From Dave Searles
Brodhead
To the editor:
Why does the government let idiots get away with building a new home without a basement and at least a story and a half? Homes with no basements and one-story houses, such as ranch-style homes, do not stand up in a hurricane or tornado. They blow away or are flattened. It should be illegal to build a new home without a basement and is not at least a story and a half.
The government, especially where hurricanes and tornadoes are common or frequent, must require that every new house that is built have a basement and are at least a story and half so they will much better stand up to strong force winds. This is especially true if people use federal disaster relief money. Taxpayers should not have to pay for the stupidity of people who use federal disaster money to build poor housing as the people in Moore, Okla., did after the disastrous tornado that hit Moore in 1999 that killed 48 people.
If you see news photos or videos of areas where hurricanes or tornadoes have gone through, you see most to all of the one-story houses built on slabs and foundation are blown away, flattened or severely damaged. Even ranch-style houses with basements cannot stand up to these strong winds. On the other hand, two-story houses such as Victorians, are still standing. Some of these Victorians have survived two or three tornadoes over the years. The reason for this is that they are better built and they are multi-sided, meaning more than four sides, have basements and have steeper roofs. It has to do with aerodynamics of wind. They can resist the forces of strong winds much better.
We live within Tornado Alley that runs from Abilene, Texas, to Fond du Lac, therefore, it is foolish to build a new home without a basement and at least a story and a half.
Also, houses with basements and at least a story and half are much more energy efficient. Basements help keep houses cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Brodhead
To the editor:
Why does the government let idiots get away with building a new home without a basement and at least a story and a half? Homes with no basements and one-story houses, such as ranch-style homes, do not stand up in a hurricane or tornado. They blow away or are flattened. It should be illegal to build a new home without a basement and is not at least a story and a half.
The government, especially where hurricanes and tornadoes are common or frequent, must require that every new house that is built have a basement and are at least a story and half so they will much better stand up to strong force winds. This is especially true if people use federal disaster relief money. Taxpayers should not have to pay for the stupidity of people who use federal disaster money to build poor housing as the people in Moore, Okla., did after the disastrous tornado that hit Moore in 1999 that killed 48 people.
If you see news photos or videos of areas where hurricanes or tornadoes have gone through, you see most to all of the one-story houses built on slabs and foundation are blown away, flattened or severely damaged. Even ranch-style houses with basements cannot stand up to these strong winds. On the other hand, two-story houses such as Victorians, are still standing. Some of these Victorians have survived two or three tornadoes over the years. The reason for this is that they are better built and they are multi-sided, meaning more than four sides, have basements and have steeper roofs. It has to do with aerodynamics of wind. They can resist the forces of strong winds much better.
We live within Tornado Alley that runs from Abilene, Texas, to Fond du Lac, therefore, it is foolish to build a new home without a basement and at least a story and a half.
Also, houses with basements and at least a story and half are much more energy efficient. Basements help keep houses cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
