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LATIN PEOPLE NEWS: Thunderstorms: Doors and Windows - Protecting
LATIN PEOPLE NEWS: Thunderstorms: Doors and Windows - Protecting: The Myths of Masking and Duct Tape Many people still believe they can use masking tape to protect their windows when a hurricane is o...
Thunderstorms: Doors and Windows - Protecting
The Myths of Masking and Duct Tape
Many people still believe they can use masking tape to protect their windows when a hurricane is on its way. This is a myth. Imagine a mail box that has been ripped from the ground, post and all, by a 120 mph wind gust. A dangerous projectile will not even slow down as it passes through masking tape or any other tape. Windows are best protected with code-approved impact-resistant glass, or hurricane shutters.
Opening Protection
Protecting the home's openings from winds and wind blown objects is the single most important step a homeowner can take in protecting the structure from serious damage. If you can keep the wind outside, you and your possessions will be safe inside.
Many products and systems are available to protect your home's openings, but it is critical that any product or system be both tested and approved for wind load and wind borne debris. Unprotected standard glass windows can be penetrated easily by wind borne debris in severe windstorms allowing damaging water and wind to enter your home. Once the window glass fails, the subsequent pressurization of the structure can cause total destruction of the house.
FLASH recommends using opening protection that meet one of the following tests to protect your windows and doors:
Permanent Shutters
Permanent storm shutters are usually made of aluminum or steel and are attached to a building in such a way that they can be closed quickly before a storm arrives. They should be installed according to the manufacturer's specifications by trained individuals to ensure the shutters will perform as designed and tested.
Factors to consider when choosing a shutter system are cost, approval status, design and test results for wind and impact resistance. Permanent shutter types include Bahamas, Roll Downs, Accordion, Awning and Colonial Hinged.
Choosing a shutter style can be based on the building location relative to the coast and the cost and ease of operation. Ease of operation is an important factor to consider because if shutters are too hard to close, owners may not use them.
If shutters cover windows on an upper floor or hard to reach location, they should be operable from the inside. Roll-down shutters are often the easiest to operate in these conditions.
Temporary Shutters
Temporary shutters are typically made from corrugated panels that come in standard widths and can be joined to cover wider openings. They are commercially available in many types of materials including steel, aluminum, and clear plastic.
The mounting hardware for temporary shutter systems should be installed by trained individuals according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Nearly all hardware or permanent shutter installations require a building permit.
Each panel should be clearly labeled to aid in quick installation and should also bear approved labels.
Plywood Shutters… The Last Resort
Covering your windows and doors with plywood should only be used as a temporary emergency board-up option not a permanent solution.
Plywood that is not properly attached to your house can rip off during high winds and become a projectile that can cause serious harm to properties.
See Emergency Board Up for detailed instructions about building plywood shutters for emergency board up.
Benefits of Using This Mitigation Strategy
Storm shutters can cost $50 to $60 per square foot of window and on average the openings that need to be protected is on average 15 percent of the home’s total square footage. A set of shutters for a 3-foot by 4-foot window will cost approximately $600 to $720.
Many people still believe they can use masking tape to protect their windows when a hurricane is on its way. This is a myth. Imagine a mail box that has been ripped from the ground, post and all, by a 120 mph wind gust. A dangerous projectile will not even slow down as it passes through masking tape or any other tape. Windows are best protected with code-approved impact-resistant glass, or hurricane shutters.
Opening Protection
Protecting the home's openings from winds and wind blown objects is the single most important step a homeowner can take in protecting the structure from serious damage. If you can keep the wind outside, you and your possessions will be safe inside.
Many products and systems are available to protect your home's openings, but it is critical that any product or system be both tested and approved for wind load and wind borne debris. Unprotected standard glass windows can be penetrated easily by wind borne debris in severe windstorms allowing damaging water and wind to enter your home. Once the window glass fails, the subsequent pressurization of the structure can cause total destruction of the house.
