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:: Tuesday, September 14, 2004 ::

Florida Changes Building Codes Between Storms By Bill Chastain, ENR
Hurricane Charley, which recently blasted southwest Florida, served as a wake-up call to the commission to take a hard look at the state's building code. Charley destroyed over 10,000 homes and damaged another 16,000, but upon inspection, few of those destroyed were built under the strengthened construction rules put in place in 2000.

"There's been a general strengthening along the coast for a number of years," said Dr. Timothy Rheinhold of Tampa-based Institute for Business & Home Safety, an insurance industry group. "The ones that we saw that really had a lot of damage, where they lost roof sheathing or they had significant structural damage, were all older homes that were not well strapped together or they're sheathing was attached with staples, something that got banned after Hurricane Andrew. We could see that a lot of the buildings that have been built lately have been strapped together better."

Wreckage shows need for stronger codes Daytona Beach News-Journal
The Legislature also must put its foot down regarding construction in flood zones. If lawmakers need proof, show them pictures of Stone Island, whose residents are discovering -- again -- that their homes were constructed not on, but in, Lake Monroe.

That takes care of new construction. But what about the 7 million-plus Florida homes built before 2002?

Many of those homes survived just fine. But others didn't. And in some cases, it's already clear that shoddy building standards caused 15-year-old homes to crumble while 50-year-old homes stood firm. Construction engineers say there might be ways -- some surprisingly inexpensive -- to strengthen homes that don't meet minimal wind-safety standards now. At the very least, any potential homebuyer deserves full disclosure of a house's storm-worthiness.

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