Buying a waterfront home in Fort Lauderdale is an exciting venture. Whether you decide on an Intercoastal Waterway estate or oceanfront condo, the tranquility of waterfront living can make a dream turn into reality. Even if this is your second or third home, investing in real estate isn’t for the faint at heart. It requires research and careful decision making.
There are a variety of factors to consider when buying a property on Florida’s southeastern coast. Namely, how resilient your home will be during hurricane conditions. You can take steps to safeguard your home from severe weather.
Exceeding minimum building codes
A study by the National Institute of Building Sciences found that exceeding local building codes has long-term financial benefits for homeowners. While no home can be 100% hurricane-proof, you can mitigate potential property damage by ensuring that your home is structurally resilient in the face of a hurricane.
In 2008, the Institute for Business & Home Safety created a set of construction standards called FORTIFIED™, which exceed minimum building codes. Retrofitting new and existing homes to meet high standards can make your home more resistant to hurricanes and other severe weather.
How to hurricane-proof your house
When you find your dream home, it’s a good idea to develop a list of things that you’d like refit right away. Considerations might include the following:
- Install a metal roof. Roofs are highly susceptible to wind and rain damage. A metal roof can withstand higher wind gusts than traditional roofing material.
- Install impact windows. These durable windows are designed to keep heavy rain, hail, hurricane-force windows and objects from shattering your windows.
- Install fabric storm panels. Fabric storm panels are an effective barrier against damage-producing storms and are more secure than plywood.
Architects and engineers are working together to design hurricane-resistant houses. Today, more and more homes are being with a combination of innovative modern engineering and state-of-the are building techniques. The result, more homes remain standing following major storms more than ever before.
Hurricane-proofing your home will increase its value. More importantly, you will have peace of mind knowing that in the event of a major storm, you and your loved ones will be safe.