FLASH recommends using opening protection that meet one of the following tests to protect your windows and doors:
- Miami-Dade TAS 201, 202 and 203
- SSTD 12
- ASTM E 1886 & 1996
Permanent Shutters
Permanent storm shutters are usually made of aluminum or steel and are attached to a building in such a way that they can be closed quickly before a storm arrives. They should be installed according to the manufacturer's specifications by trained individuals to ensure the shutters will perform as designed and tested.
Factors to consider when choosing a shutter system are cost, approval status, design and test results for wind and impact resistance. Permanent shutter types include Bahamas, Roll Downs, Accordion, Awning and Colonial Hinged.
Choosing a shutter style can be based on the building location relative to the coast and the cost and ease of operation. Ease of operation is an important factor to consider because if shutters are too hard to close, owners may not use them.
If shutters cover windows on an upper floor or hard to reach location, they should be operable from the inside. Roll-down shutters are often the easiest to operate in these conditions.
Temporary Shutters
Temporary shutters are typically made from corrugated panels that come in standard widths and can be joined to cover wider openings. They are commercially available in many types of materials including steel, aluminum, and clear plastic.
The mounting hardware for temporary shutter systems should be installed by trained individuals according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Nearly all hardware or permanent shutter installations require a building permit.
Each panel should be clearly labeled to aid in quick installation and should also bear approved labels.
Plywood Shutters… The Last Resort
Covering your windows and doors with plywood should only be used as a temporary emergency board-up option not a permanent solution.
Plywood that is not properly attached to your house can rip off during high winds and become a projectile that can cause serious harm to properties.
See Emergency Board Up for detailed instructions about building plywood shutters for emergency board up.
Benefits of Using This Mitigation Strategy
- Helps to prevent damage to a structure and its contents
- Helps to prevent injuries to occupants
Storm shutters can cost $50 to $60 per square foot of window and on average the openings that need to be protected is on average 15 percent of the home’s total square footage. A set of shutters for a 3-foot by 4-foot window will cost approximately $600 to $720.
The Safest Small Cities in America in 2019 - Weston Ranks #2
With all those wide-open spaces, speedy commutes, and low crime rates, it’s not hard to see why many choose the small-city life.
But just how safe are small cities, really? And which US cities are the safest? The safety experts at Frontpoint wanted to find out. Their data analysts researched property crime data from the 2017 FBI UCR report to determine the top 50 safest small cities in America.
The US Census Bureau defines an urbanized area as a city plus its surrounding area, or “urban fringe,” that has a population of at least 50,000. So in seeking data for “small cities,” the Frontpoint team focused on urbanized areas that had a 2017 population between 50,000 and 75,000, and accurately submitted their crime data. They then ranked cities by total property crime counts per capita—including burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. Here’s what they found.
The City of Weston stacks up as #2. Here are the tops five places.
- Rochester Hills, Michigan: As one of the larger cities on our list at 73,827 residents, Rochester Hills still ranks #1 with 471 total property crime instances reported in 2017. That’s just 6.38 property crimes per 1,000 residents.
- Weston, Florida: Nestled between the lush marshlands of the Everglades and tropical white sandy beaches, Weston is beautiful and safe. With a population of 70,796, this Florida city had 456 reported property crimes in 2017.
- Sammamish, Washington: Sammamish boasts the fewest larceny-thefts per capita at 4.81 per 1,000 residents in 2017. This lakeside community also had a population of 64,857 and 6.81 instances of property crime per capita.
- Greenwich, Connecticut: Greenwich is the largest town on Connecticut’s Gold Coast, with a population of 62,531. Framing the banks of the Long Island Sound, Greenwich had just 1.39 burglaries per 1,000 residents in 2017.
- Aliso Viejo, California: Aliso Viejo had the lowest population of our top 10 list at 51,984 residents. Just 15 minutes from the Pacific Ocean, this SoCal city is just about as safe as it is quaint
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