Houses in tornado/hurricane areas

[Belize]

It varies from state. In CA, the typical residential buildings are designed for 3-second wind gust of up to 90 mph. Some areas, like Santa Cruz, requires higher wind gust values. New structures (last 10 years or so) located in what they called Wildland Urban Interface (our house is one of those) have to meet Wildland Urban Interface Codes and Standards. Most of these codes have to do with wildfire protection measures. Ranging from specific building materials and construction details.

In TX and LA, houses are built from matchsticks, used pallets and veneer siding.

Guess what the difference with CA is.

[Rasulis]

In TX and LA, houses are built from matchsticks, used pallets and veneer siding.

Guess what the difference with CA is.

Lol. Where we are, we do not have to worry about flood, tornado, hurricane. Although technically we are in CA, the nearest mapped active fault is at least 75 miles from our house. We only have to worry about wild fire. So here it is. A house with the equivalent of an external fire sprinkle system. Powered with solar, two powerwalls and emergency generator with enough fuel for 14 days, and water from a 700-foot well.

[PACOX]

Because money over sensibility. People either can't afford better material or in other cases the people building are cutting corners for profits.

In Florida Andrew was so devastating in part due to terrible building practices. Things have gotten better over the years to the point where newer homes do not have to worry so much about most hurricanes. Windows and frames are built better, roofs more resistant, foundations less prone to water, underground infrastructure for power lines, you name it. That does nothing for older buildings though. The ones propped up Snow Birds or people who were looking take advantage of the early day of US-1 and I-95. You'll find lots of hastily built buildings that get worse every year.

- - - Updated - - -

What I don't particularly understand, is why do they keep building in areas with recurring natural disasters. You'd think getting your shit wrecked every few years would get tiresome after a while.

People have always settled near natural disasters because that's where the best land is. You can't build a port city inland.

[Stelio Kontos]

Sure, let's rag on Americans for rebuilding in areas with weather disasters and ignore how much of coastal south, SE, and east Asia is in danger of typhoons or cyclones (just hurricanes in the Indian/ NW Pacific oceans, other than typhoons usually being stronger than hurricanes). Hell, most of the world's population lives in areas with some sort of disaster being possible, should all 8 billion people move to parts of Europe or other areas that have no harsh weather?

[Redwyrm]

If houses were unable to be built in "disaster" prone areas, that would cut a huge chunk of livable land from a lot of countries. And it's not just hurricanes and tornadoes. You got earthquakes, flooding (apart from hurricanes), severe blizzards, severe droughts, rising sea levels from climate change, etc.

Good luck picking a place to live that doesn't fall into one or more of those categories. You can't avoid every situation and circumstance. But you can mitigate the chances and impacts.

[smityx]

What I don't particularly understand, is why do they keep building in areas with recurring natural disasters. You'd think getting your shit wrecked every few years would get tiresome after a while.

In the US you are most likely live in some area that are natural disaster prone. Whether it's sharknados, canes, quakes, fires or floods.

[StayTuned]

All I know is that a wooden house has worms after just a few decades of living in it. It's a throwaway building that's only a thing because its easy and cheap to build.

Meanwhile, our house at the coast of Croatia is now in the 3rd gen, built 100 years ago. This year we decided to modernize it but structurally it's as strong as ever (stone and concrete). The only thing ever giving us trouble was, you can guess, the roof. Because it's made out of wood.

[Morae]

1. Would you like to live your entire life in a concrete bunker?

A bit offtopic, but yes.

I dont have the money to afford such home, but it has been in my imagination for a long time. I have wanted a home that is mostly or completely underground. It needs not to be a bunker. It can be well lit, decorated and such just like any home. It sure will be quiet. Temperature probably changes far less than outside (at least I believe so), so its never too cold or too hot. It can have an external part like a terrace, if you really want to have place with sunlight.

I'm sure such buildings would have some problems that "normal" ones don't have, but I guess these could be solved too.

So yes, I'd like to have a home built underground.
(as far as my understanding and dreams about it go...)

[Mihalik]

So yes, I'd like to have a home built underground.
(as far as my understanding and dreams about it go...)

Sure. Whatever does it for you. Most humans tend to get kinda suicidally depressed in the absence of sunlight. And no, you can't replace sunlight with artificial lights.