Architect, Kathy A. Prochnow AIA

Happy Mardi Gras, Laissez les bons temps rouler

This month’s blog is on wind effects on buildings.

• Why should a house resist wind?
• Which side of my house should I protect the most during a wind storm?
• Is it likely that my roof will blow away during the next hurricane?
• What side of the hill should I build my house?
• Will my house cost more to build?
• What is wind velocity?
• What is a fortified house?
• What is resilient construction?

These are a few questions that go through our minds when considering to build or renovate a home on the gulf coast.

To this day, Category 3 Hurricane Katerina was the most destructive storm at the cost of $81 billion and reported death toll of 1836 in the United States.

Since storms are becoming more frequent and severe each year, to resist wind forces on buildings is an important consideration architects take during each design phase.

Keep in mind, hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 so now is the time to consider your options to make your home a safer, stronger, more resistant and a pleasant place to live.

To answer a few of the leading questions in this short blog;

• There is no side of your house that is safe from hurricane force winds.

• Yes, your roof could blow off during the next severe storm if not properly anchored to the structure below.

• Yes, with a study of the existing site conditions for properly placing your new home on a given lot will help to protect your home from damage.

• The cost to build a hurricane resistant home can be more expensive than a home many miles away however, with proper creative design, engineering, detailing and smart use of materials, a reasonable budget can be maintained.

• Wind velocity (wind speed) of a storm must reach 75 mph to be classified as a hurricane.

• A FORTIFIED Home™ is a program set to help strengthen new and existing coastal homes against the devastating power of tropical storms and hurricanes through the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. http://disastersafety.org/fortified/safer-living/

Some of the rolls and responsibilities of an architect are to spend the time and effort needed to design structures that are strong enough to protect life, safeguard injury and reduce property damage.

An architect has the training and knowledge to bring together a team of professional experts to create a design that meets and/or exceeds required building standards and codes while creating a pleasant, comfortable, enjoyable home which makes the best of what we all enjoy in coastal living for many years.