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Smart Selling
Condominiums and Hurricane Protection
There are many issues to face in protecting owners of these high-rise, coastal units.
By Scott D. Kuntz
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Throughout
most coastal regions of the United States our shorelines are found
to be the host of many large structures: the condominium. With the
proximal nature of these buildings being coastal and the overall size
usually being very tall, these condominiums are valid candidates for
protection as they are positioned to take the brunt of hurricanes.
Looking at condominiums, we have many issues when we bring the discussion
of hurricane protection to the forefront.
DAMAGE PREVENTION
Let’s start with the topic of hazard mitigation. We can look
at the building as a whole or just at a single-unit owner’s residence.
Most buildings have policies that allow for unit owners to take care
of storm protection on an individual basis. This may be the policy
of a condo board, property management company or condo residents’
association. Most buildings will have only a portion of the units
covered because it is up to the unit owner’s discretion.
It is important for a unit to be able to survive the ravages of a
hurricane, to keep wind and water from getting inside the unit. All
openings should have a system that is able to stand up to wind, pressure
and flying debris. If the elements are not able to penetrate the envelope
of the unit, any subsequent damage will be limited.
If surrounding units do not have proper protection, it could result
in severe water damage occurring in a neighboring protected unit.
The extent of the damage may be a result of the wall construction
that exists between units. Does the construction consist of a solid
concrete design or is it some sort of drywall system attached to metal
framing?
The amount of damage will be contingent upon the structural integrity
of adjoining units. If a unit is surrounded by concrete structures
on all sides and hurricane protection systems have been installed
on all exposed openings, then there should be little more than a concern
for small amounts of water leakage. If this is not the case, then
there are reasons for concern.
LIFE AND LIMB
Aside from the damage that may occur to the unit and its contents,
there also is the potential danger to one’s life. This should
not be an issue, as condominiums usually are the first to evacuate
as coastal regions are given the order by local Emergency Management
Officials. Residents should not try to stay and ride out the storm.
Instead, they should evacuate as ordered and seek shelter as advised.
There are specified evacuation routes and shelters available during
these times.
It is up to the unit owner to have made arrangements with building
management or others to secure any installed protection devices should
they not be there. Remember, in the most severe situations, one could
encounter tidal surges in excess of 20 feet. If you add 150 mile per
hour winds on top of that, you could have a recipe for disaster. Heed
the warning—evacuate.
INSURANCE CONCERNS
For those units that sustain damage it is important to have a good
insurance policy in place. There are many different companies that
provide a wide range of coverages. After Hurricane Andrew, some people
could not find any companies to provide coverage in South Florida.
It still can be difficult to find adequate coverage in some regions.
Condominiums that are in hurricane prone coastal regions may have
unit owners finding it hard to get good insurance. I have heard of
some insurance companies not even offering insurance to a unit owner
unless they had code-approved hurricane protection.
Some buildings have a group policy that may be predicated upon the
entire structure having sufficient protection. Most of us by now have
heard of the insurance industry tackling hurricane-related coverage
by way of a separate policy known as Windstorm. This is a spin-off
of the regular homeowner policy that allows the industry to address
hurricane-related damage separately and, of course, at a higher expense
to the consumer.
Hurricane protection has entitled some owners to a reduction of their
policy premiums, while others have been able to reduce their deductibles
at the same time or separately. One thing for sure is that the closer
you are to the coast, as in many condominiums, the more you are going
to pay for insurance. You can expect to see these costs continue to
rise. Protection may be a good way to offset these costs while giving
yourself some peace of mind at the same time.
OPTIONS AVAILABLE
If you are to consider hurricane protection in your condominium, what
should you get? You are afforded the right by law to some sort of
protection. Your condominium can specify the approved style and color.
The condominium board is given this power so that uniformity and consistency
can be maintained. This helps achieve a desirable aesthetic quality
and can assist in maximizing property values and appreciation.
Condominium unit owners can be forced to participate in the purchase
of hurricane protection by way of a majority vote. This vote may be
the result of an insurance concern, protection issue or may be part
of a beautification project.
Most new construction in Florida is now faced with the implementation
of protective devices if located in coastal regions. New codes have
recently been enacted in Florida and neighboring states up the East
Coast and across the Gulf have followed suit. New codes are basically
a hybrid of the Miami-Dade County and Southern Building Code Congress
International (SBCCI) codes that will result soon in one code for
all states, the International Building Code. These codes have designations
for new construction near the coastline predicated upon a Wind Speed
Map. New construction within these zones has the proper cladding of
windows and doors as an issue to be addressed.
There are a variety of options available for those who are seeking
a viable solution to the protection problem. Hurricane shutters are
the most popular choice for many of those investigating their options.
Styles range from the accordions that slide to the sides manually,
to the roll-ups that go up and down by way of a hand crank or electric
motor. Other styles exist, but are limited in their use. The exact
style for each owner may be a function of what has been approved by
the condo board.
Impact glass has become very popular in recent years. This glass allows
a unit owner to have a system in place without having to do anything.
This takes care of convenience issues for customers as well as having
limited access and storage. Impact glass may also be helpful in building
uniformity concerns where permanent shutters are not wanted.
When the research is done, many condominium owners find that impact
glass is not impact-proof. The glass will still crack and shatter,
but stays in its framework. This could result in exorbitant replacement
costs as impact glass ranks as the most expensive alternative.
Flying debris and wind pressure are a function of location. There
may be less flying debris the higher one lives in a condominium, but
wind velocities also get stronger the higher one gets above grade
level. There is a product out there for everyone. Always check with
the condo board before selecting a type.
Scott D. Kuntz is the national sales and marketing
manager for All Broward Hurricane; sdkuntz@browardhurricane.com. |
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