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Durablility & Hazards
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How Do I Strengthen My Home for Wind?
Wind is the most common and most costly cause of damage to light frame structures in the United States. There are things you can do, however, to reduce the potential damage from high winds.

Flood, Wind and Water
Louisiana homes are susceptible to damage from floods (rising water, including storm surge), Wind (hurricanes, tornadoes and other strong winds) and Water (heavy rains infiltrating the building. These hazards are explained more fully in this section.
Termite Resistance
Steel Mesh Termite Barrier

Use multiple methods to make your home resistant to damage from termites, especially Formosan subterranean termites, and other wood-destroying insects. Since basic controls and most state approved stand-alone treatments are not fool-proof, it’s wise to invest in a second line of defense or even a totally termite-resistant structure. Click here to find out how to make your home resistant to termites.

Flood Hazards in Louisiana
Louisiana floods - from excess rain and poor drainage; from overflow of rivers, streams and bayous; from drainage channels backing-up; from storm surge; from levee failures.
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LSU faculty, students build ‘ultimate portable weather system’ to monitor hurricanes
Portable weather monitoring station
Faculty and students from two LSU System campuses combined their talents and expertise to produce a state-of-the-art weather station that could be rolled into the path of a hurricane if one comes our way.
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a 1-5 rating based on the hurricane's present intensity. This is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall. Wind speed is the determining factor in the scale, as storm surge values are highly dependent on the slope of the continental shelf and the shape of the coastline, in the landfall region. Note that all winds are using the U.S. 1-minute average.
Checklist for Decay Resistance
Use this checklist to explore and select features and components of a sustainable house in Louisiana.
Supertermites
bar graph of colony size difference between Formosan and native subterranean termites
Formosan subterranean termites are more aggressive and cause more damage than native subterranean termite species because of special biological attributes.
Prepare Your Home, Before Storm Season Starts
In preparing for the upcoming hurricane season, federal officials urge coastal residens to prepare their dwellings, too.
Flood Protection Terms
Definitions of terms used in flood protection.
Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting: Six Ways to Protect Your House From Flooding
As a homeowner, you need clear information about the options that are available to reduce flood damage to your home and straightforward guidance on selecting the option that is best for you. Quite often this is a difficult task. By knowing the basic questions to ask, you are guided toward the investment in retrofitting that is appropriate for you.
Flooding Risk Maps Released for New Orleans and Plaquemines Areas
Maps developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that show where flooding may occur, and in what depths, in the New Orleans and Plaquemines areas during future hurricanes.
What's Your Flood Risk?
Find out your relative flood risk today. Simply enter your property information and FEMA will show you the relative flood risk to your property.
V-Zone Design and Construction Certificate
There is no single V-zone certificate used on a nationwide basis. Local communities and/or states have developed their own certification procedures and documents. This fact sheet contains information that explains the certification requirements for structural design and construction in V zones. SOURCE: FEMA 499 Home Builder's Guide to Coastal Construction Technical Fact Sheet Series Technical Fact Sheet 5.
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