Hurricane Irma Looks VERY Bad

[jpbago]

2 hours ago, marine6357 said:

Yeah talked to my friend who lives in Lehigh Acres and he told me that it is like a ghost town there now and very eerie says he is leaving tomorrow but, doesn't know which way to go because it keeps changing where it is going to hit. Good luck to all down there.

Did Lehigh Acres ever get fully developed? I was there many years ago on a promotion lot sales but it was just streets with no houses yet and then I read years later that many people lost their money as there still was no water and electricity. Just wondering....

[MikeB]

We're on the opposite side of the state from most of the projected paths, although anything "could" happen. Went to 5 different gas stations yesterday, only 1 still had gas and the lines were insane. The little more that half a tank I have will have to do. No more bottled water; people taking all they can and hoarding so none left for others. Panic buying and good christians all, I'm sure. At least I have flood insurance (I think).

[MikeB]

Just came back from Publix (big grocery chain), no water and few loaves of bread left. Some guy, about 60, was taking every last loaf of bread he could squeeze into his arms, must have had a dozen, no cart or basket. What can you do with that much bread? It can be frozen but if you lose electricity it goes bad. They say you see the best and worst of people in these situations, so far it's the worst. 

[marine6357]

9 hours ago, jpbago said:

Did Lehigh Acres ever get fully developed? I was there many years ago on a promotion lot sales but it was just streets with no houses yet and then I read years later that many people lost their money as there still was no water and electricity. Just wondering....

There are still a lot of vacant land there but also quite a few homes also. most of the utilities have been run through most of the streets. I also looked there a few years back for an investment property when the market crashed but never bought. My friend did get a foreclosure for about 30% of the high end market value and he says that they are building again and he has seen a good return on his investment. Wish I had done it. Well hindsight is 20/20 right?

 

[Reboot]

On 9/6/2017 at 9:59 AM, Snowy79 said:

Sad times ahead but one thing that amazes me is Florida gets hit regularly yet they still build kit houses out of wood. You'd think it would make sense to build like in the Philippines with a little more quality obviously. 

Most if the housing here is built much more storm resistant than anything you will find in the PH. Building codes require it.

[Reboot]

21 hours ago, jpbago said:

Did Lehigh Acres ever get fully developed? I was there many years ago on a promotion lot sales but it was just streets with no houses yet and then I read years later that many people lost their money as there still was no water and electricity. Just wondering....

Its mostly developed now. Wouldn't want to live there though. I am in Naples. My phone just went off with. public hurtricane warning. Looks like we will be getting hurricane force winds by Sunday. Where the eye ends up remains to be seen. could track further east ro Miami, or further west to us. We're less than 100 miles apart and the storm is forecast right now to come up between the two.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Reboot

[Reboot]

15 hours ago, MikeB said:

We're on the opposite side of the state from most of the projected paths, although anything "could" happen. Went to 5 different gas stations yesterday, only 1 still had gas and the lines were insane. The little more that half a tank I have will have to do. No more bottled water; people taking all they can and hoarding so none left for others. Panic buying and good christians all, I'm sure. At least I have flood insurance (I think).

I got my tank full today and 25 gallons in cans too. Generator starts right up. Plenty of water and food. As ready as I can be I guess.

[Snowy79]

39 minutes ago, Reboot said:

Most if the housing here is built much more storm resistant than anything you will find in the PH. Building codes require it.

I still can't get my head around the damage still to the so called building approved construction. Commonsense tells me if they know hurricanes are relatively common every year with speeds of 150 mph possible then you build to withstand at least 20% above that speed.

Scotland is the windiest country in Europe with recorded wind speeds of over 160 mph and apart from trees being blown down you tend to get a few houses with roof damage. Certainly not whole towns reduced to piles of wood.  The majority of our houses are stone or brick build though. My money is on people in the timber industry lobbying politicians to still allow wood built kit houses as long as they use additional nails 

[OnMyWay]

14 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

I still can't get my head around the damage still to the so called building approved construction. Commonsense tells me if they know hurricanes are relatively common every year with speeds of 150 mph possible then you build to withstand at least 20% above that speed.

Scotland is the windiest country in Europe with recorded wind speeds of over 160 mph and apart from trees being blown down you tend to get a few houses with roof damage. Certainly not whole towns reduced to piles of wood.  The majority of our houses are stone or brick build though. My money is on people in the timber industry lobbying politicians to still allow wood built kit houses as long as they use additional nails 

Have you seen the pictures of the Irma damage in the islands?  I don't think any building codes call for "resistance from flying cars"! 

[OnMyWay]

1 hour ago, Reboot said:

Most if the housing here is built much more storm resistant than anything you will find in the PH. Building codes require it.

I could be wrong, but I think a lot of higher end PH houses have a concrete "floor" on every level including the roof level.  In my mind this makes them a bit safer than houses like mine in FL, which has CHB outer walls but the roof structure is wood and metal covered by plywood and then heavy tiles, without any concrete as a base.  That would be the weakest point of the house, even though the roof structure is bolted down to the CHB structure.

I had a few damaged roof tiles in one storm.  I will be happy if it is only that this time!