Let’s be honest — even the most beautiful locations to build a home in can be prone to disasters. Whether it’s from earthquakes, fires, and even hurricanes and floods, any place can be struck by natural disaster.
So whether it’s a beachfront home, a mountain lodge, or even just a vacant lot in a suburban area, it’s important to plan properly so that your home can be resilient from disasters as much as possible.
Consider these design choices when creating a home in a disaster prone area.
Higher foundations
Homes that are built near coastal areas are prone to floods. Coastal homes are often situated in lowland areas, which can result in water damage.
To protect a home from being flooded, raising it up might be one of the simplest ways to go about it. This is much easier to do when the house is still in the process of being designed, but if you already do have a house in a flood prone area, you may want to call in some experts. Raising an existing house to make it flood proof requires some careful planning, which may require hydraulic jacks and other heavy equipment.
Fireproof materials
Another issue to consider when designing a home is how flameproof it can be. Homes that are situated near forests can be especially prone to the scorching effects of wildfires. This can result in thousands of dollars worth of losses, and much more in terms of emotional and psychological tolls.
There are companies that have developed materials and building systems that has the ability to drastically reduce the damage brought about by a fire. Designing a home using materials that are fireproof will not only net you some discounts on home insurance like Allstate, this can also make sure that your house will withstand fire disasters.
Reduced overhangs
Earthquakes are one of the most devastating occurrences in the world. But what’s interesting to note is that earthquakes don’t actually kill people and cause massive destruction; poorly built structures that cannot withstand earthquakes do.
While a lot of modern home styles nowadays benefit from having overhangs, a lot of homes are being built with overhanging rooftops that are not supported soundly. While this may work for areas that are not as prone to earthquakes, this can be dangerous for houses that are in an earthquake prone zone. Reducing overhangs, or providing overhangs with more support can help reduce the chances of them crumbling on top of people when subjected to seismic movement.
Circular home
Planning to build a home in a hurricane prone area? You might want to consider a circular home build.
Many angular home designs are often built with a lot of corners or wide walls on certain sides of the home. What this does is it allows wind pressure to build and push against the home, which results in the home being destroyed. Having a circular home reduces the wind from building up any pressure since it goes back into the environment, reducing the chances of your home getting blown away by the hurricane.
There are a lot of design elements and choices that can lead to a home being disaster resistant. With the right choice of materials and the right builders, you can live in a disaster prone area without worrying too much about the disasters that will come.
