Building a Fortified Home

4/13/2020 (Permalink)

Building a new home can be a big undertaking.  There are so many variables to consider and if you have never built a home before, you may not know where to start.  One of the first things that you may want to consider is what level of fortification you want to include in your home to protect it from catastrophic events.  Living here along the Gulf Coast, we know that hurricanes are an unavoidable peril.  How your home is constructed may mean the difference between minor damage and complete devastation.  There are now universal building codes that may make your home more resilient in the face of a storm.  You may even receive discounts on your homeowner’s insurance based on which construction standard you choose for your new home.  Building codes may vary from state to state and this can lead to inconsistencies in the ability of a structure to bear the force of a major storm.  In 2010, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) developed the FORTIFIED Home to create a uniform, hazard specific standard to alleviate these discrepancies and make new homes more resistant to severe weather.  The program includes three levels for homeowners to choose from based on their needs.  The Gold standard ties the entire house together by tying the roof to the walls, the walls to the floor and the floor to the foundation.  This means the entire structure functions as one seamless system.  Silver requires additional fortification to the roofing system and the windows.  The Bronze level addresses only the roof.  At SERVPRO of Mobile County, we have seen first hand the devastation that a natural disaster can bring with it.  If you are building a home, we would encourage you to do your research and make sure your home has the most protection possible.  You can’t predict the future, but you can be ready!  If you want to learn more about the FORTIFIED Home, CLICK HERE To visit the IBHS website.