Hello World! Welcome Friends! When living in a place like Florida, most of us know what we’re getting into at least to some extent. The hurricanes that have rocked the region for the past century aren’t exactly a secret, right? Still, there is often still a feeling of, “this can never happen to me” – at least to some extent.
Thanks to that, there are a surprising number of people who don’t have their homes properly constructed or reinforced when living in the sunshine state. How does that even work, though? As you may have guessed, that’s what we’re here to take a look at today.
Now, if you would like some background information on what “impact resistant” exterior design is, you may want to check out this page: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Summary-of-impact-resistant-design-elements-and-material-properties_tbl1_347496799. Otherwise, make sure to stick around – we’ll be going over it in extensive detail as well!
The Basics: What Is It?
Naturally, our first order of business is to examine what we mean by “impact resistant” exterior design. For the most part, this will apply to windows and doors, but that isn’t always the case. With that in mind, let’s tackle a basic definition of this concept.
Simply put, impact resistant exterior design refers to the use of materials and construction techniques that are able to withstand various types of impacts, such as strong winds, heavy rain, flying debris, and even potential vandalism or accidents. Of course, here in Florida, there’s a lot more emphasis on the first few factors there as opposed to vandalism.
The important takeaway here is that this type of architecture and design is intended to help protect against potential disasters that could befall a home (or even a rental property). No matter the reason you own a home in Florida, it’s important to protect it in some fashion. It’s a valuable asset!
It probably makes sense, then, that this type of design is often used in areas prone to severe weather conditions, such as hurricanes or tornadoes, as well as in commercial and high-traffic areas where the risk of damage is higher. Some common examples of impact resistant exterior design features include impact-resistant windows, reinforced doors, durable siding materials, and secure roof structures.
For instance, Paradise Exteriors windows here in Florida are a popular option. Just bear in mind that there are plenty of selections all across the state, as this type of architecture is borderline necessary – especially when you own a property closer to the shoreline (on both sides).
How Does This Style of Architecture Work?
Naturally, the next step here is to examine how this style of design works in practice. Thankfully, it’s pretty simple. There are a few key points to keep in mind, which we’ll be touching upon. The gist of it is that impact resistant architecture works by using specially designed materials and construction techniques to increase the strength and durability of a building’s exterior and its structural components. Still, there’s more to the story.
Windows
Perhaps the most common application for this type of technology is with windows. This is also where it tends to be the most important – after all, no one wants to deal with shattered glass, especially during a high stress situation like a hurricane.
These windows are typically made of laminated glass, which consists of multiple layers of glass with a protective interlayer. This construction helps the windows resist impacts from debris, high winds, and even forced entry attempts. It’s easy to see why this is an important aspect of this process.
Doors
Aside from windows, what are the other main risks to a home during a storm or hurricane? If you guessed doors, then you’d be correct. It’s quite a big deal to have the proper structural protection in place to ensure that our properties aren’t totally decimated, and that’s where impact resistant doors can really shine.
Exterior doors in impact resistant architecture are often reinforced with strong materials such as steel or fiberglass to increase their resistance to impacts and break-ins. They’re a big part of this overall architectural planning process, so it’s worth asking about them if you’re planning on reinforcing your current property or if you’re building a new one.
Roofs
Of course, no home would be complete without a roof. This means that impact resistant architecture may include reinforced roofing materials and construction methods to prevent damage from high winds, falling debris, or other impacts. There’s a chance that your roof is already structured like that – it helps to ask your contractor if you aren’t certain about that or any of these options.
Siding Materials
The final aspect of this that we’ll be covering today are siding materials. You can read more about them on this page if you’re curious. That said, the exterior siding of a building may be made from impact-resistant materials such as fiber cement, brick, or stucco to withstand harsh weather conditions and potential impacts. Again, be sure to ask your contractor if you want to know more.
Why Is This Such a Big Deal?
At the end of the day, all of this information still doesn’t tell you much if you aren’t sure why this is such a big deal. Anyone can say “well, protect your property from hurricanes,” but in a vacuum, which isn’t very helpful. Let’s take a look at why this is such an important part of property ownership in Florida.
Further details about it can be found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9030828/, but overall, the goal of impact resistant architecture is to protect the building and its occupants from potential damage and ensure its longevity and safety in challenging environments. Now, we’ll explore that in further detail.
Safety and Security: Perhaps the biggest part of this is ensuring the safety and security of your property – especially if it’s the home where your family lives. This style of architecture helps to protect the occupants of a building from potential harm caused by extreme weather events, flying debris, and other impacts. By using materials and construction techniques that can withstand high winds, heavy rain, and other forces, the building is better equipped to keep its occupants safe during dangerous situations – all of which can be the difference between injury and safety.
Property Protection: Regardless of whether or not you view your property as an “investment,” it is, at least to a certain extent. It makes sense, then, to want to protect it as best as you can. Impact resistant exterior design can help you with this protection in multiple ways.
Longevity and Durability: Another aspect of this type of exterior design is that it not only protects from impacts during storms or hurricanes – it also helps the overall structure of the home remain durable for long periods of time. You see, by using high-quality materials and construction methods that can withstand harsh conditions, the building will be better equipped to maintain its structural integrity and aesthetics for years to come.
Insurance Savings: We all know that home insurance is really expensive here in Florida. When you install impact resistant architecture, you can achieve some savings on your insurance bills on a monthly basis. This is because insurance companies will take the fact that you have extra protections into account when assessing your property.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Effortless Elegance: Elevate Your Home with Roller Blinds
Warm Up Your Tiny Home: Choosing the Best Flexible Heaters
Ways to Keep Your Bathroom Looking Clean and Airy
Which is More Expensive? California or Hawaii
What Happens if You Don’t Get Your HVAC System Serviced
Lesser-Known Applications of Spider Cranes in Specialized Construction Projects
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Toodles,
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