Storm Forces Florida To Rethink Building Codes
TALLAHASSEE,Fla. - It was once argued that the trees would help save
It's part of the reason that tighter building codes - mandatory in places such as
And it may be a painful lesson for area residents now that Hurricane Michael has ravaged the region, leaving sustained damage from the coast inland all the way to the
"We're learning painfully that we shouldn't be doing those kinds of exemptions," said
Hurricane Andrew a generation ago razed
The acres of flattened homes showed how contractors cut corners amid the patchwork of codes
Since 2001, structures statewide must be built to withstand winds of 111 mph and up; the
Though Michael was packing winds as high as 155 mph, any boost in the level of safety requirements for builders helps a home avoid disintegrating in a hurricane.
"The structural integrity of our housing stock is leaps and bounds beyond what it was," said Lee.
The codes call for shatterproof windows, fortified roofs and reinforced concrete pillars, among other specifications. But it wasn't until 2007 that homes built in the
Gov.
"After every event, you always go back and look what you can do better," Scott said. "After Andrew, the codes changed dramatically in our state. Every time something like this happens, you have to say to yourself, 'Is there something we can do better?'"
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