Hurricanes

[Ed]

I live in a manufactured home community in Central Florida. We had both Charley and Francis come over us. Out of the 950 homes in here only2 had some considerable damage. That was large screen rooms and a carport blow off. As for the homes, they did great. Some siding and shingle damage. I feel the homes did great. It is the carports and covered walkways that I worry about. The home that lost the carport had the bolts pull right out of the concrete they were anchored to!

[Jmc]

We just bought our 1983 Jacobson in April...... In Punta Gorda. Lanai, carport , back windows damaged. Some roof damage cased by flying objects.
We were able to sleep there afterr storm went through
It all depends on how it blows through. The new models in our park that were still being set up had no damage at all. That attests to all the new codes in place. Then we passed very old Parks that were just a pile of sticks

Now I just pray we get through the rest of the season unharmed

[rmurray]

Thanks for that front line report..

[Mike]

Slight damage after 2 storms. So far so good. The park suffered some damage, few older homes lost roofs, carports, ect. W

[Mike]

What was scary was the amount of debris that was launched during the storm, this could compromise the integrity of those MH around. I would feel better if I was surrounded by newer homes. Folks do need a place to live!!

[David Oxhandler]

Jeanne ran across Florida and our little community was clobbered AGAIN.... but no one was hurt and none of our homes has any structural damage. Lots of trees, tree limbs, roof shingles, and stuff that can only be described as tree debris have been relocated to all sorts of places you wouldn't expect to find them.

We are learning with each new storm. We can plywood over all the windows at my home and the community office in less then half a day. An entire subculture of storm hipsters has emerged, Guys no longer talk about sports or girls... instead there is a competitive attitude about who has the biggest generator and the most square feet of tarp. Screw guns and duct tape have gained high barter value. Lending another guy your inverter (a thing that makes household current from a car battery) has become like trusting him with your wife.

Most people here are over stressed from a month of running on pure adrenalin. Many are spending their days waiting on line for water and ice from FEMA. Other than the water and ice FEMA is performing like a true component of the Bush Government. There were loud, proud, public promises of assistance to households and businesses that have turned out to be as false as the Bush promise that the war in Iraq would be financed by the Iraqi oil reserves.

Our manufactured home rental business had the highest number of defaults and late pays in its 25 year history. Folks have been terrified that they may have to pack up and run and have been holding on to their money to cover the expense of fleeing and to soften the incredible hardship of being with out water and/or electric during what is still a very hot summer here in the Sunstroke State.

We look up and beg that the season is ending so we wont have to plywood windows again this year. The power was restored to my home late yesterday but we are still running the office on a generator and flushing the toilets with lake water. Today we are repairing minor roof damage to a few of the rentals and removing trees that were blown over and several that used to stand straight up but are now hanging over and threatening homes.

All Floridians hope to be back to normal by election day, so we can take charge another Presidential selection.

[David Oxhandler]

HUD, Building Industry Showcase New Homes That Can Resist Hurricanes


Lifted from http://rismedia.com/index.php/article/a ... /7842/1/1/



RISMEDIA, Sept. 27 -- One week before Hurricane Charley slammed into Florida's Gulf Coast, three homeless families in Port Charlotte moved into new manufactured homes, built with the latest technologies to resist storm damage. With the exception of minor roof damage in two of homes caused by falling trees, all three homes survived Charley intact while others homes in the neighborhood were seriously damaged.

Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretaries Dennis Shea and John C.Weicher recently joined representatives from the National Association of Home Builders and the Manufactured Housing Institute to showcase the home at 3405 Douglas Road in Port Charlotte as an example of how advanced building technologies can create safer, more durable and energy efficient housing.

"Today we see the proof that HUD's new construction standards for manufactured housing are creating better and safer homes," said Shea. "Working closely with our industry partners, we can say that properly installed manufactured housing is as safe and storm resistant as any other new home."

"HUD and the building industry learned several lessons after Hurricane Andrew," Weicher said. "Today, HUD's new manufactured building standards are creating homes that are significantly more hurricane resistant, giving families more peace of mind that they can weather any storm."

Following Hurricane Charley, two of the homes that were installed for the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition suffered minor roof damage that was quickly and inexpensively repaired. Other homes in the Port Charlotte community experienced much more significant damage and are still shrouded in blue tarps awaiting repairs.

We were just so pleased to be able to provide a safe and affordable home for families with children," said the Coalition's Connie Thrasher. "After Charley, we can still say these homes are safe and affordable."

HUD today also released new consumer information designed to help homeowners to repair and rebuild their damaged or destroyed homes using the latest advanced building technologies (see attached). In partnership with the housing industry, HUD is working to improve the safety, quality, durability and affordability of manufactured homes through these advanced building technologies. For more information about HUD's Partnership for Advancing Technologies in Housing (PATH) Program, visit www.Pathnet.org. .

