Provide valuable tips for SAFETY during Irma

[DeanFL]

We have seen some good tips by TV folks on this forum.

I just heard from a neighbor re one I haven't heard. Would like to share. He's a long-time Floridian and has ridden other storms. He has a vertical brace for their garage door which attaches to the header and bolts to the floor. Providing support for the door not to push in with heavy winds. His home faces an open street at the top of a hill here in Gilchrist, so he may be vulnerable.

As a precaution, I may do a workaround on that. Put a long piece of wood (2x4) vertical against the inner garage door horizontal braces and back the car/golf cart to them. The door would be secure against pushing in. Just make sure to move the vehicles a bit and the wood before opening the door after it's over...

Any other unusual/valuable tips for us to use???

[Jima64]

Do not run portable generators in your garage or onn a covered patio because of the gas exhaust fumes

[jimbo2012]

your door in Gilchrist is rated at 140mph!



.

[rustyp]

your door in Gilchrist is rated at 140mph!



.

That's a fast door

[Villager Joyce]

Run your disposal while you have power. It stinks pretty quickly!

[lorilorilori]

thanks for the tips
Much appreciated

[billethkid]

Put a glass of water in the freezer until it freezes solid.
Then put a coin on top and put it back in the freezer.

If you are away from home for whatever reason, you can check to see if the coin is still on top. If submerged in the ice at all you know your power was off, and guess about duration.
If on the bottom....for a long time.

Just another indicator.

[Henryk]

Put a glass of water in the freezer until it freezes solid.
Then put a coin on top and put it back in the freezer. ...

Just another indicator.

Very clever!

[Rapscallion St Croix]

Don't take shelter in a golf cart tunnel unless you are Lloyd Bridges.

[hotpotato]

I lived in Port St. Lucie during Francis and Jeanne. It is now too late to do much of anything pre hurricane except pick-up stuff around your yard including the house sign. You may also want to take off the window screens as they may fly to the next county over and they offer no protection to the window.

My best observation for during the hurricane is to just stay in your house, the houses are built to a hurricane code,( apparently approx 110 MPH in 2002 code going up to around 140 MPH in latest code but measurement methodologies and applications changed so not necessarily apples to apples) they are not going to fall down, and any falling tree, oh yes they will come down, you would be better inside than outside anyways. The garage door also has high wind code rating and should be fine without any additional bracing. Taping the windows does nothing, actually in Port St. Lucie I saw surprising few blown out windows, and the winds were 110 mph to 120 mph and a lot of these were pre-code windows. So just stay in your house, drink some fine wine, and chill.

Also you cannot walk in hurricane force winds anyways. You will do a Mary Poppins.

If the eye goes thru remember to get back inside if you go outside. Both of "my" hurricanes went thru at night, so running around as a howling maniac in the pitch black mist is an experience worthy of my bucket list, even if your wife threatens to have you locked up. But damn, those wind come back quick, I mean quick.

After the Hurricane expect to feel weird and disoriented. My neighbor described it as "Everyone was a zombie for 3 or 4 days". Not a good time to make immediate financial decisions.

Expect every sleeze in world to come thru and try to hustle you. They come in from all 50 states and most of them are CON artists. Some of them are slicker that others. Just say no. I cannot stress this enough, it is not a joke, this is NOT an exaggeration, they will come thru, and they will come thru in LARGE numbers, and they will rip you off.

Also, if you see your neighbor being preyed upon, please go over and do something. Do not expect the cops to do anything as they will be overwhelmed. And I believe Community Watch has no real powers.

There should be groups set up, typically church groups, do do things like blue roof and minor repairs, typically for free. And sometimes, even the government will step up. Check out you options. Dont go with the first guy or gal who shows up in their pickup.

It may take weeks, but things will get back to normal. Most injuries are self-inflicted.

[socrafty]

...

[villagetinker]

Hotpotato,

I liked you reply, lots of good info.

VT

[Northwoods]

I have a question... we enclosed our lanai with sliding floor to almost the ceiling windows. We plan to have them closed during the hurricane. Someone told me that the lanai sliding windows are only capable of withstanding about 75 mph winds. I was told to leave a slight crack in 1 or 2 of the sliding panels to neutralize the pressure. Does anyone KNOW if this would be a good thing? Or should we completely close all the sliding windows in our lanai?

[Happinow]

This is a powerful storm and things could change at any time. Today, we boarded up our windows with plywood. I feel better now about "riding it out". I've been a nervous wreck having never gone through a hurricane before. For our garage door, we will take a few of our chaise lounge thick cushions and pull the car up to the garage very close....enough to trap the cushions between the car and the garage door. This should keep it from buckling. All of our outside furniture is in and there is nothing that could potentially be a flying torpedo.

