Broken windows, lost roofs and even lost houses are common scenes for Floridians during hurricane season, but UF hopes to help prevent losses by teaching people how to protect their homes.
The Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing at UF, in partnership with the Florida Department of Insurance and the Florida Department of Community Affairs, has been building Regional Windstorm Damage Training and Demonstration Centers known as Hurricane Houses since 1997.
The Hurricane Houses are places where the public and construction professionals can learn how to make new and existing homes more wind resistant, said Joanne Cooper, family and consumer sciences agent at the St. Johns County Hurricane House.
There are four houses, located in Broward County, Escambia County, St. Johns County and St. Lucie County. The last house was built in 2006.
They are designed to resemble normal residential homes from the outside, but inside, Hurricane Houses are divided in half. One part is a reception area, and the other is a training room that contains models of materials and cut-away sections that show the internal structure features and illustrations of existing and alternative construction.
Robert Stroh, director of the Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing, said that the houses were built in response to the damage Hurricane Andrew created.
At the houses, people can learn to identify different straps, bracing systems, adhesives, shingles and window coverings so they can see what is best for their home, said Karla Lenfesty, Windstorm Mitigation Program specialist at the St. Lucie County Hurricane House.
"In today's world, we want our shelter to be at home as opposed to a Red Cross shelter," Lenfesty said, "so you want to make your home as safe as possible."
Many people who have houses that are protected from wind damage also go to the house to receive information on how to properly upgrade their materials.
"Just like you need a car tune-up, you need a house tune-up," she said.
