Hurricane Survival Thread 2017 updates!

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
While they do not publish the data, I have little doubt that the manufacturer knows exactly where they fail at.

Most engineering safeguards that I have been privied to are at a value of 2 or more. Simpson Strong Tie hangers typically use a factor of 4. If a hanger fails at 2000 lbs in testing, its reported value is 500. The truss software I use is around 2.6-2.7.

This of course does not mean that a 180 mph window will be fine at 540 mph, but it would not surprise me a bit if a 180 mph rated window. correctly installed, would be fine into the mid 200s.
I didn’t mean to imply that anything beyond would be failure. Yes, there are safety factors that are included in a design but without testing there is no hard, demonstrated data. Physical tests are performed because expectations do not always match reality. Miami-Dade testing is rather rigorous and expensive. I doubt many manufacturers have ever tested beyond those limits as they represent the most extreme performance criteria.
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
I didn’t mean to imply that anything beyond would be failure. Yes, there are safety factors that are included in a design but without testing there is no hard, demonstrated data. Physical tests are performed because expectations do not always match reality. Miami-Dade testing is rather rigorous and expensive. I doubt many manufacturers have ever tested beyond those limits as they represent the most extreme performance criteria.
I have yet to know one that didn't test to failure. It just does not get officially reported, but I can all but guarantee you they keep putting 3060 windows in front of the air cannon and upping the speed until a 2x4 makes it through.

If nothing else, it is seriously fun to watch.:)
 

TheGuyThatMakesSwords

Well-Known Member
After Sandy, we did the permanent standby generator. It was surprisingly easy to DIY and reasonably affordable. But when the power is out and you have working A/C or Heat, it's worth every penny spent.
View attachment 227390

I'm also putting one in @Me 'Earties new house too. (She needs the bigger one for the hair dryer :p)

View attachment 227389

LOVE this - we have a Generac in MI - it has saved our butts 4-5 times in 10 years....
But curious? A lot of FL has NO Nat Gas availability.... are you running YOUR Generac on Propane? One could - these are "duel fuel", and a big, filled tank of Propane beats scrounging for Gasoline :). Also FAR safer.

Worth noting - OUR Generac, like a car that gets driven about 3 weeks a year, is likely to outlive us. It just runs in weekly self test most times, and costs us about $200 per year in pro tuneups. Initial outlay, Unit+Labor, WAS about $7000. My dear wife and I, after several years, think this is the best $7000 we ever spent :).
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
LOVE this - we have a Generac in MI - it has saved our butts 4-5 times in 10 years....
But curious? A lot of FL has NO Nat Gas availability.... are you running YOUR Generac on Propane? One could - these are "duel fuel", and a big, filled tank of Propane beats scrounging for Gasoline :). Also FAR safer.

Worth noting - OUR Generac, like a car that gets driven about 3 weeks a year, is likely to outlive us. It just runs in weekly self test most times, and costs us about $200 per year in pro tuneups. Initial outlay, Unit+Labor, WAS about $7000. My dear wife and I, after several years, think this is the best $7000 we ever spent :).

We have a Kohler 20RZ - Big genset that runs on a 4 cylinder ford engine, I also mounted ours on a trailer so it can be shared with family and friends. Very similar to this setup.

Some of the best money we have ever spent - when it's home wheels/axle/coupler removed for security and levelers on each corner support it.

 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
Freeze a cup of water in freezer.

Place penny on top of frozen water.

Upon return, if penny is on bottom of cup and water is frozen, you know your electricity had gone out a d freezer contents are bad.

Throw out food.

Ah I'm not the only person who does this trick i always have a tupperware tumbler with a penny on top in the freezers.

Also have UPS'es in home office which text me if power events occur but i like low tech backups which rely entirely on physics
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
Being from the North, I thought I was all prepared. I have batteries, water, lamps, a crank radio and all that jazz. I keep enough cash around to get me through. Plus, while the heat totally sucks, I know it won't kill me. Don't have to worry about literally freezing to death. So I was all set.

Until I read your list, lol. Dehumidifiers! Bug spray! I'm making a new list now. :)

I love how coffee supplies are in not one, but two places on the list. You coffee peeps never fail to crack me up!

Thanks for this.

Coffee peeps have a saying give me the coffee and no one gets hurt.

Reality is though if caffeine were discovered today it would be illegal as its a white alkaloid powder in its natural form...
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
I didn't see anyone post this.

Fill your bath tub(s) with water.

To late to do these things now but my set up is this.

7500 watts portable generator.
I installed a 30 amp box that's wired into my breaker box. It is up to code with a lock out plate.
30 gallons of gas and I have a 57 gallon propane tank for the outside grill. I use also for a fireplace too but that's not needed now.

Back feeding my breaker box allows me to have everything except AC, oven, cloths dryer. I have a heat pump water heater which runs on very little current so I'll even have hot water. The cloths dryer may work on low heat, haven't tried it?

I fill my bath tubs with water so I have many gallons for flushing or whatever other need I may have.

