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STORMS & DISASTERS
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Basement flooding easily ranks among the top ten homeowner nightmares. Though recovering from a flood certainly isn't...
If you’ve ever lost power during a storm or your cell phone went dead on a remote hike, you probably wished for a way...
Whether meteorologists are predicting a winter storm of epic proportions or an insignificant snow flurry, it’s wise to be prepared. Take care of these 7 tasks bef...
It's one thing to leave your home unattended for a few hours. But when you're preparing to go away for a period of da...
Q: We just experienced a strong thunderstorm, during which a tree blew over on our house! We have no experience with ...
Summer is upon us, and with it come visions of long lazy days relaxing in the sunshine. This summer weather, however,...
When disaster strikes, how prepared are you to handle the fallout? It pays to prep for all manner of calamity—from power outages and house fires to extreme weathe...
Did you know that in the United States fires kill more people than all non-fire natural disasters combined? Perhaps e...
If storm water races from your yard and across the next lawn over after every heavy rain—washing out a flowerbed and ...
With severe weather events becoming ever more common, it may be wise to prepare for the possibility of your home bein...
Hurricane Sandy served as a stark reminder that in every part of the country, severe storms pose a grave threat. To g...
Although it's tempting to brush off the possibility that a fire, break-in, or other emergency could strike your home, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Ma...
Flood alarms have been around in one form or another for decades. At its most basic, the technology isn't new. But of...
All too often, it seems tragic house fires lead the evening newscast. If you’re looking for better ways to protect yo...
With the exception of fire, water poses the greatest threat to our homes, whether it's a slow-and-steady leak or a su...
Is it a MacGyver-style party trick or a practical skill for managing power-outtage emergencies? We're not positive, b...
Whether it’s a Category 5 hurricane or the coming of the zombie apocalypse, you never know exactly when a disaster might strike. Whatever the coming calamity may ...
Hurricane season is here, so we've been digging through our emergency kits to double-check our preparedness. Water bo...
Beautiful trees enhance the look and value of residential properties, so no wonder people spend so much time trying t...
What a huge job it is to clean up a flooded basement! But the job can be a lot less of a headache if you keep some ke...
We used to think of late summer and early fall as the storm season, but with all the unpredictable weather lately, it...
If you ask most people where they feel the safest, chances are the answer will be in their own home. But home safety depends on a variety of factors, and potentia...
The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is especially true when it comes to storm emergencies...
In an ideal world, there'd be no basement flooding. But in reality, despite our best efforts to address the underlyin...
Loss of the roofing causes the greatest amount of damage from hurricanes. Construction techniques have been develope...
Late on October 29th, 2012, Hurricane Sandy pushed seawater across the 800 yards that separate Long Island Sound from...
No matter where you live, chances are there is some kind of weather or geologic condition, such as hurricanes and hig...
Extreme heat or cold, moisture, and prolonged exposure to the sun all take their toll on the exterior of our homes. W...
In the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew’s devastation in 1992, the building codes in many coastal counties and storm-thr...
There are growing number of businesses in coastal areas selling and installing storm shutters. As all shutters are no...
If a disaster strikes, will you be ready? Here’s how to prepare and respond to most natural emergencies. "Emergencies...
Impact-resistant windows consist of impact-resistant glass surrounded by a heavy-duty frame that is securely fastened...
Hurricane winds deliver force to building exteriors and elements. It is by far the debris these winds carry that most...
There are certain signs of spring we all welcome: cheery daffodils, increased daylight, and the chirping of birds returning from their winter vacations. Along wit...
Natural disasters can occur anywhere, any time. No matter where you live, you should keep a stash of emergency suppli...
It's heartbreaking enough to lose your home or possessions in a natural disaster. Then there’s the stress of having t...
Hurricane Sandy may have passed, but the cleanup has only just begun. If your home saw flooding, here are a dozen ways to manage the storm damage.
If you are riding out the storm in a single-family home, make sure you have a plan for the worst-case scenario. A blo...
[Editor's Note: At time of posting, Hurricane Sandy is still hundreds of miles off the Atlantic coast and has yet to ...
If you are among the estimated 50 million people in the path of Hurricane Sandy, you are hopefully heeding the warnin...
You’ve heard it said that you’ve got a better chance of being struck by lighting than winning the lottery, and that’s...
To be sure that the outside of your home is safe and insurable, review the exterior for overall safety. Aside from al...
Lightweight, strong, and easy-to-install, today's fabric storm “shutters” are manufactured to withstand the force of ...
The ending days of summer mean our outdoor lives are still in full swing so a weather event like Irene—at the time of...
Architect Mary Kennedy and Bob tour her Georgian Colonial family home in Westchester County, NY. After a flood ruined the house, the challenge was to salvage and ...
Bob meets with the installer of the new HVAC system to discuss how it filters air and reduces energy costs.
Basement drainage systems are installed to control moisture and humidity and to eliminate rot and mildew.
Bob meets with a local real estate broker and with homeowner Sarah Monzon, whose basement will be finished to create additional family space.
Bob discusses the installation of a plastic subfloor to prevent water damage and the selection of a basement dehumidifier.
