| Netyaroze said: Hurricane resistant Windows are standard I think. Atleast we have them. House was build in an Earthquakezone there are regulations to follow. Its steel reinforced and walls are able to swing independently. I am not sure how its called in english but the swinging properties are good enough. Water well, I am not sure how water would get Inside the house. Its not like we have never Hurricanes here just not nearly as strongand rarely but houses if they are new have to be build after guidelines always with the worst case scenario in mind. I really wouldn't feel safe in an american house build with thin walls. Floors are steel concrete nothing will fall on your head. Those things are extremly thick and rest on steel rods. I am not sure how this is more dangerous than staying in a house that can turn into a plane if the wind is strong. |
Impact resistant windows would help significantly, especially if they include re-inforced frames. They aren't a guarantee, however. Laminated glass can give way with enough force, but they will hold up better than regular windows. In Florida they're standard. In Europe, I doubt they would be because of their expense. Although on lower levels they would help prevent breakins. Unless there is a regulation in Europe I'm unaware of, impact resistant glass would be extremely expensive for the average use.
My reference was more if a house like your parents was built in Florida or the Gulf Coast of the US. I'm guessing that the majority of Europe sits high enough that if a hurricane strikes, the incoming tide would do little damage. However, an area like the Firth of Clyde in Scotland would likely be inundated with an incoming tide. Most of the coastal cities would have some significant damage. Ayr, Irvine, Saltcoats, even Glasgow.
Typically, water gets in anyway it wants. Under doors, through crawl spaces, pushing in windows or doors. But it doesn't need to get inside to do damage either. As with the tsunami in Japan, the outflow can either pulls down walls or undermine the foundations.
Generally speaking our houses don't turn into planes with a strong wind. An F5 tornado is a different story, however in an F5 tornado the only safe places is in a purposed designed tornado shelter. Regardless of the structure design, in an F5 tornado the 300+ wind speeds would obliterate any building. Though, if you applied both hurricane and earthquake building codes it might withstand it better.
You'd be surprised what our houses can withstand. While we lack 1,000 year old buildings, because we haven't been around for more than 300, we do still have centuries old tinderbox, matchstick houses that somehow stand up.
It's good to know your parents house is built with reinforced walls, I assumed being in Europe, your country lacked modern building stanards.