Don't forget to take the sign off the light pole. That will blow off. Also, we pulled the entryway outside light up about 6" with a zip tie. With the wind, this light will swing and possibly break free and come through the front door window.

Of course we have a blowup mattress for the laundry room since it's the safest place in our home. Yes, it will be tight but we will do what it takes to be safe!

Please, everyone take this storm seriously so we can all continue to enjoy our retirement in TV. If anything, over prepare. It won't hurt a thing!

[jimbo2012]

I have a question... we enclosed our lanai with sliding floor to almost the ceiling windows. We plan to have them closed during the hurricane. Someone told me that the lanai sliding windows are only capable of withstanding about 75 mph winds. I was told to leave a slight crack in 1 or 2 of the sliding panels to neutralize the pressure. Does anyone KNOW if this would be a good thing? Or should we completely close all the sliding windows in our lanai?

No way do U leave it open, google it

these new sliders had to be built to code the year they were installed.

I doubt they are only 75mph

[pqrstar]

Hotpotato said "My best observation for during the hurricane is to just stay in your house, the houses are built to a 115 mph hurricane code, they are not going to fall down, . . ."

Is there a difference in the wind sustainability of a block built house as opposed to a vinyl siding house?

[jimbo2012]

the 2010 code required 140mph block or frame, includes windows doors

one other point do U think there's a difference in their roofs?

same

[DeanFL]

your door in Gilchrist is rated at 140mph!



.

Understand JB = but an ounce of prevention... The cars will be stuck in the garage anyway, and I have the wood - easy peace-of-mind thing to complete...

[DeanFL]

Don't forget to take the sign off the light pole. That will blow off.

If you do this (and should) >>> warning:

If you have a house that TV Builder adhered a decal with your numbered address on your front window - and you took it off as I did because your address is now on your nameplate/light pole...

Write your numerical address - large print- on a 8/11 piece of paper with a marker and tape it inside a front window (where the builder stuck the original number decal). IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY THEY CAN EASILY SEE YOUR HOUSE ADDRESS FROM THE STREET.

[billethkid]

I have a question... we enclosed our lanai with sliding floor to almost the ceiling windows. We plan to have them closed during the hurricane. Someone told me that the lanai sliding windows are only capable of withstanding about 75 mph winds. I was told to leave a slight crack in 1 or 2 of the sliding panels to neutralize the pressure. Does anyone KNOW if this would be a good thing? Or should we completely close all the sliding windows in our lanai?

We have the single pane sliders designed and installed by Custom Windows. We have three sides off the back of the house and still inside the bird cage.

I called Custom windows yesterday and they did tell me they were 75 mph capable. I asked what they recommend if the expectation was for significantly higher wind speeds. They said to stack them in the open position. So in essence with the panels all open and stacked the three sides would be 80% open......20% less than when there were no windows.

We have put all furnishings inside the house. So there is nothing to be concerned about in that regard. I have not decided which way yet........why I am hesitant is there may be turbulence due to differing directions and while in the open position that may relieve the wind force vs 100% closed.....there may be some outward forces of wind passing through in one or more directions.

[Northwoods]

We have the single pane sliders designed and installed by Custom Windows. We have three sides off the back of the house and still inside the bird cage.

I called Custom windows yesterday and they did tell me they were 75 mph capable. I asked what they recommend if the expectation was for significantly higher wind speeds. They said to stack them in the open position. So in essence with the panels all open and stacked the three sides would be 80% open......20% less than when there were no windows.

We have put all furnishings inside the house. So there is nothing to be concerned about in that regard. I have not decided which way yet........why I am hesitant is there may be turbulence due to differing directions and while in the open position that may relieve the wind force vs 100% closed.....there may be some outward forces of wind passing through in one or more directions.

I think we have double pane windows. Not sure how much difference that makes. Interesting advice be Custom Windows.

[jimbo2012]

How did Custom Windows get that job approved by the building inspector?

[hotpotato]

The wind speed rating of our homes is actually a theoretical calculation which may or may not hold up in a real world scenario. The particular home I live in is approximately 10 years old and was built to then current standards which the builder must meet as a (theoretical) minimum. In the mean time the codes have been toughened every few years and also the wind speed calculation methodology has become incredibly complicated, but to be honest with you, I am not aware of any great change to the way the houses are built now vs then ( that is ten + years ago) as the houses were basically as I see it "good enough". Any of The Villages homes, CBS or Frame, should easily be able to take whatever winds Irma blows at as we all have homes built with the most important lessons learned from Hurricane Andrew and these were incorporated into the Florida building codes at least by the 2001 and 2004 FBC.

