| Author | Message | ||
     Fast1075 |
Five days into hurricane season, and we get our first named storm, Andrea. I think it will get busy this year. So all you folks in southeast coastal areas get to prepping. And maybe even you guys up the atlantic coast. | ||
| Aesquire |
Good tip, I'll go fire up the portable generator, and put a few more cases of water on the shopping list. I'm always amazed that people that live in Hurricane country don't already have a stack of pre-cut plywood window covers in the garage or shed. If the house style and local regs permitted I'd seriously consider working shutters. I say that as someone who grew up in Tornado country, where a measly sheet of plywood over the window is either an ineffective joke, or a pain to remove, if you ever got a chance to put them on in the first place. The time scales on a large area storm, ( Hurricane, Blizzard ) are different than for frontal stuff. ( Tornados, Microbursts ) Note that the large weather disasters have the small ones as a subset/side effect, and are no less deadly. Food & water for a couple of weeks is ideal, at least enough for a few days while you wait for the waters to subside, the roads to be cleared, the weirdness to ease... I'm not going to make any predictions on Seasonal severity. The official predictions are so influenced by political predisposition that they are useless, and the actual science is saying it's a crapshoot. Not playing Cassandra here. I don't know, and no one else does either. ( unless you buy Mad Scientist Weather Weapons. If so, Enjoy. ) | ||
| Hughlysses |
The official predictions are so influenced by political predisposition that they are useless, and the actual science is saying it's a crapshoot. You nailed that one. You know, hurricanes are bad but at least you get ample warning. I was flying into OK City 2 weeks ago when the that monster was grinding through Moore. I'll take this deal over that one any day. Guess I'll fire up the generator and start stocking up supplies myself. | ||
| Gregtonn |
...local regs permitted I'd seriously consider working shutters. If they don't that is the dumbest building code I have ever heard. G | ||
| Fahren |
^ Very few of today's windows and wall construction methods are set up to accept workable shutters that actually close effectively over a window. Sure, you can buy solid shutters (paneled or board style) and the hinges and all the hardware for them to shut, but buildings used to have deeper reveals between the exterior face and the front of the window frame, where you could set up your shutters to close inside the opening. You can do it, but it takes a lot of finessing to get it to be workable and effective. I would bet that it would be a HOA thing to prohibit shutters in a neighborhood, not a code thing. Just a dumb rule. I can understand prohibiting the fake, screw-on "shutters" because they are fake and look that way, but not real, operating ones. | ||
| Fahren |
Codes in high wind areas are getting more and more strict about meeting wind ratings in structural design of buildings. If you don't have windows that meet impact resistance ratings, then shutters or plywood storm panels pre-cut to your windows, and with a very specific nailing specs, are required to be on site and ready. Garage doors and entry doors are now rated for impact and opening resistance. Straps and anchors are required for all sorts of hold-down situations from foundation up to roof. Every new edition of the code books ups the ante on requirements for wind. It's because each superstorm,people learn about Mother Nature the hard way, and come in to regulate more to avoid damage and loss of life. Plus, if it's not the codes, it's the insurance companies. I am being asked to do Wind Mitigation reports for existing houses for new homeowner policies (they ask for architect or engineer to inspect). | ||
| Pwnzor |
I want Geedee's analysis on the upcoming hurricane season. | ||
| Rich |
We can use the rain. | ||
| Hughlysses |
You're welcome to some of ours. I feel like I live in Seattle or something; it's been about the wettest spring I can remember here in SC, and this storm is going to bring us a LOT more rain. | ||
| Ratbuell |
My elderly parents are in northeast Florida, in a strict gated community. Not only are storm shutters allowed, they are required by state and county code. Mom just had the windows and doors converted to roll up style instead of pin-in panels. Invisible when up (the "box" looks like a large piece of crown trim) and a cordless drill rolls them down in under 60 seconds a window. The garage still pins in place...but that's what she uses the tennis pros for  . "Boys...can you help me out...?" | ||
| Gregtonn |
We can use the rain. One brother-in-law in Iowa has had so much rain he had fifty acres of soybeans "flown on" with an airplane. Didn't even know that could be done. G | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Flown on? as in planted from a plane? | ||
| Aesquire |
Fahren, I know Florida has some ever changing and fairly strict building codes, but other states don't. Some house styles just would look odd with working shutters, ( don't ask me why the plastic fake ones are so popular, they came with the house ) and Many towns in the NE, have bizarre rules to maintain a certain look, and power base for the local aristocrat wannabes. But If I lived in Hurricane country, or up by Lake Ontario ( for Example ) where icicles blow by at 50+, I'd have some kind of working shutter. I like the idea of the roll down shutters. Anyone but me a "Forbidden Planet" fan? They had some serious shutters on the windows in that movie. ( one of the top 10 films ever made. You can argue the top 5 or Best Ever, but Forbidden Planet is in there. I'd throw in "The Princess Bride", "Dr Strangelove", and at least an Honorable Mention to "Watchmen"... YMMV) | ||
| Hughlysses |
Aesquire- I'm with you on the "Forbidden Planet" shutters. | ||
| Gregtonn |
Flown on? as in planted from a plane? Yep. It will be interesting to see how it works out. G | ||
| Geedee |
 Hurricane season is hurricane season. Now what can be done with those hurricanes is another matter  Now I won't say any more than that because I know some of you aren't ready to waken from your slumber, just yet. We will have to break this technology to you slowly, so you don't look foolish to your peers :-). | ||
| Gregtonn |
 I really thought he would show up sooner than this. G |
