Deltec Homes hits 45 years without losing a home to high winds

North Carolina manufacturer offers safety and customizable homes

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May 30, 2013, 09:04 ET

ASHEVILLE, N.C., May 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As Atlantic Coast and Gulf Coast residents prepare for what forecasters say could be a very active hurricane season, many are starting to consider a unique home design that offers stability to withstand severe winds.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130530/CL22845-INFO )

Deltec Homes' distinctive, circular design and innovative engineering has sustained its structure through several rigorous storms including Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy. During their 45-year history, they have never lost a house to high winds.

"We understand what it takes to build a home in a severe wind environment," said Steve Linton, president of Deltec. "From design to construction to permitting, we are focused on the details of building the most durable home possible for the harshest weather."

Deltec homes are prefabricated in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Asheville, N.C. The home is designed and built with panelized sections then shipped to the building site and assembled.

"The precision with which we build our structural components ensures a quick and easy construction process on site and ultimately a home of the highest quality and efficiency," said Linton. "That is especially important for homeowners living where there are extreme weather conditions."

Deltec highlights five key elements in their design

Shape: The circular shape allow winds to flow around the house, dramatically reducing the air pressure on the exterior walls and roof and diminishing the risk of collapse or damage.

Engineering: The roof and floor trusses radiate from the center of the house, helping it remain intact by spreading the energy from the high winds throughout the structure instead of allowing it to build up in one area.

Connections: Deltec focuses on three key potential points of failure due to high winds -- roof to walls, walls to floor, and floor to foundation. To ensure connections are as tight as possible, they use connectors that are much stronger than those required by most building codes.

Material excellence: Deltec homes are framed with lumber that is more than twice as strong as traditional framing lumber. Their structural sheathing meet the hurricane impact test of Miami-Dade County, which has the strictest hurricane building codes in the country.

Sustainability: Deltec can incorporate efficiencies like passive heating and cooling, solar hot water and high-performance insulation. This contributes to energy cost savings and will sustain the home's occupants in the event that local utilities and infrastructure are crippled.

In addition to its strength, homes are customizable with multi-story options, additional wings and connectors and the ability to be elevated. Decks and porches are also available to utilize outdoor space.

Deltec's unique design emphasizes views that can be seen anywhere in the home due to expansive windows and open floor plans.

"It's an ideal setting in terms of the views and the closeness to the water," said John Guerin, Deltec homeowner from New Jersey. "The aesthetic of living in a circular design makes it different and a very nice place to get away. There's a little more drama to a circular house than a square house."

Guerin witnessed the strength of his Deltec during Hurricane Sandy. While many nearby properties suffered significant devastation, he only had a single turned-up shingle on the roof.

"The house withstood the storm very well," said Guerin. "That's one of the reasons we chose the Deltec design."

Construction cost for a Deltec home is between $125 and $200 per square foot of finished space, or approximately $250,000 to $400,000 total for a 2,000-square-foot home, not including the cost of the lot.

For more information about Deltec and hurricane-resistant houses, visit www.deltechomes.com.

SOURCE Deltec Homes