Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused about $200 billion in damage combined, about as much as Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005.

These storms destroyed and damaged homes, buildings and construction sites alike in the Houston, Texas area and parts of Florida and southeastern coastal states.

These hurricanes brought record rains, flooding, aggressive winds, and storm surge. Now, home and business owners are starting the long and often complicated process of cleaning up and rebuilding.

Seacoast Construction has extensive experience helping project owners navigate the clean-up and reconstruction after a hurricane. Our founder, George Abadie, answers some important questions about protecting your property and beginning the rebuild process after a major storm.

Storm surge was a huge part of both Hurricane Harvey and Irma. How can someone protect themselves from this?

• The best way to protect yourself is to hit high ground or high areas of a structure. Using sand bags is a common way to divert water from your home or building. There are also storm panels that help divert water and are required in some areas of Miami Beach.
• Most people are just starting to rebuild. What does someone need to do now in the aftermath of the storms if they are interested in building or rebuilding?
• In Texas, the codes aren’t as stringent as in Miami or based on hurricane wind load, so a lot can be done, including impact windows, concrete structures, roof strapping, and reinforcing. Both Texas and Florida need to come up with solutions for flooding. Governments need to find ways to pump out the water. Complexes and private business should also be coming up with pump systems to help minimize flooding in the future.

How can a building or home be protected from power outages?

Most of the people that never lost power had underground service. So, the best solution is for municipalities to move lines underground. There are also surge protectors for homes that help reduce spikes when they occur. In addition, it is best to add a sub-panel with a transfer switch for generator connections as a standard procedure. This allows flexibility for a home or business owner to add a generator in the event they need power.

If you’re looking to rebuild in Texas or Florida, go ahead and get in touch with our team at Seacoast Construction. We’re well-versed in building in these areas and getting your space set-up to withstand a storm in the future.

If you have questions – we’ll be happy to talk and answer them as well. Go ahead and get in touch today.