your home.
Category: Safe Strong Homes
Whether it’s hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes or high-wind storms, most of us are living in an area that is subject to one or more of these types of natural disasters. Unfortunately as we’ve seen or experienced, these events can be extremely destructive, often causing significant damage to homes and communities. There are ways, however, that you can help protect your home from the forces of Mother Nature.
Simpson Strong-Tie focuses on creating structural products that help support and strengthen the frames of homes and buildings, making them stronger and safer. Although most homeowners never see our products (they are hidden inside your walls), they play an important role in making sure your house stays together, especially during a natural disaster.
While national building codes require the use of structural connectors like those manufactured by Simpson Strong-Tie in new home construction, these codes are not always followed or enforced in all parts of the country. If you own a home or are considering buying a home, you should know what’s behind your walls – it really can make the difference in whether or not your home is still standing after the next big storm or earthquake.
5 Steps to a Safer and More Storm-Resistant Home
As we’ve seen with the hurricane seasons of that past decade or so, homes are not always built to be storm resistant. During the 2017 hurricane season, countless homes and buildings were severely damaged or destroyed, leaving thousands of families displaced. It will take years for communities to rebuild and recover from such devastation.
Fortunately, there are solutions that can help protect your home from a hurricane or high-wind event. Building your home to meet or exceed code requirements can have a significant impact on whether your home withstands the next big storm. Many parts of the country follow the International Building Code, which establishes design standards for new home construction. If properly enforced, these codes help strengthen homes and protect them from storm damage.
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Retrofitting Your Home for High Wind — 5 Questions to Ask Yourself
Nearly all parts of the country are subject to high winds. It’s important that your house is designed to withstand a high wind storm. Knowing whether your house is storm ready requires a few simple steps.
One of the first things to consider is where you live. Coastal areas, for example, are more susceptible to powerful winds such as hurricanes. Local building codes for these areas typically require homes to resist much higher wind speeds than inland homes. You’ll want to check with your local building department to learn about the codes that govern your area.
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