Following Hurricane Andrew in 1994, HUD developed new construction standards to significantly increase the wind resistance and structural integrity of manufactured homes. Today, these new standards along with new technologies such as "structural insulated panels" and "fiber cement sheathing" are greatly improving the wind and impact resistance of manufactured housing. In addition, HUD's new building standards and the industry's latest innovations are creating energy efficient homes that are also termite resistant.

Meanwhile, HUD continues to study the performance of newly installed manufactured homes in real world conditions. Since Hurricanes Frances, Charley and Ivan, HUD's initial assessment found the newer on-site and manufactured housing preformed quite well. Homes fitted with impact resistant windows, reinforced garage doors and hurricane shutters weathered the recent storms particularly well. In addition, the Department is studying how to better improve the performance of roofs. Over the next few years, HUD will study new roof systems in an effort to make roofing more disaster resistant, durable and energy efficient.

More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

TIPS in REBUILDING YOUR HOME

If your home was recently damaged in this year's hurricanes, it is important that the rebuilding process be done properly to insure your damaged home can be built to withstand future storms. Choosing the right contractor who uses the right building materials and who pays attention to construction details is key to rebuilding your home.

Choosing a renovation or rehabilitation contractor is always a difficult process.

The best source of information is from ones you trust. Did you learn of the contractor from friends or acquaintances? Have they had a good experience with the contractor?

Has the contractor been in the community a long time?

Is the contractor willing to give you number of recent references, not just one or two?

Ask if the contractor will rebuild all elements to the latest hurricane requirements in the building code

When working with the contractor here is some technical issue to consider. These recommendations come from the PATH research.

Reduce dangerous uplift through the use of hurricane straps and clips. In hurricane-prone areas, use hurricane ties or clips to connect the roof to the wall system, which helps keep the roof on the home. Line up bracing and truss tie-down points, and anchor each level to the level below. Use light-gauge steel straps to anchor the first story to the foundation. Over the years, hurricane ties had a 92% success rate.

Wall bracing: Make sure that contractor in rebuilding walls uses a rated bracing material such as oriented strand board or plywood.

Construction practices with durability in mind: Material durability is key to future disaster resistance. Buy and install materials that will last. Also, attention to small details - lapping wall top plates at intersections with interior walls and attaching sheathing to a common stud in corner construction - can make all the difference, according to full-scale shear wall testing done by the NAHB Research Center.

Proper nailing schedule: Size, type and placement are all factors. Inadequate nailing in older building codes was implicated in the widespread roof sheathing damage in Hurricane Andrew. When inspecting roof-sheathing nails, attention to a gable end truss is especially important.

Ring-shank nails: To secure sheathing panels in hurricane-prone areas with basic wind speed of 110 mph or greater, ring-shank nails are necessary for their higher withdrawal capacity.

Protection from wind-borne debris: Reduce forces on the structure and minimize water and wind-related damages to the interior by protecting windows with approved shutters or properly fastened wood structural panels in coastal homes that might experience a hurricane.

Proper garage doors. If your garage door needs replacement, make your that your new door is reinforced to better resist hurricane force winds. Garage door failure opens homes to the full force of hurricanes with often-catastrophic damage to the home.

Assure quality and energy efficiency. In the haste to rebuild and restore, avoid building practices and materials result in homes and businesses that are not properly weatherized and energy efficient. By properly flashing and sealing buildings, you will minimize future water damage and mold growth. By selecting and properly installing energy-efficient HVAC equipment, lighting and appliances, and by weatherizing the buildings, you will maximize resources and minimize your future energy bills.

For additional information on disaster resistant technologies and practices as well as other information on building homes that are safer, more durable, energy efficient and affordable, visit the PATH website at www.Pathnet.org.

[Kenneth O. Jaeger]

Chrissy, 11/02/04

I would like to explore mobile homes thoroughly, especially after viewing the damage and destruction to wheeled dwellings during recent hurricanes. Actually, I'm not connected professionally in the manufacture or reconstruction of mobile homes. Yet I have worked personally on such units, as well as on conventional construction. Actually, my career was in journalism, but I built two homes as a young man and remodeled an older, double-wide trailer six years ago. For a couple years, too, I sold aluminum and metal buildings where I developed Ideas on withstanding hurricanes and tornadoes. Of course, I'm retired now but would like to present a concept in mobile homes that hopefully would resist 175-mile winds.
Anyway, I'd like to share the design with HUD and/or manufacturers and trailer sales. Moreover, I wish to preserve the commercial sanctity of the structure. Thus, I hoped you might help counsel me on this matter under a professional provision of some type. Thanks.

Ken

[Chrissy Jackson]

I should be available most of this week (Novembver 8th) on my cell phone at 813-766-7172 if you are able to call me. Thanks!

[Kirk Shoemaker]

Hurricane Rita is just passing the Florida Keys and is predicted to pass over the Galveston / Houston Texas area as a cat 3 or 4 in three days. I live 100 miles inland in a 28' x 76' Fleetwood Mfg Home with Vinyl siding and I would like to know the best technique for covering my windows with self-made plywood shutters. Can someone with experience in hurricanes and plywood shutters please advise me. Thanks.

Best Regards,
Kirk Shoemaker