How do i know if my home can withstand a hurricane?

[Andy_L]

I think CHOOSING to ride out a cat 5 should automatically entitle you to a Darwin Award application.

[The Big Dog]

The area I live in is very new(7 years) and the houses can easily withstand Cat 5 winds as they are up to the recent code. During Frances and Jeanne our home was rock solid, except for a few roof tiles.

I doubt you got Cat 2 winds in either of those storms in Jupiter. You're going waaaay out on a limb in saying your "rock solid" house that stood up to Cat 1 can also stand up to a Cat 5.

Make sure your next of kin knows that you're riding out a Cat 5 at home.

[gtalum]

I want to preface this by sayign I'm not challenging anyone's superior wisdom, as you all know much mroe abotu this stuff than I do.

I'm just really curious.

What about the homes in south Dade that stood up relatively well to Andrew? Some of the newer construction there was at least left standing, even if it was profoundly damaged. While not officially a CAT 5 storm, Andrew was of course very close to being one, if not actually one.

I was thinking along the lines of a house made of poured steel-reinforced concrete with another 6-sided poured steel-reinforced concrete room in the middle of the home. With a roof of metal trusses bonded into the concrete walls. Wouldn't that stand up?

[vbhoutex]

I want to preface this by sayign I'm not challenging anyone's superior wisdom, as you all know much mroe abotu this stuff than I do.

I'm just really curious.

What about the homes in south Dade that stood up relatively well to Andrew? Some of the newer construction there was at least left standing, even if it was profoundly damaged. While not officially a CAT 5 storm, Andrew was of course very close to being one, if not actually one.

I was thinking along the lines of a house made of poured steel-reinforced concrete with another 6-sided poured steel-reinforced concrete room in the middle of the home. With a roof of metal trusses bonded into the concrete walls. Wouldn't that stand up?

In most situations yes what you described(at least the inside room) would probably stand up. The question would become whether there are any tornados embedded within the storm that are f4 or f5(not really likely) strength that could come through. That is part of what happened during Andrew. There were "tornados" or "mini-vortices" that left visible swaths of total destruction among the total destruction of th eofficially CAT5 Andrew. In Camille most, but not all of the wiping clean was from the incredible storm surge. don't ghet me wrong about Camille-I saw homes wiped off their foundations that were never touched by the storm surge.

[gtalum]

I see what you're saying. I guess there is no certainty of holding up to an F5 tornado regardles sof construction.

[depotoo]

what a good point there daivd! it is not only the hurricane itself you have to consider but the tornados that could be there as well. now how many would stay in there home if they knew one was headed straight for it???

[StormChasr]

Anyone who stays for ANY hurricane is taking a chance. Not worth the thrill ride. Ask my friends in Punta Gorda.