Bob joins Leslie Chapman-Henderson from FLASH -- Federal Alliance for Safe Housing -- to look at two homes on the same street. One was completely destroyed the other had very little damage. He meets the owners of the destroyed home and looks at their plans for rebuilding
Clip Summary
Bob and Leslie Chapman-Henderson from FLASH, the Federal Alliance for Safe Housing, look at two homes on the same street. One was built as the community's model home in 1961. In 2004, it was completely destroyed by Hurricane Charley. The other was completed in 2003 and benefited from improved building codes and enhanced building practices. The house stands unscathed because updated building codes require that building connections be strengthened and because the homeowners chose to go beyond code to protect their home. According to Chapman Henderson, their house remains virtually undamaged because they chose to protect their windows, doors, and back of the home from wind and pressure. Bob meets homeowners Teresa Fogolini and Jim Minardi whose home was completely destroyed by Hurricane Charley. Minardi describes riding out the storm in their demolished home as the roof blew off, furniture blew out, and windows blew in. Minardi stayed in a bathroom until the eye passed overhead, at which point he ventured out to see that the roof and windows were gone. He went to neighbors for shelter until the storm was over. Fogolini and Minardi were unable to salvage anything from their home and now live in a trailer as they prepare for construction of a new, storm-resistant house. Bob and homeowners Teresa Fogolini and Jim Minardi meet with Scott Buescher of Mercedes Homes to review the layout for their new storm-ready home. Buescher shows the house plans and layout for the Jacqueline model that has four bedrooms, a two-car garage, a central kitchen with a family room and breakfast nook, a combination dining and living area, and a master suite. The house will have many hurricane-resistant features, including the solid wall system made of concrete reinforced with steel bar and steel mesh. The roof system will also be designed to resist hurricane-strength winds. It will be built with engineered trusses that are tied down with hurricane straps wet set into the concrete walls. The trusses will be covered with 5/8-inch plywood decking to complete a very strong structure.
