Resisting the Wind

Within a week at the end of May, three tornadoes were confirmed here in Maryland, of all places. Though not as devastating as the massive storms we’ve seen ravage the Midwest this Spring, they were nonetheless damaging and caused some injuries.   One tore through my son’s neighborhood in Columbia and his house narrowly escaped significant damage.  Down the street, however, a house was nearly split in two by a falling tree.

Tornadoes are one of the threats for which changing your geographic location won’t necessarily keep you or your house Out of Harm’s Way.  As this last week has shown, there are many locations that are prone to tornado damage.   There are, however, a number of resources to help homeowners reduce the potential impact of these potent storms and, if your house is unlucky enough to be in the path of a tornado, help reduce the chance you or your family will be injured.  For example:

     -- FEMA’s guide to reduce wind damage from storms

     -- An insurance company’s steps to prepare your home for a tornado

     -- A pamphlet outlining ways to reduce tornado damage

One risk management organization outlines ways that even modest changes to building codes may help reduce the devastation commonly associated with some of the largest tornadoes.  They say:

As part of the new building codes to protect against damage from moderate tornadoes, builders must strengthen roof sheathing, include hurricane clips, and incorporate wind-resistant garage doors.  Wind-resistant garage doors are a particular concern. A recent study… determined that the root of failure for residential structures was often the garage. When powerful winds breached the light garage doors, the garage area became pressurized and the roof was lifted from the wall. The walls of the garages then often collapsed, exposing more of the structure to wind damage. This is of particular concern for garages attached to the main structure. For all new construction, garage doors must be strengthened to be wind resistant.

While new regulations may not prevent significant damage to property (particularly in severe conditions), they may help reduce the loss of life associated with these storms.  That alone is worth considering some of their ideas.