Tavares, FL - May 7, 2011 - The Daily Commercial just published an article about the need to plan for possible Hurricanes in the coming Hurricane Season. It is at:
http://www.dailycommercial.com/localnews/story/050711shelters
I have two thoughts regarding Hurricane readiness in Lake County:
1. What is amazing to me is that the County Government is in Tavares, but there are no public hurricane shelters in Tavares. The article had a whole listof shelters in Lake County, but nowhere is there a shelter in Tavares. Where are all those Tavares restaurant customers and visiting Seaplane owners supposed to go between meal courses when a hurricane or tornado is expected?
2. Also, the article talked about weaknesses of mobile & manufactured homes. There have been three major changes in mobile or manufactured home "tie down" procedures since the 1970's, so the latest are much less prone to being flipped, shifted, moved or damaged. But, the County has no program to publicize upgrades or encourage older mobile and manufactured home owners to upgrade the tie down systems on the home to prevent shifting and flips. Builder magazine had a long article on that subject about 2-3 years ago. I asked a Lake County building inspector (not recently) if they were approving mobile and manufactured home remodeling or expansions, whether they recommended needed tie down improvements, and they did NOT have any process to do so. They also could publish recommended upgrades to reduce damage to carports, screen rooms and window awnings, but there isn't anything. For instance, if carports lift due to weak hold down bolts in columns from an earlier building code period, then specify what the new standards are so local owners know about them and can upgrade.
Some of the recommended upgrades for mobile and manufactured homes should reflect current building codes and would include:
- Better tie down straps and more current installation techniques to prevent loosening or breaking.
- Better installation of tie down straps so they are not twisted, which creates a possible stress and breakage point.
- Make sure homes are not just sitting on supports (really old homes) without tie downs.
- Shorter spacing between tie down straps.
- Better methods to attach the roof to the house walls. Less space between fasteners. Longer fasteners or side brackets.
- Better fasteners for awnings and stronger awning material or ability to collapse or remove it.
- Window coverings like the ones from 3m that prevent penetration by flying objects.
- For ALL homes with garages, make sure the garage door has internal wind braces. Older homes do not have them, but the largest reason for lifted roofs is weak garage doors that do not have strong wind braces and they collapse, letting the wind in to lift the garage roof, and peel back the rest of the roof.
- Thicker shingles and closer nailing patterns with correct nails for re-roof jobs.
- Homes with plastic or metal siding need better fastening and closer fastening patterns.
- Upgrades of carport and screen room columns and bolts that hold them into the driveway or foundation.
So, why doesn't Lake County have a voluntary upgrade program with the above suggestions to start? Why haven't the building inspection departments of Lake County and the cities had a workshop to develop a checklist based upon their inspection of previously damages homes AND review of current wind damage prevention building code sections? And, then publicize the checklists and consider adding some of the upgrades to home inspection routines when home owners get building permits for other upgrades.
vj
