The Benefits Of Building A Steel Reinforced Home In A Flood Zone
ShareKnowing that you are planning to construct a residential home in an area that has periods of heavy flooding might prevent you from safely having the ability to dig out a basement. You might build your house on stilts. Other property owners just want to construct homes that are strong enough to sustain and survive heavy floods without needing to repair water damage or fear having parts of their home wash away. This may be why residential steel is a recommended building material for use in the construction of homes being built in floor zones. The following benefits show why you should consider residential steel reinforced homes when you are going to be enduring heavy rains, river floods or live within close proximity of coastal waters:
Residential Steel is Easy to Fix, Reuse and Move Around
A steel beam can be fabricated and re-purposed while wooden beams more than likely need to be discarded after being damaged in a flood. In the off chance that a residential steel framed home requires substantial repairs after a flood, the homeowner can consult with a contractor about the restoration of existing materials. Most homes that hit by severe flooding have to be dismantled and totally rebuilt when wood is the primary material that they were constructed with.
Water Does Not Weaken Steel
Imagine what happens to a piece of wood that sits in still floodwaters for several weeks. Floodwaters can be laden with bacteria and make it impossible for wood construction homes to be saved even if there is no warping, mold or rot present. The owners of residential steel framed homes will spend much less time on inspections and have their homes re-certified for occupancy. This means that you can be moved back in your house and avoid many types of repairs that are usually necessary after flooding if your house is made of residential steel.
Homes Made of Steel Can Easily Be Vented
Installing small flaps near the bottom of your house can help to drain flood waters from the basement of your home and keep flooding from rising to the upper levels. These types of flood vents can be difficult to install in homes that have wood frames as they may introduce condensation that can be damaging to timber. Putting a flood vent in a home with a residential steel frame can help to alleviate pressure, keep the structure itself intact and help floodwaters to drain away quickly. Your homeowner's insurance rates might also be reduced if flood vents are present.