Federal Alliance for Safe Homes Urges Hurricane Laura Survivors - Build Back Better with Simple, Affordable, and Strong Rebuilding Methods

Nonprofit cites cost-effective ways to keep roofs on and houses intact through use of proven, research-backed practices that create safer, durable, disaster-resilient homes.

News provided by

Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)

Sep 10, 2020, 15:31 ET

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As residents confront the daunting task of recovery following Hurricane Laura, the nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) is pointing up the importance of affordable, enhanced rebuilding opportunities to strengthen homes and safeguard families from future disasters. FLASH explained that home builders, roofers, and residents are often unaware of simple upgrades that can dramatically improve building strength, insurability, and home value.

"We are raising this issue today because we don't want a well-intentioned race to repair to become a missed opportunity to rebuild the right way," said FLASH President and CEO Leslie Chapman-Henderson. "There are a host of proven methods, some as simple as an additional handful of nails in a roof deck or placing an inexpensive tape on deck seams that can make all the difference in resisting winds and repelling water."

Coming Back Stronger

According to recent research, public support is growing for stronger building codes and practices in the wake of recent disasters. A survey commissioned by FLASH shows sixty-eight percent of people surveyed would be extremely or very concerned if they had no building code. And, in a recent study published by Stanford University, eighty-four percent of respondents supported mandatory building codes in risky areas. Fifty-seven percent supported making it illegal to build in those areas.

FLASH encourages homeowners to consider the following information when rebuilding following a disaster.

Know Your Local Building Codes Before Rebuilding -- Modern building codes are the most effective way to protect families, homes, and buildings during natural disasters. Visit www.inspect2protect.org to determine the building codes used in your community today, or contact your local government for information about building codes used in the past.
Consider Resilient Upgrades -- Roofing is a significant opportunity for improvement, but the builder and roofer both have a role to play.

Opportunities for Builders:

Enhance the roof-to-wall connection by installing additional hurricane straps.
Brace gable end walls to avoid collapse.
Make sure soffits are installed securely and reinforced with adhesives at each joint.

Opportunities for Roofers:

Strengthen the roof deck with an enhanced nailing pattern (more nails/more closely spaced) and use thicker roof decking (5/8" plywood) if you're replacing.
Seal the roof deck by providing a secondary water barrier above (e.g., taped seams) or below the deck (closed-cell polyurethane spray foam).
Use high-performing roof coverings (shingle, metal, or tile) and stronger attachment methods (e.g., screws plus adhesive for tile vs. adhesives alone).

Evaluate Overall Construction Methods
Use these free, resilient construction guides to find the information necessary to make your house plans wind-resistant, fire-resistant, and energy-efficient.

FLASH advises homeowners to choose local, licensed, bonded, and insured contractors who offer warranties and customer references. For more information on strengthening your home, visit www.flash.org and www.hurricanestrong.org.

About FLASH

The nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) is the country's leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from natural and manmade disasters. The FLASH partnership includes more than 100 innovative and diverse organizations that share a vision of making America a more disaster-resilient nation including FEMA, Florida Division of Emergency Management, Huber Engineered Woods, International Code Council, ISO - Verisk Analytics, Lowe's, National Weather Service, Portland Cement Association, Simpson Strong-Tie, State Farm, and USAA. In 2008, FLASH, and Disney opened the interactive weather experience StormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes, in Lake Buena Vista, FL. Learn more about FLASH and access free consumer resources by visiting www.flash.org, calling toll-free (877) 221- SAFE (7233), following @federalalliance on Twitter, and Facebook.com/federalalliance.

SOURCE Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)