Bob meets with Jack Ballantine to discuss and install Maple kitchen cabinets.
Leslie Chapman-Henderson from the Federal Alliance for Safe Housing (FLASH) discusses storm-resistant soffit details with Bob. Todd Davison from FEMA is with Bob ...
Jim McLaughlin and Bob spray a finish coat of Flex Lox Masonry coating on the exterior.
Bob joins Tom McNealy to excavate and pour a gunite cement swimming pool.
Bob meets with Electrician Harry Cunningham to install a backup generator.
Bob meets with Jesse Gonzales to install an impact-resistant front door, electrician Jose Rodriguez to install wiring and plumber Dan Gerry to learn how to work w...
Bob works with Scott and Aaron Renfroe to install impact-resistant windows and sliding doors.
Bob works with Dave Olmstead on final stages of creating an impact-resistant window.
Bob visits PGT Industries to learn what it takes to make impact-resistant windows.
Bob meets with Bart Cox and Dave Peck to explain how to create a storm-ready roofing system.
Bob meets with Jesse Gonzales to learn more about steel reinforcements and storm-resistant roofing.
Bob meets with Leslie Chapman-Henderson from the Federal Alliance for Safe Housing (FLASH) and Randy Shackelford to discuss an assortment of storm-resistant roof ...
Mark Newton and Jesse Gonzales explain what happens when the metal frames are removed from the poured walls, then they apply a three-coat plaster.
Bob is joined by Jim Crain who will take him through the process of pouring cement walls. Mark Newton joins Bob as the pour begins.
Cameron Parker shows Bob the Solid Wall System and explains how it works. Bob recaps the foundation process.
Bob meets Mark Newton of Solid Wall Systems to learn about the solid-pour walls that will frame a storm-resistant home.
Bob joins Leslie Chapman-Henderson from FLASH -- Federal Alliance for Safe Housing -- to look at two homes on the same street. One was completely destroyed the o...
Bob meets with FLASH—Federal Alliance for Safe Housing and FEMA—Federal Emergency Management Agency, to learn how homeowners can protect their homes from damaging...
Bob tours the open-plan family room and meets with Cecile to discuss cookware and accessories. Then he meets Meg Tarvin they move to the poolside lanai and the f...
Bob does a walkthrough of the finished Punta Gorda home. He discusses sustainable gardening, water conservation and low-maintenance plants. Then he joins Leslie...
Ted Gower shows Bob how to install a screen that can make the lanai a hurricane shelter.
Ron Ford from Kohler Power Systems joins Bob to talk about the 22-kilowatt backup generator that has been installed.
Bob meets with Beth Judge (of Clemson University) to review hazard-resistant building techniques at a demonstration house used to teach builders and architects in...
Bob discusses the advantages of hazard-resistant building techniques, specifically sheathing the roof, with Bryan Readling (from the APA).
Bob meets with Brian Redding (from the APA) to learn more about roof framing techniques for resisting hurricanes and high winds.
Installers tie steel straps down to the band joists in order to secure the load-bearing columns newly installed on the porch.
Bob tours the finished house, the fifth in the Elmwood neighborhood project. Better grading and gutters have been added to prevent future water damage.
Bob and contractor Ed Weller tour of another work in progress, a home being built using construction techniques unique to tropical climates.
Bob tours a remarkable concrete building that's survived some of Miami's worst hurricanes: the majestic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
Bob surveys the plaster cornice in the project home. Water damage has ruined a large section and much of the remaining plaster needs repair. Bob and restoration c...
Bob observers the expert plasterer add detail to the cornice, which is under reconstruction due to water damage.
Bob oversees the installation of a grade beam in the garage, which is in compliance with California seismic code.
Bob and contractor Joe Fitzgerald discuss the structural work taking place at the Malibu beach house, as well as California's tough building codes for earthquake ...
J & G Lightning Protection, Inc. installs a lightning rod system that will draw lightning toward the two copper rods, which perch on the garage roof. The copper p...
Bob meets with Askia Aquil of the St. Petersburg Neighborhood Housing Services to talk about the upcoming project, taking place in a revitalizing area. Next, Bob ...
Bob talks with Bill York and Rob Davis of FLASH (Federal Alliance for Safe Homes) about the storm-resistant roof truss system. Bob explains how the roof is constr...
Window installation is underway. Bob talks with Stephen Hugh of Clearwater Window to learn more about the installation process, and Dave Olmstead of PGT Industrie...
Bob talks with Leslie Chapman-Henderson from the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) about the technologies involved in securing a roof. Chapman-Henderson exp...
The front of the home is complete and looks like the exterior of any home in the American suburbs. Bob talks with Ray Price, the project manager for the St. Peter...
Bob discusses finishing touches with general contractor Buba Barrow. On the front porch, a non-slip, mildew-resistant tile is being installed. The installation of...
General contractor Buba Barrow joins Bob for a tour of the finish work and interior layout, starting on the tiled front porch, moving through the open-plan family...
Bob talks with David Cross (formerly of Tampa Armature Works) about the future of home construction with steel shipping containers.