Defense of another sort

[tombogan03884]

In another thread M58 and I were discussing how cutting trees back from his friends house might have saved it from the fire .
However the Prayers thread is not the right place for a discussion of architecture, so I'm starting a new thread because the subject interests me and is a form of self defense since in a natural disaster the greatest, most likely threats will not come from roaming gangs, but from the environment itself in the form of floods, blizzards, earthquakes, etc.
With the recent spate of natural disasters it becomes evident that when you are building or landscaping you need to consider what Mother nature and bad luck may throw at you .
Up here it's usually wet enough that fires don't get that big, Tornado's don't get bigger than the occasional micro burst because of the hilly, wooded terrain ,this also contains any flooding to the lower lying areas, hurricanes get broken up crossing Cape Cod,  and I don't think we've ever had an earth quake over 2.5 .
Our main threats are snow and ice, the best way to build for them is a peaked roof to shed the snow and lots of insulation to hold the heat in in winter and out in summer .
What is your threat from the earth and how do builders compensate for it ?

[fightingquaker13]

Overhanging tree limbs that can pound the roof and coconuts that become missiles in a hurricane mostly. Likewise you want to thin out your trees this time of year because if they have limbs tightly packed and lots of leaves they'll catch the wind like a sail and if the ground is soggy and loose they can blow over. I used to be of the "plant thorny bushes by the windows to discourage burglars" school of thought, but since I put in shutters and need to get to the windows to clean and deploy them the trellises of Bougainvillea are no mas. Too bad because they're pretty, but after walking away with a million scratches and some thorns I went medieval on them.

[tombogan03884]

Florida presents special problems because of it's geology.
No matter what you do to protect from surface events such as high winds or flooding , the combination of sand and limestone underneath leaves you vulnerable to the ground below you simply going away.
I can't think of any preparation for that other than living on a boat.

[Jrlobo]

We live on top of a hill in a mountain valley. There are two basic dangers to the house and life here. One is from high winds caused by hurricanes, thunderstorms and straight-line wind storms. Flying debris and tree limbs are the biggest worry. Had a 40 foot Heritage Birch within 15 feet of the house on the West side that provided afternoon shade and some wind protection but it had to be removed when we discovered a 3 foot crack at a Y in the trunk. The second basic danger is man-made! We are close enough to Washington DC that we are constantly bombarded with flying bullpuckey. Not a real danger to the house, but we people are in danger of extinction. Other than those two dangers, we are relatively free of peril as earthquakes and tornadoes are few, hail is rare and presidential helicopters seldom fall out the sky on their way to Camp David. But then there are those pesky stink bugs...

[tombogan03884]

We live on top of a hill in a mountain valley. There are two basic dangers to the house and life here. One is from high winds caused by hurricanes, thunderstorms and straight-line wind storms. Flying debris and tree limbs are the biggest worry. Had a 40 foot Heritage Birch within 15 feet of the house on the West side that provided afternoon shade and some wind protection but it had to be removed when we discovered a 3 foot crack at a Y in the trunk. The second basic danger is man-made! We are close enough to Washington DC that we are constantly bombarded with flying bullpuckey. Not a real danger to the house, but we people are in danger of extinction. Other than those two dangers, we are relatively free of peril as earthquakes and tornadoes are few, hail is rare and presidential helicopters seldom fall out the sky on their way to Camp David. But then there are those pesky stink bugs...

You're forgetting "fever".
That whole region was considered a "hardship post" until DDT beat the malaria and Yellow fever .
That was the original reason for Congress to take a summer recess , avoiding the annual fever outbreak.

[Sponsor]

[fatbaldguy]

Let's see, tornado's -Xenia 'nader of '72 flattened the town, 5 miles east.  New Madrid fault.  Early 19th century quake destroyed buildings and changed the courses of rivers.  Blizzard of '76/77, snow butthole deep to a 10 foot indian.  25 below for weeks with howling wind.  Was in boot for the one of '77/78.  House I'm in, typical construction for the early/mid '60s.  Cut down the huge elm out front that was getting into the foundation.  Big Sugar Maple out back is next.  I miss the shade.

If'n the house don't come down around my ears, I've got food, water, heat, and light for a good long time.

