General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI've been through my share of hurricanes over the years...
But I've never seen so many houses fly apart as what's going on in Florida right now.
What am I missing here?
Kajun Gal
(1,907 posts)GoCubsGo
(32,100 posts)They don't usually see anything beyond a Cat 1 or 2. So, they likely wrote the building codes based on that, and not on stronger storms. It's also a heavily republican area, where they don't like regulations, so they probably did the least they could get away with.
csziggy
(34,139 posts)But in lots of the little counties in the Panhandle they are not much enforced.
That said, that area has NEVER had a storm this powerful.
FSogol
(45,580 posts)No one goes back and brings things up to code otherwise.
csziggy
(34,139 posts)None have been through a Cat 4, almost a 5, before.
Fresh_Start
(11,330 posts)unless all the tents are hiding migrant families in the desert
mcar
(42,439 posts)Are horrific. I went through Andrew in SFL, then several lesser storms here in Central FL. I've never seen anything like this.
d_r
(6,907 posts)mn9driver
(4,429 posts)But older houses probably dont have them. Or if they do, only one side of the joist or rafter is tied. A house with double ties and 32 inch spaced sill bolts isnt going anywhere with a measly 155 mph breeze.
The houses that came apart were never built to withstand that kind of wind, either because the codes back then didnt require it, or somebody cut corners.