"thunder" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:55:02 -0400, gfretwell wrote:


I don't want to get in the ****ing match but Harry is somewhat right on
this one. A lot of the houses the got blown up in Andrew did not meet
the existing code but Dade did have the strongest code in Florida at the
time.

Andrew also provided a terrific case study, unfortunate, but terrific.
Before Andrew, many things had been overlooked. The danger to windows
was well known, but doors, both entry and garage, weren't as
acknowledged. When the wind gets into a building, it has to get out,
mostly with explosive results.

Around the same time as Andrew, there was also a well known video from
Hawaii, I believe, that showed a complete roof lift up and fly away
intact. I still remember it to this day.



The house we had in Jupiter, Florida (just north of West Palm Beach) was
built in 1996 if I recall.
It was custom built, designed by the original owner who was an architect.
The main, double entry doors originally opened inward.
There were also several double doors throughout the house that opened
outward.

During the first of three hurricanes that hit in one year after we bought
the house, the wind blew the main doors open inward and the force of the
wind inside blew all the other doors open outward. The result was some
significant damage to the inside of the house. It was all repaired, but
with no hurricane insurance (a result of Andrew) it wasn't cheap. The
main doors were replaced by outward opening types.

We also had a pool enclosure installed at that house. By that time the code
requirements were for 150 mph winds.
It was installed by a reputable and licensed company but "Wilma" still
pretty much destroyed it with 120 mph gusts.

Eisboch