Storms Helena and Milton swept through with winds of up to 225 km/h, flattening many rows of houses, except for a few that remained intact because there were no gaps to create pressure.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton swept across the southeastern United States, but some houses still stood amid ruined neighborhoods. Satellite images recorded areas where entire blocks of houses were flattened after two strong storms with winds up to 225 km/h except for a few houses, according to Business Insider.
“It’s not luck,” said Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and CEO of the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH). FLASH is a nonprofit organization that promotes disaster-resistant housing and distributes storm preparedness guides. “I think when you look at a house that survived a storm, nine times out of 10 it will be because the roof is securely attached and the garage door is intact. These are the two biggest clues in high winds.”
Garage doors can make a huge difference. Storms can collapse a house when wind enters through windows or doors. When those gaps allow wind to enter, the pressure inside the house increases, filling the house like a balloon. “Not only do you have wind blowing across the roof that can cause the roof to blow off, but you also face internal pressure that can push the roof off.” said Michael O’Reilly, a civil engineer and lecturer at the University of Colorado.
Perhaps the largest and weakest gap in the house is the garage door. According to Chapman – Henderson, that is the most important place in the house that needs wood paneling before a storm, and the first thing to consider upgrading. FLASH suggests 3 options depending on different budgets. The cheapest solution is to put a wooden board in front of the garage door before the storm hits. The next option is to invest in installing a storm protection kit at the garage door that includes braces and pillars to help strengthen the door permanently. Finally, homeowners can spend money to replace a new garage door with high wind resistance.
While the garage door is the largest opening in the house, windows have the largest number. According to O’Reilly, many buildings survived the beginning of the storm until a large window or door blew out. That increases the pressure, leading to the risk of the roof blowing off. This is why the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends using shutters or high-impact glass to reinforce windows.
In addition to gaps such as windows and doors, experts also emphasize the need to pay attention to the connection between walls and roofs. The roof is firmly attached to the wall during the house construction process, using metal wires. O’Reilly says modern homes in places like Florida have good wall-to-roof connections due to building codes. Houses built before the end of the 19th century may be more poorly connected and can easily lose their roofs in strong storms. According to FLASH, the bond can be reinforced by pouring floor glue at the contact point between the roofing sheet and the rafters.
Rising global temperatures due to human emissions make storms more intense, partly because tropical storms absorb energy from warm water. As ocean temperatures rise, storms can easily increase in intensity. More and more storms are rapidly intensifying like Hurricane Milton, meaning winds increase significantly in just a short period of time. At the same time, increased temperatures in the atmosphere allow the air to contain more moisture. Therefore, storms may cause more rain along the route.