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Improved Building Practice for Storm-Ready Homes

Bob congratulates the Mercedes crew � Scott Buescher, Mike Morris, and Jesse Gonzalez � on the rapid construction of this storm-ready home in just three and one-half months. The systems and technology used are an indication of what big builders like Mercedes Homes can do to promote code compliant housing and building practices that exceed code in production building for hurricane-prone Florida. As Buescher says, it's imperative that builders get even better at what they do and continue to learn how to build stronger homes as hurricanes continue to blow in across Florida and the Gulf Coast.

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Chapters from this episode

Florida Style Farewell to the Completed Storm-Ready Home Now Playing

Florida Style Farewell to the Completed Storm-Ready Home

Storm-Ready Building Features Now Playing

Storm-Ready Building Features

A Sustainable Yard and Landscape Now Playing

A Sustainable Yard and Landscape

Improved Building Practice for Storm-Ready Homes Now Playing

Improved Building Practice for Storm-Ready Homes

Stylish Outdoor Furniture and Grill Now Playing

Stylish Outdoor Furniture and Grill

Kitchenware for Easy Living and Entertaining Now Playing

Kitchenware for Easy Living and Entertaining

Interior Design for a Florida Home Now Playing

Interior Design for a Florida Home

Clip Transcript For:

Improved Building Practice for Storm-Ready Homes

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" That's they Qaeda. It's going to burst -- RS might not guys and Jesse Gonzalez and Scott pusher from Mercedes homes and the first thing I want to congratulate you is done it they've -- a time that was required to build this house go ahead. -- have months three months is real good. So a lot of house here lot of systems a lot of technology that have gone into it and with that in mind I guess my question -- you Scott is. Has a big builder here in the state of Florida. What do you take away from all these different technologies and ideas that we've showcase in this house turn to would you be going future."

" Bob it's a constant learning. Situation for all of us builders with the new codes that are put into place and all the new things we've done above and beyond code. I think it's going to be a continual learning with the hurricanes that are coming carrying our state hitting the Gulf Coast. I think we all got to get better -- what we do."

" Well you've gotten better which you do congratulate thank you very much motion. And thank you so much -- like."

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Hurricane Straps, Clips, & Anchor Bolts

Your home's ability to resist the extreme force of wind is only as strong as its weakest link, so the only sure way to create a wind-resistant home is to secure all its connections: roof-to-wall, floor-to-floor and wall-to-foundation. The roof is your home's first line of defense from a storm. To make sure the roof stays in place when severe winds blow, securely anchor roof-to-wall connections by installing hurricane straps or clips at every wall-to-rafter connection to reinforce the roof. Even if re-roofing your existing home is years away, it is possible for roofing professionals to access and reinforce an existing home's roof-to-wall connections with hurricane straps and clips. These connections are critical in holding the roof together and will dramatically increase the homes overall resistance to wind. Along with roof-to-wall connections -- all joints in the structure -- floor-to-floor and wall-to-foundation -- must also be secured to create a "continuous load path" to the building's foundation. Secure floor-to-floor connections by making sure each floor is connected to the floor below with straps or clips in addition to any other code-required nailing schedule. Wall-to-foundation connections should be made through the use of anchor bolts or mud-sill anchors. Be sure to install all connectors following manufacturer's specifications.

Hurricane-Resistant Garage Doors

Ernie Hutto from DAB Garage Doors explains that the garage door is the largest opening into any home. Hurricane winds can twist and shred a door, bringing wind force and pressure vacuums into the home and causing building failure. Hurricane Master doors are made of 24-gauge steel to make them more resistant to failure. DAB Hurricane Master doors are strengthened with their patented Interforce system that reinforces the top and bottom panels to prevent door twisting and blow-in. Denver Miller and his crew install the panels starting at the bottom. Reinforcing bars are integral to the design of these hurricane-resistant doors. The Interforce bars are added to the top and bottom panels to give more strength during high winds. The garage-door tracks are also reinforced with seven brackets, a flag bracket, and a 14-gauge steel track. This prevents the tracks from pulling, twisting, and blowing in during a hurricane. The garage door opener is also installed but, as Miller points out, it need not be heavy duty because the strength of the system relies on the torsion springs not the opener. An opener's job is simply to guide the door, not pull it.

Hurricane Protection for Porches, Windows, and Doors

Ted Gower from Armor Screen is installing the hurricane-protection fabric that will make the lanai a hurricane shelter in case of a storm. There are bolts and clips at the top with clips along the side. The sides are locked down along the sides and bottom to resist the enormous wind pressure during a storm. This geosynthetic fabric serves in stead of plywood or other storm protection coverings. The fabric reduces 100 mile per hour (mph) winds to 3 mph and reduces it to 0 mph if rain sheets on the fabric, causing a complete wind barrier. This fabric stands up to winds and wind-borne debris, making the enclosed lanai a hurricane-safe shelter by code and by design. Armor Screen can be used on any door, window, or porch openings to protect homes from damaging winds and flying debris.

Building a Hurricane-Resistant Home

Bob talks with Leslie Chapman-Henderson from the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) about the technologies involved in securing a roof. Chapman-Henderson explains the importance of keeping a roof secure in high-wind situations. Uplift force is explained as wind is that pulls on a roof, with a force that can tear the roof right off the home, causing catastrophic building failure. Keeping a roof secure involves affixing the roof decking, the plywood, so no new holes are created during a storm that would allow more wind to come in. FLASH standards specify plywood of a certain thickness, 5/8" minimum thickness with 6" inch nailing pattern, securely nailing into the trusses. Pneumatic nail guns, employed in a hurry to save costs, often miss the underlying truss. Simpson StrongTie straps are used to secure the truss to the structure. Tie-downs secure the roof vertically and horizontally. Bob and Chapman-Henderson review the Punta Gorda storm-ready project completed last season. The house in Punta Gorda was a monlithic concrete structure, poured in one solid pour with steel reinforcing bars embedded throughout. Steel fastenerstied directly to the exposed rebar to secure the roof. The roof decking and tie-down followed FLASH's Blueprint for Safety, just as the current roof does. Chapman-Henderson presents Bob with an award from the Governor's Hurricane Conference for his work to increase awareness of the need for storm-resistant homes. According to Chapman-Henderson reviews the governor's program that makes $250 million in Florida funds and $100 million from HUD to help people in Florida retrofit their homes to bring them up to code and make them storm resistant. The My Safe Florida Home is available to low- and modest-income residents. Eligible viewers are encouraged to call the 800 number or go to mysafefloridahome.com to begin the process.