This specifically includes hurricane roof straps, better soffit design, better shingles, more nails, garage door reinforcement (the horizontal bars), stronger windows, amongst other things. We all should have these.

If you can remember the ground hog day tornado that had 165 + mph winds then yes, it crushed frame houses and took the roofs off of CBS homes. But these wind speeds will not be even remotely reached by this hurricane.

Now, if you want to worry about something worry about trees falling on your house. That is where the real problems will most likely be.

[Carl in Tampa]

Here is the word on garage doors from the Florida Disaster Org. Note that doors can fail outward as well as inward.

It also has information about stickers which may be on your garage doors indicating their wind load rating.

http://www.floridadisaster.org/hrg/downloads/garage_doors.pdf

A few years ago I spent the money to upgrade my garage doors. Well worth it for peace of mind.

[Aloha1]

We installed Custom Windows single pane sliders on our lanai earlier this year. Only 2 sides since the third is the summer kitchen. That side faces south west, is solid with a couple glass block windows. I'm leaving them closed and crossing fingers. If they blow out so be it. Our lanai furniture was designed for outdoor use.

[BogeyBoy]

Disconnect your garden hose and put it away inside. If the hose and hose caddy start to whip around in the wind it can cause a pipe to be ripped right out of your wall.

[LI SNOWBIRD]

That's a fast door

haha very funny thanks
:bigbow:

[PennBF]

I was President of a condo on Hutchinson Island when Jeanie and Francis hit the island which is a barrier island. The condo had 2 building with 108 units (54 per floor). The hurricanes did between 2.5 and 3 million dollars in damage. There was significant beach erosion which I am sure will happen again with Irma even if it is a West Coast hurricane. You find out quickly how greedy some people can be and it is disgraceful. They demand shares of the Insurance revenue even though they are not entitled to flood etc. The contractors will not be honest and in some cases owners will sue for damages which did not happen. There is a chance the building location will change because of changes in the Florida statutes. As an example the club house blew out and because of a Status change it would have to be rebuilt in an area of a swamp. What saved the day was that it only changed if the building was "rebuilt" but not if repaired. We were able to save 2 walls and declare it was only being repaired so we were able to keep the same blue print footage. If you get water intrusion call Serv Pro. They were outstanding. Go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy "Petrie Dishes" to see if you got mold as it will tell you by just putting the dish in places you think it may be mold and let the dish stand for awhile, (e.g. follow directions). Put some of the things you want to protect in the trump of your car as they will stay dry and be there if you have to drive off, don't let even the smallest thing stay outside where it can become a danger with high wind. Don't buy into the manic emotions of some of the key people on TV, stay calm and smart, If you know your neighbor is away wither on a trip or snnowbird do what you can to help protect his or her property, (e.g. pick up things that can fly with the wind, etc. There are other ideas but it would make the note too long.:pray:

[DeanFL]

Oh, not sure if this has been mentioned yet.

TAKE DIGITAL PICTURES OF YOUR HOUSE ETC. WORST CASE FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES.

I did just that after readying ours outside - loose items moved inside. Took different angles incl roof and such. Guess some inside shots would be smart too. And if you can, copy the photos to the "Cloud" storage.

My only worry at this time (with Irma's move west) is tornadoes.

And also>

I packed a "GO Bag" (small duffle) Have our house insur policy, phone numbers - and will include cell phone/charger, extra meds, and all other small stuff I would want for a few days. Want to be a Boy Scout and be prepared for the worst that could happen. May need to depart quick or keep it with me in the "Panic Room" (the walk-in master shower - if we hear "the train sound") that's where I'll be. Please don't rsp and call me dramatic or a worrier. Just realistic. And when it's over at least I had peace of mind during Irma's trip thru TV...

[DeanFL]

CLOSE INTERIOR DOORS>


TAMPA, September 6, 2017 – Following rigorous scientific wind testing on a full-scale, 1,400 square foot single-story home in its unique laboratory this summer, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has important new guidance for all homeowners preparing for major wind storms such as Hurricane Irma: close all interior doors, in addition to all windows and exterior doors.

High winds, such as those currently expected from Hurricane Irma, place homes under intense pressure. Wind entering the home through an open or broken window, can create strong upward pressure on the roof. Closing interior doors helps compartmentalize the pressure inside the home into smaller areas reducing the overall force on the roof structure, which gives the roof a better chance of staying intact.

“The roof is your first line of defense against anything Mother Nature inflicts on a home, and during a bad storm your roof endures fierce pressure from wind, rain, and flying debris that may be outside,” said Julie Rochman, IBHS president and CEO. “But the roof also must withstand internal pressure if winds get inside. The pressure in your home can build like air in a balloon, eventually causing the roof to fail and blow apart, which – particularly in a hurricane – allows water to come pouring in.”