Re: [OT] Hurricane prep (Was: OT: Traffic Signals in New Mexico)

"Joe Zitzelberger" <joe_zitzelberger@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:joe_zitzelberger-4DD9C9.17304328082005@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> In article <6e94a$4311e04e$45491c57$27854@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
> LX-i <lxi0007@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> > Why would people want to live in a town that is frequently hit by
>> > hurricanes? I know you, personally, have no choice but what is the
>> > attraction of Montgomery for the general population?
>>
>> Well, like I said, this far inland is generally OK. And, in Florida,
>> homes are built expecting to have to weather (no pun intended) storms
>> like this. (Well, not *quite* like this - category 5's are few and far
>> between.) For Montgomery, there are folks that have grown up here;
>> there are folks that enjoy the history of the area (from Hank Williams
>> to Rosa Parks); some are here because of their jobs.
>
> I have doubts about the houses in Florida being built to a higher
> standard.
>
> The entire "manufactured housing" industry in the southeast is still
> working overtime to catch up on the replacement trailers needed after
> last seasons Charlie, Francis and Ivan damage.
>
> Florida has some pretty lame building codes considering their hurricane
> exposure.
Actually, since Andrew, specific building codes _have_ improved.
Unfortunately, it's the codes not related to wind damage that have had the
problems. In a minor hurricane most _new_ homes will still have a roof due
to the additional supports around trusses. However, even in fine weather
most bathrooms fail when regular green board is used to house showers. If
your bathroom fails (the tiles fall off and your hand can go through the
wall) you are not protected as it's not "structural" damage - essentially
leaving you to find a bathroom rebuilder (of which there are many bad ones).

Another downside of the improvements has actually been an increase in mold
due to water damage. The new codes make the buildings much more air tight,
much more insulated which keeps moisture _in_ as well as _out_ thought the
mold epidemic is primarily driven by lawyers and the industry is totally
unregulated meaning that the idea is to scare everyone into thinking that
they don't have just "mold" on their bread caused by 90F and 90% humidity -
it's actually toxic mold and you may have cancer.

Then again, the bible says we should build homes on rocks and not on
Sand....One could argue that San Francisco has codes that don't protect its
houses against a massive earthquake....up in Wyoming, a giant magma
explosion will destroy homes....Poor New Orleans decided to exist BELOW sea
level with water all around.....The deserts of the SW are _too_
hot...Portugal has no water....the list goes on and on....I don't know
what's wrong with New Zealand so I will be looking into that one day I'm
sure...

JCE


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