Florida lives up to its name as the Sunshine State with its semi-tropical climate. Unfortunately, one of the features it shares with tropical areas is the strong susceptibility to hurricanes and resulting storm damage. After handling one storm damage case or even while in the middle of one, it is only natural for homeowners to wonder how to plan for this never to happen again.
The only foolproof way to avoid a hurricane is to move completely out of a hurricane zone. This can prove difficult when tropical storms have traveled as far north as New York. It would also mean giving up the coastal life. So, instead, consider these building tips for the next home.
Strong foundation
There are many ways to build strong foundations around the world. When it comes to Florida, strong foundations anchor deep into the ground and raise the house high enough to escape most flooding risks. According to CNBC, when building a hurricane-proof retirement home for a client, one architect raised the house 12 feet off the ground and anchored the pillars that achieved this 28 feet into the ground.
Solid material choice
Some older homes in Florida survived hurricanes through sheer luck and may not meet current hurricane codes. For this and other reasons, many Floridians are giving up stick-built homes for something more commonly seen in the Caribbean, South Asia and the Middle East: homes made of concrete and steel rebar.
Smart add-ons
One of the smartest additions a homeowner can make to any Florida property is hurricane shutters. Business Insider explains that hurricane shutters protect glass windows from the debris that hurricanes tend to throw at houses. Homeowners might even get a discount on the insurance policy for installing these.
Even though there is no foolproof way to live in Florida and completely avoid storm damage, there are things homeowners can do to delay the risk of damage. Unfortunately, not everyone gets the opportunity to build a home from the ground up and storms can cause nature to react in the most unpredictable ways.