A growing number of state and local codes call for impact zone windows in construction near the shore—windows made of shatterproof laminated glass that won't succumb to the flying debris generated by a hurricane. But even the strongest window will fail if not properly installed. Manufacturers'...
Elevated floors on pier foundations are mandated in V zones and recommended in coastal A zones. But the moisture and energy details can be a head-scratcher. Whether a builder places the floor system on pier supports or on a perimeter stemwall, he has to face interrelated problems of air sealing...
Manufacturers Beyond Code ~ Connector Corrosion
Storm-Water Regs Grow Up
Despite months of front-page Hurricane Katrina news coverage in 2005, building codes and enforcement practices continue to vary greatly. Moreover, surprisingly little is known about how hurricane winds pull apart and drive rain into homes — and what affordable measures can seal them tight. Plus...
Beyond Code
Green Mandates ~ Mapping Disaster
As federal and state governments try to get a handle on the pollution problem and the impact of "volatile organic compounds," or VOCs, they're turning their attention to paint. A cascade of regulations, moving from the EPA down through regional commissions and finally taking effect at the state...
Where the codes once concentrated mostly on verifying that buildings could handle gravity loads, now coastal homes must also resolve the complicated load effects associated with high winds: uplift, shear (or "racking"), sliding, and overturning. Ted Cushman takes a closer look at one kind of...
One of the most common problems found in the aftermath of hurricanes Frances, Charley, and Ivan was failure of the roofing system. The tile industry responded to the problem with new design criteria and installation details, which have since been added to the Florida Building Code. Charles Wardell...
Small Task, Big Reward
Restoring Trust - School of Demolition - Tougher Codes - High Hazard Study - Storm-Tracking Tools
Systems-Built Solutions - Code Option Flies Out the Window - Common Code Violations - 2005 Tropical Storm Summary
The Other Coastal Crisis - Thunderclouds Over Paradise
We Know How to Do This
The term “security system” takes on a meaning far beyond “burglar alarms” when you’re working on high-end beachfront resort homes that remain unoccupied for long periods. Such was the lesson learned when a fire devastated this historic house on Martha’s Vineyard. The rebuilt structure now includes...
In regions vulnerable to wind-borne debris and hurricane-force winds, the code offers more than one way for coastal builders to comply with new impact-resistance rules.
Blowing Up the House - Beach renourishment - NOAA Alerts