| “Water had risen to the 4-foot level… so anything at that level or below has been soaked, and [the entire wall] is now growing mold. The muck in the house and the buckled wooden parquet floor make it difficult to walk without slipping. Did you ever think about what books in a bookcase do when submerged? It’s not pretty. You cannot remove the swollen books without taking a crowbar to the bookcase itself.” |
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— Howard Baulch, Slidell, Louisiana resident
on his first visit back to his house
after Hurricane Katrina. |
Preventing future hurricane damage by using effective building techniques saves everyone money—from all levels of government to the homeowner whose home just weathered the storm. A recent study showed that on average, when the federal government invests $1 to reduce the risk of property damage, it saves $4 that would otherwise be spent on recovery. Preventing disaster damage in the first place is cheaper than restoring damaged property. Similar benefits can be realized by the homeowner who chooses to invest up front an additional 3 percent to 5 percent in construction costs and builds a house that is reinforced to resist high winds. For this modest investment, you can have a more secure house to come home to after a hurricane. This “peace of mind” is priceless, but there are financial benefits, too. The National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP, rewards homeowners who build higher with reduced flood insurance premiums. And private insurance companies are beginning to recognize the value of stronger building when they write insurance policies, sometimes passing a cost savings on to the homeowner.
As anyone who has endured a disaster can attest, damage prevention is the way to go. Homes that are built wisely are not only safer during a disaster, but because they sustain much less damage, they are easier to restore. Their owners recover and reestablish their lives more quickly. Homeowners saddled with the demolition, disposal and restoration of saturated, moldy walls; decaying wood; leaking roofs; split walls; and insects that thrive in moist environments will wish they had made the choice to Build Safer Stronger Smarter.
Build Safer Stronger Smarter Success Stories:
Continue to Build Safer Stronger Smarter - Basic Techniques
Return to Make the Choice - Build to Higher Standards