How to Build a Hurricane-Proof House

IN THE NEWS

In 2005, home improvement guru Bob Vila's nationally syndicated television program featured the rebuilding of a hurricane damaged house in Florida.

With concrete walls measuring 6 inches thick, shatterproof windows and an elevated foundation, the new home is designed to withstand a category 5 hurricane.

Bob Villa's Web page linked in the story below features a number of articles and video clips from the show.

Rebuilding to Beat a Hurricane
(BobVilla.com) -- Bob is in hurricane battered Punta Gorda, Florida, to build a storm-ready home in season 1 of Bob Vila. Bob visits two homes in the same neighborhood, one that was completely destroyed by hurricane Charley in August 2004, the other that was built to exceed hurricane codes and was left unscathed by hurricane winds and water from the same storm. Read full story.

UPDATE, August 2007:

On the Discovery Channel program Build It Bigger, host Danny Forester explores the construction of heavy duty modular homes and their journey from factory to final site.

See: Hurricane-Proof Homes

There's also some video from the show at the Discovery Channel video browser.

Also see Safeway Homes, a Lexington, Mississippi factory where modular hurricane proof homes are made.

Media links: The Clarion-Ledger.

Tags: In The News, Gulf Coast, hurricane, technology

MAINTAIN THE TENSION: VISIT OUR ADVERTISERS

Books from Amazon.com:

21st Century Complete Guide to Hurricane Survival: Practical Emergency Plans and Protective Measures with Official Preparedness and Survival Plans at Home or Away, Building Standards, and Hurricane History and Data (CD-ROM)

Hurricane Resistant Construction Manual

Hurricane Survival Made Easy: A Guide for Hurricane Preparedness

Making Buildings Safer for People During Hurricanes, Earthquakes and Fire