| Adinnieken said: 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. It's good to know your parents house is built with reinforced walls, I assumed being in Europe, your country lacked modern building stanards. |
One side of our house is just glass. Its not like those are standard windows. The glass would otherwise collapse under its own weight or with the slightest wind. But thats beside the point, reinforced frames double glass impact resistancy those are standard features. A lot of window manufacturer follow US safety standards (Dade County standard ?). I just looked up a few sites. But generally speaking our windows around here are top notch.
Sure we have the old stuff still from the 70s/80s but everything new must be good. And people around here are known to rather spend a few bucks extra for safety windows and similar stuff and safe the money on a smaller TV or car again.