[Frosty]

Been in CO. for 38 yrs, moved from the Wizard of Oz state (Kansas). Have been in the fire service for 36 yrs. I am amazed at the amount of lack of preparation, even after raging wildfires, people will not take to help firefighters save their property or themselves. I lived in the Mtns for 25 yrs where the threat of a wildfire was always present especially in the drier months. Even after the Waldo canyon fire last year (290/300+ homes) and many other fires in CO. people WILL NOT prep. and make a defensible space around their home, yet they want us to save their property. Their houses have huge wooden decks, trees growing up thru the deck, trees within 5-10 feet of the home, scrub oak/evergreen bushes next to the home. It's called complacency and the list goes on and on.
One major contribution that has contributed to the wildfire/housing loss situation here in CO. is the influx of man (especially Commiefornians) to the state. They come here and say it's great and I want to stay in the wild, commune with nature .... until nature comes calling.
I am at a point in my career and life that if you will not take measures to save your property/life or at least make an attempt to mitigate the problem than I don't feel sorry for you.
Sorry for the rant.

[tombogan03884]

Been in CO. for 38 yrs, moved from the Wizard of Oz state (Kansas). Have been in the fire service for 36 yrs. I am amazed at the amount of lack of preparation, even after raging wildfires, people will not take to help firefighters save their property or themselves. I lived in the Mtns for 25 yrs where the threat of a wildfire was always present especially in the drier months. Even after the Waldo canyon fire last year (290/300+ homes) and many other fires in CO. people WILL NOT prep. and make a defensible space around their home, yet they want us to save their property. Their houses have huge wooden decks, trees growing up thru the deck, trees within 5-10 feet of the home, scrub oak/evergreen bushes next to the home. It's called complacency and the list goes on and on.
One major contribution that has contributed to the wildfire/housing loss situation here in CO. is the influx of man (especially Commiefornians) to the state. They come here and say it's great and I want to stay in the wild, commune with nature .... until nature comes calling.
I am at a point in my career and life that if you will not take measures to save your property/life or at least make an attempt to mitigate the problem than I don't feel sorry for you.
Sorry for the rant.

That is the thinking that got me to start this thread .
Whether it's home invasion, mud slides or whatever , If you are not willing to try to protect yourself why should some one else risk their life to do for you what you won't do for yourself ?
People today do not generally grow up with guns or building so they have no idea what is involved and they refuse to educate themselves .
Whether the subject is voting, guns, or practical considerations in building, people go by what makes them "feel good" and then cry when reality intrudes.

[Jrlobo]

Tom,

      Historically you are right...fever was a danger here...but I moved here during the DDT era (1950's) and Rachel Carson's Silent Spring didn't come into play until the early 60's so I benefited from the DDT applications. That danger however was replaced by bullpuckey and the ever present Ft. Detrick! I guess I prepped when I cut the birch down, but I was the one who planted it next to the house in the first place. Recognizing the danger to life and limb is indeed the hardest thing; then doing something about is next to that.

[bodean87]

Been in CO. for 38 yrs, moved from the Wizard of Oz state (Kansas). Have been in the fire service for 36 yrs. I am amazed at the amount of lack of preparation, even after raging wildfires, people will not take to help firefighters save their property or themselves. I lived in the Mtns for 25 yrs where the threat of a wildfire was always present especially in the drier months. Even after the Waldo canyon fire last year (290/300+ homes) and many other fires in CO. people WILL NOT prep. and make a defensible space around their home, yet they want us to save their property. Their houses have huge wooden decks, trees growing up thru the deck, trees within 5-10 feet of the home, scrub oak/evergreen bushes next to the home. It's called complacency and the list goes on and on.
One major contribution that has contributed to the wildfire/housing loss situation here in CO. is the influx of man (especially Commiefornians) to the state. They come here and say it's great and I want to stay in the wild, commune with nature .... until nature comes calling.
I am at a point in my career and life that if you will not take measures to save your property/life or at least make an attempt to mitigate the problem than I don't feel sorry for you.
Sorry for the rant.

I'm lucky as most people clear an area around their house here. There are a few exceptions. Some leave knee high grass and cedars ( junipers I believe us what you would call them) too close.

Biggest threat here is storm related or fires. Not much you can do about the storms other then good insurance.