To fortify your home means to protect your home from natural disasters and biological agents which can destroy your home’s structure and livability. When your home can withstand natural disasters such as hurricane winds and rain, flooding, wildfires and earthquakes, and biological threats, you have a fortified home.
The transition from a home which is threatened by natural disaster or internal biological agents to a fortified home requires four interlinked strategies
If your building was built before your current code it may not perform as well as it could. Home improvements may save energy or qualify it for insurance savings.
Hurricane Andrew destroyed 63,000 homes, triggering new research and changes to Florida building codes to enable new buildings to resist windstorms. Hurricane Katrina also led to tightened building codes to make homes much safer in Louisiana. Flooding on the Mississippi in 2011 will probably result in new insight for building practices and regulations for flood safety.
For at least 3700 years, since the code of Hammurabi was formulated in Mesopotamia, builders of houses have had follow building codes. The codes are a government minimum standard intended to protect the health and safety of its citizens. Modern building codes also may stipulate minimum insulation and HVAC performance and water conservation among many other things.
Today in the U.S., almost every local jurisdiction has a building code that reflects local environmental conditions, and current building science. Remember however, the code always reflects a minimum standard below which a new building would be considered illegal. Additional standards like USGBC LEED certification can stipulate even higher performance than required by the code, often resulting in operational savings and improved quality of life.
The insurance industry takes on the liability of performance, and may charge owners of older homes a premium for doing so. For example, in Florida where hurricanes are common, the homeowner policy may include a significant premium for wind coverage in older buildings. Significant savings may be had by bringing older buildings up to modern standards. Generally speaking, an older building conforming to the current local code will qualify for a discount on homeowners insurance.
It is assumed that a new home is built to code, when a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. Old homes may be brought into compliance. They must have their performance verified by an architect or engineer, and may also be subject to inspection by a local inspector, as required by your insurer.
Conclusion: A good general contractor can tell whether your building is built to code. An architect or an engineer can tell you whether your home is safe. If it is not, they can recommend structural and performance changes, and sign off on performance specifications after improvements are made. Bringing your old building up to code enhances safety and efficiency, and may provide insurance savings.
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