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The ideal hurricane home?


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So during the anticipation of Hurricane Dorian's approach, my wife and I have been discussing the features we would like to have on our final retirement home, if we had one custom built.

Obviously living in Florida and having the ability to sustain hurricane force winds we began making our list.

We'd have a concrete room built in the middle of the home to hunker down in during a tornado or direct hit from a hurricane. Comfort and room for supplies would be considered.

Installation of a whole house generator system would be included as well to offset any power outages.

Foam insulation in walls and attic for energy efficiency throughout the year.

Hurricane shutter system installed.

 

This is where doing some quick research on line, I originally thought that having Hurricane resistant windows installed in lieu of normal windows and possibly eliminating the need for a hurricane shutter system was the smart thing to do.

Hurricane resistant windows have two sheets of glass that have a polymer sheet between the glass panels. This design ensures that should the window get hit, although the glass will break, your house would not be suseptible to the high winds that could eventually raise the roof off your house.

This didn't seem to be cost effective since you would have to replace any window that was broken.

More importantly, after seeing the following video, I don't believe it's a great idea if firemen cannot gain access to your home to fight a fire.

What are your thoughts?

 

 

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20 minutes ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Abandoned missile silo.

 

13131962-illustration-of-a-money-crazed-smiley-seeing-dollars.thumb.jpg.070a8083104f8127f1c8676c1309ccc1.jpg

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The primary danger from hurricanes is flooding. Coastal low elevation areas are most vulnerable. The ideal home would be a concrete dome or cave with the highest elevation in the area and far from any storm surge. But that’s not practical. Steel shutters over normal windows are what I had living about 1/2 mile from the beach. Plenty of time to put shutters up before the storm hits. If your home is up to good hurricane codes that should be sufficient.

Millile silos are strangely uncommon inn Florida. :lol:

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5 minutes ago, Sixgun Sheridan said:

Either build it into the ground (on a hill) or get the hell outta the way!

 

Move to Kansas or Nebraska where they don't have any hurricanes. ;)

 

Can we bring Toto?

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@Utah Bob #35998,

    Agreed.

Land elevation is a primary prerequisite.

We would remain inland near where we currently live.

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You still can't dig down very far into native soil in Florida due to the very high water table.  Your best bet is a concrete dome on concrete or steel stilts.  Or get a nice class A diesel pusher and go for a vacation when hurricanes approach.

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Elevated well above sea level.  Poured concrete with ICF (almost like building a home from hollow lego blocks then pouring concrete into the blocks) then a brick exterior.  Exterior hinged shutters on all windows.  A metal roof without much overhang, with hurricane straps, Good back up electric generator with shielded wind and solar power sources.  A well for fresh water.

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If we were not going to stay in Florida, we'd probably consider Area 51! :o

I hear the government won't let anyone or anything in, even hurricanes. ;)

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It seems that the safest place to reside in the U.S. from floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and forest fires,  would be Boise, Idaho.  Never heard of any catastrophes in that area.

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Not sure how far inland you live but I live in west Houston about 60 miles from the coast. A newer home with good solid construction is about all you need. Forget the whole home generator they are wayyyyyy to expensive and I hear not always reliable. Buy in an area where electric lines are below ground, I have been through 2 Hurricanes in this house  (Harvey was the last one and it was bad) and did not lose power once. I have a small gas generator just in case.

If it starts looking like a category 4 or 5 - just leave, you can pay a lot of hotel bills for what one of those whole home generators cost.

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9 minutes ago, Buffalo Creek Law Dog said:

It seems that the safest place to reside in the U.S. from floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and forest fires,  would be Boise, Idaho.  Never heard of any catastrophes in that area.

Well, there is that super volcano just south of there called Yellowstone. But if that blows we are all toast.

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20 minutes ago, Buffalo Creek Law Dog said:

It seems that the safest place to reside in the U.S. from floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and forest fires,  would be Boise, Idaho.  Never heard of any catastrophes in that area.

Great! Ya just jinxed Boise. :P:lol:

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35 minutes ago, Frio Kid said:

Well, there is that super volcano just south of there called Yellowstone. But if that blows we are all toast.

 

Yellowstone is approx 300 miles ENE of Boise.  If Yellowstone decides to blow, I'm not sure if 300 miles distance will be enough or not.  Prevailing winds are from the W and WNW so that might help.  We were stationed at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (yes, it really is a place) when Mount St. Helens blew and we had ash falling a week or so later, ENE and a distance of 865 miles as the crow flies.  Fingers crossed.

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Father Kit, why just one room of poured concrete?

I looked at a two story house here in Ottawa that was entirely made of reinforced poured concrete.

Given the total costs, it wasn't all that more expensive than similar traditionally built homes and a lot of that was the heating system installed in the floor.

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46 minutes ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

You could ask the guys who own this house in Hollywood Florida.  Image result for Hurricane proof home Hollywood Fl

 

 

Not Hollywood, FL.  That one would be in Mexico Beach up in the Panhandle in Bay County, right after Hurricane Michael last October.

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1 hour ago, Marshal Hangtree said:

Not Hollywood, FL.  That one would be in Mexico Beach up in the Panhandle in Bay County, right after Hurricane Michael last October.

You're right.  I got my hurricane disasters mixed up.

 

 

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Concrete Monolithic Dome.  Retractable metal covers for windows.  All living space above storm surge hight if near a beach (I'm NOT a beach fan).  Equipped with solar power AND a nice generator.  Oh, and just for fun, I'd like to have a surplus Submarine Periscope to watch the storm with. 

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