Florida building departments must take steps to deal with hurricane-vulnerable aluminum carports, patio enclosures and other structures that are a significant factor in storm losses, a state study has found.
"Aluminum structures (patio enclosures and carports) are an important contribution to the total losses experienced in Florida hurricanes for both site-built and mobile homes," the report, released Friday from Applied Research Associates Inc., Albuquerque, N.M., said.
According to the firm, better standards for such structures could result in nearly a $1 billion loss reduction.
The firm was hired by the State Office of Insurance Regulation at the request of the legislature, which asked for research on the impact of "appurtenant structures" on storm damage and insurance costs.
Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said its findings showed that Florida "needs to design additional building code requirements for these structures in order to mitigate storm damage, and ultimately, lower the cost of insurance for our policyholders."
Failure of enclosures and carports, the study found, "is generally catastrophic, requiring total replacement," and consumers "have been economically impacted by the poor performance of these structures."
According to the report, hurricane losses from exterior structures (aluminum structures, in particular) are a significant problem in Florida due to:
o The large number and relatively high value of exterior structures.
o High hurricane wind hazard in most regions of the state.
o The use of a reduced importance factor in design.
o Inadequate engineering designs for many structures.
o Poor construction practices by some contractors.
Building departments, the report advised, need to do a better job of reviewing the designs and inspecting aluminum structures in the field.
The study found that "savings (loss reduction benefits minus costs of improved designs for new structures) resulting from improved standards were calculated as $857 million for aluminum pool/patio enclosures alone."
According to the OIR, the legislature sought the study after hearing anecdotal reports that during the 2004-2005 hurricane seasons, structures such as pool enclosures, garages, carports, and sunrooms substantially contributed to the total storm damage either directly through loss, or indirectly as wind-borne debris.
The study showed that, on average, there is one attached structure per site-built home and three per manufactured home, and it also showed the relative value of these attached structures.
Aluminum structures on average account for 10 ten percent of the total home value of site-built structures, and 19 percent of the total value of manufactured homes, according to the report.
"The mixture of factors that determine total storm damage is extremely complicated," noted Commissioner Kevin McCarty, "but this study demonstrates that appurtenant structures, most notably aluminum structures, are an important component that increases storm damage costs."
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