Weathering the Storm
How to protect your home and yourself from hurricanes
Hurricanes are part of life in Florida. Learn how to protect yourself and your home from Mother Nature’s wind and rain.
Fortunately, hurricanes seldom impact Southwest Florida. But the residents of Sanibel and Captiva islands must prepare themselves and their homes for that possibility. Living on an exposed barrier island, the risks are too great. There are things the people should know to make themselves safe prior to a storm. Even before that, there are things homeowners should know to keep their homes as safe as possible. “Hurricane resistance should be viewed with two major areas of concern: wind and water,” says Shawn Harvey, president of Greencastle, Inc., a construction company in Fort Myers that specializes in hurricane-resistant homes.
Although hurricanes can produce very heavy rains that often create flooding inland, on Sanibel and Captiva this is not often a problem. The porous, sandy soils tend to drain quickly. Storm surge, referring to the high tides that can accompany a hurricane, is the primary flood threat.
“Of course, it’s safer to build far inland and avoid being close to the water,” explains Harvey. “But, the proximity to water is the reason many of us choose to live in Florida to begin with. So, the question becomes, how can we minimize the dangers of flooding while living close to the water?” The City of Sanibel through zoning laws tries to minimize risk taking and also has very strict building codes.
When building a house, there are steps that can be taken to reduce potential flood damage. “The elevation of the floor is the most important aspect of flood resistance. The higher the house the less likely it will suffer from water damage. But, the house also needs to fit the neighborhood, so there is a balance,” says Harvey. He recommends a strong foundation, with poured concrete exterior walls. Keep
People from all over the state, especially Southwest Florida, came to help after Hurricane Charley devastated the islands. The assistance of local citizens and government agencies was vital to the recovery.
in mind this will be fast moving water and as Harvey warns, “Water is extremely powerful due to its mass and weight.”
Actually, zoning laws require that the living area of a house must be raised along the immediate coastline. This can be done by having the garage or non-living area below or by having the house set on pilings. In addition, the lower section must allow the free flow of water but at the same time be strong enough to withstand high velocity water.
In terms of the wind threat, Harvey points out that even though videos of homes being destroyed by hurricane winds are dramatic, it doesn’t need to happen. He maintains, “We know how to build a house which will resist wind forces in a storm event.” Strong winds can damage and even remove the roof of a house, which Harvey says can be prevented by ensuring that the roof is securely connected to the foundation. This can be accomplished with roof truss hold-down straps also known as “Sanibel straps.”
Even once a house is completed there are still steps that can be taken to minimize the hurricane damage risk. These measures can be used on new construction and also on existing homes. Making your home hurricane-resistant increases your level of protection and also may be necessary to comply with building codes.
According to Trent Dunn, director of marketing for Storm Smart Building Systems out of Fort Myers, you’ll want to consider the level of protection and the convenience as well as the cost. He cautions that the level of convenience is directly related to cost. “Do you want to have to climb up a ladder or just push a button?” he asks.
One of Storm Smart’s recent customers was Charles Turner on Sanibel. Turner had just bought a house on West Gulf Drive. The house had been built in 2001 according to code. The first floor consisted of a garage area that enclosed the mandatory 12foot concrete columns, which supported the living area above. Although the house was built to withstand 120 mph winds, Turner says, “I wanted to further protect my house and my investment.” He wanted to take it fully up to the 160 mph standard.
Protecting the windows is paramount. Besides the force of the wind itself, blowing debris can easily break a standard window. Then you have the danger of broken glass as well as the entrance of wind and rain into the house. More importantly, Dunn says, “Once you compromise the seal of the house, the great pressure forces in the storm can take off the roof, etc.”
Turner used a full array of products with accessibility. On the first-floor garage area, he put in aluminum shutters since he could easily reach them to close. On the second and third floors, he went with the Storm Catcher Rolling Screen, which rolls
ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VOLUNTARY AND MANDATORY EVACUATIONS IS THAT EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS WILL RESPOND DURING VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS, BUT NOT DURING MANDATORY EVACUATIONS UNTIL THE EMERGENCY WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE ABATED.
down by hand or with the push of a button, to cover exposed spaces. This polypropylene mesh screen can withstand strong winds and airborne debris as well as reduce solar heating on nice days. For windows not easily accessible, Turner chose to replace them with special impact-resistant glass, similar to safety glass in a car. No further protection is needed. However, cost is a consideration for this high-end product.
Even if a homeowner takes precautions, insurance against potential damage or loss of your home is recommended. And standard homeowners insurance often doesn’t cover hurricane losses. “Flood insurance is almost always a separate product,” says Christopher Heidrick of Heidrick & Company Insurance and Risk Management Services on Sanibel. “Over 99 percent of the flood policies in force are through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP),” he explains. NFIP is a governmentrun program where subscribers pay into the program at rates commensurate with their flooding risk. All of Sanibel and Captiva have been classified by FEMA as special flood hazard area (SFHA), meaning that a flood event has at least a 1-percent chance of occurring in any given year. According to Heidrick this means “Lenders [mortgage providers] are required to compel borrowers to purchase flood insurance.”
Although in many places homeowner insurance covers wind damage, Heidrick says, “Along the coast and on barrier islands many homeowner insurers will exclude coverage for wind, requiring property owners to purchase a separate wind-only policy to fill that gap.” But Florida’s barrier islands, including Sanibel and Captiva, are in the state’s “insurance wind pool,” according to Heidrick. Customers can choose any provider in the pool. Citizen’s Property Insurance Corporation, operated by the State of Florida, is a safe and less-expensive option says Heidrick. He also encourages homeowners to have a Wind Mitigation Inspection. “This could qualify a home for credits up to 50 percent of the premium, saving thousands of dollars,” he points out.
“ALONG THE COAST AND ON BARRIER ISLANDS MANY HOMEOWNER INSURERS WILL EXCLUDE COVERAGE FOR WIND, REQUIRING PROPERTY OWNERS TO PURCHASE A SEPARATE WIND-ONLY POLICY TO FILL THAT GAP.”
—CHRISTOPHER HEIDRICK, HEIDRICK & COMPANY INSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES