Replies

1. 
   YesMaam27577 | Sep 19, 2008 03:50am | #1

   I remember seeing that wide-shot on one of the news channels, and thought the same -- how did it survive while others didn't?

   The only thing I could think of was, maybe this was the only recentlly-built house in a town of forty-year-old structures.

   But that seems so highly unlikely. I'm hoping that we hear more about this as we move forward.

   Politics is the antithesis of problem solving.
1. 
   oberon476 | Sep 19, 2008 04:27am | #2

   According to the homeowner's sister, it was built to withstand a Cat 5 hurricane.  Ike was never close to a Cat 5.

   The new "hurricane codes" really do work.  High water construction, impact windows and doors, tying the roof to the foundation, etc....so now it is just a matter of getting folks to buy into them.

   I suspect that this home might become an often quoted example of what we can do when we are so inclined.

1. 
   CapnMac | Sep 19, 2008 08:31am | #6

   According to the homeowner's sister, it was built to withstand a Cat 5 hurricane.  Ike was never close to a Cat 5

   Well, the storm surge over in Gilchrist (where the subject house is) has been called a Cat 5.5 surge; even if the wind speeds only were Cat 2.9 (about 105, 5 mph under Cat three, in the eyewall).

   Storm surge started coming ashore along the Bolivar Peninsula about sunset Friday, TS winds started coming in about 2200; eyewall contact was about 2330, and persisted probably until about 0300 (storm kind of pivoted about Bolivar Pass and changed track from NW to N about that time).

   So, this house deserves attention for having resisted flooding, storm surge, high winds and debris in the air and in the water, enduring that sort of maximum contact for hours.

   It would be interesting to know what sort of insualtion/hvac/power arrangements that house has.  About 30-40 miles further east, into the "golden triangle" (Beaumont; Port Arthur; Orange) there's enough flooding that "conventional wisdom" is to only invest in mechanical & electrical that is "good enough" to last until the next flood.  That's short-sighted, certainly not very "green," and deplorable; but having a certain internal logic to the thing.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)

1. 
   oberon476 | Sep 19, 2008 02:30pm | #9

   You are correct, that storm surge was amazing.  I wasn't trying to downplay the storm as much as I was really trying to say that the folks who built this house (as reported) were very far-thinking when they designed it.

   And as you said, I also wondered about power and water distribution even if the home survives.

   And in some cases the inevitable folks who think that such an incident gives them the right to go in there and take whatever isn't nailed down.

    

2. 
   DougU | Sep 19, 2008 05:26am | #3

   Probably framed it with screws!

1. 
   Jeff_Clarke | Sep 19, 2008 05:27am | #4

   Cat 3 Piffin screws!

   Jeff

1. 
   DougU | Sep 19, 2008 05:36am | #5

   That'd work

2. 
   xxPaulCPxx | Sep 19, 2008 08:55am | #7

   NO NO NO

   It was DIYED with screws!

   There is no screw driven like an amature screw driven!

    

    

   what's that whistling sound overhead?Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CAAlso a CRX fanatic!

   I don't feel it's healthy to keep your faults bottled up inside me.

3. 
   DanH | Sep 19, 2008 02:51pm | #10

   I think we have a consensus.
   There is no absurdity that human beings will not resort to in order to defend another absurdity. -- Cicero

3. 
   DanH | Sep 19, 2008 02:14pm | #8

   Piffin screws.

   There is no absurdity that human beings will not resort to in order to defend another absurdity. -- Cicero
4. 
   DanH | Sep 19, 2008 05:24pm | #11

   http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/18/ike.last.house.standing/index.html

   There is no absurdity that human beings will not resort to in order to defend another absurdity. -- Cicero
1. 
   frammer52 | Sep 19, 2008 05:29pm | #12

   Me thinks the gov needs to buy the house and destruct it to find out how it was built and require all houses built on the coasline to be built the same way!

1. 
   Jeff_Clarke | Sep 19, 2008 06:31pm | #13

   Do you mean the coastline now?   Or after global warming?  ;o)We're expecting to have beachfront property here in central NJ ;o)Jeff

2. 
   gfretwell | Sep 19, 2008 07:17pm | #14

   Why would you need to tear it apart? Just look at the plans.

1. 
   DanH | Sep 19, 2008 07:19pm | #15

   They blew away.
   There is no absurdity that human beings will not resort to in order to defend another absurdity. -- Cicero

1. 
   Billy | Sep 19, 2008 09:07pm | #16

   There's a business opportunity for CAT5 homes:

   http://www.keywesthomescat5.com/

   Billy

2. 
   frammer52 | Sep 19, 2008 09:16pm | #17

   Plans don't neccesarily show how the house was built.  Especially not in Texas.

1. 
   gfretwell | Sep 19, 2008 09:29pm | #18

   That must just be a Texas thing. In Florida the plan details will show every clip, stick of rebar and concrete element with engineering on all of it.
   You can't build a shed here without engineering.

2. 
   frammer52 | Sep 19, 2008 09:33pm | #19

   Texas is different, very different.  Ask Jim Allen, he will tell you.  Shoot you don't even have to cover your employees with WC