Other then that I'm all supplied up with food for about 10 days. I should have enough gas for 10 days of electric as well.

Clothes dryer will run on air dry cycle it will take hours but use little fuel low will probably use most of generator capacity and it will suck fuel like its going out of style not good when you have a fixed amount of fuel on hand.

One other thing id suggest for generator is a heavy chain or cable along with a stout lock and chain genset to something large and immovable like a tree or a concrete pilling. This will stop theft by opportunity.

The more determined theives Well a 12 gauge with 00 buck should stop even the most determined pump action best because the sound of racking a shell into the chamber will probably induce the immediate need for clean underwear and a equally urgent desire to leave the area.
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
How much gas does that run through an hour? Is it gas or diesel?

Propane burns 2.9 gal/hr at max load. Most of the time it burns about .6 GPH under normal load as we shut off all non essential loads

Propane is just about the ideal fuel for generators as its clean and does not go bad like gasoline and diesel (Diesel grows algae if left alone)
 

raymusiccity

Well-Known Member
Ah I'm not the only person who does this trick i always have a tupperware tumbler with a penny on top in the freezers.

Also have UPS'es in home office which text me if power events occur but i like low tech backups which rely entirely on physics

Just plug any timer into a spare outlet. It will always show you, to the minute, how long your power was out. :)
 

JohnD

Well-Known Member
There have been so many of us who have weathered hurricanes lately, I thought I would start a thread where we could share tips on making life more bearable without power, 7 days in my case. This might be of interest to those of you in Ivan's path, and give anyone who might face outages a few ideas they hadn't thought about. THIS IS NOT REALLY ABOUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ANY PREPAREDNESS MANUAL LISTS!!!

These are insider secrets, so to speak, based on actual experience. :animwink:

1. Bug Spray of all types! I picked this up from a forum member who survived Charley! (I can't remember who it was right now, but bless you. :kiss: ) I had ants everywhere! The tree that fell was full of Carpenter Ants and earwigs, and they were climbing in on my extension cords. I used repellent to keep bugs off us, the indoor sprays to kill all of the ants and other critters that came in out of the storm, and the yard guard to spray around the steps and garbage cans.

2.Ever wonder about all that bleach you're old to have on hand? The "plain" stuff can be used to purify water enough for personal hygiene (but I wouldn't trust it for drinking) The "scented" stuff is for pouring down drains to keep the smell down.

3. Smell!!! After a few days without power, your house will start to stink! I went through tons of scented candles and room spray!

4. Damp Rid Theyre's a hanging closet type and also the standard type. Better to have several small containers rather than one big one.

5.Small sterno camp stove and extra fuel This, along with a camp coffee pot and small, heavy clad sauce pan and frying pan, was invaluable!!! It rained for days, so an outside grill was impossible, and running back and forth to my neighbor's was pretty tiring. I was able to make coffee (make sure you have lots of ground on hand) heat soup, etc., and boil water to wash dishes.

6. Coffee mate liquid in individual servings, and sugar PACKETS I hate the powdered stuff. It was damp and sticky...not great for sugar, unless you have an airtight container!

7. Personal mister fans like the ones you see at WDW. What might be a pain in a park is heaven at home. I only had one; I wish I had a dozen! The one I have was great for sitting in front of and reading.

8. A Chillow It helped at night.

9.Battery operated high intensity lanterns We had one large Coleman; again, I wish I had at least two more. The one I have has high, low, and night light features. I used them all; it's really dark!!! I found some mini ones at Target (only one light level, however). I labelled them with each family member's name (except my Hello Kitty one) so we could keep track of them.

10. ALL types of flashlights!!! Large ones for checking "noises" outside. Tiny ones that you can clip on your waistband to keep it close. The flashlight/lantern combos are useful. Also, a couple of headlight types were useful for when you needed your hands free (refueling the generator, for instance :lol: ) Also, individual reading lights are good...I have one that I can hang around my neck.

11. Lots and lots of assorted batteries See #10 I gave my son a supply daily. If he used them up playing Game Boy, watching the battery powered TV, listening to the radio, or just forgetting to turn his lantern off, he had to go to bed early because he didn't have any light. Power is PRECIOUS, and not to be wasted. He was very conservative by the end of the week.

12. I had 2 small Battery powered TVs I wish my husband had purchased the somewhat larger color one he had seen the weekend before the storm!!! It was hard to track thunderstorms and tornados in blak and white. :rolleyes:

13. Hurricane Lamps You know, the glass ones with the chimney and wick that you fill with oil. Make sure you have extra oil; it's hard to find. However, it saves on batteries, and is cheaper to use. I only have one; I'm getting more when they become available.

14. Freeze pint sized water bottles As the storm nears, start feezing as much water as you can fit in your freezer. Not only did I freeze small bottles, but I ran the ice maker constantly and filled gallon zip lock freezer bags with cubes. I also froze water filled storage containers. Not only would these work as ice packs for your cooler, but then you had drinking water after they melted. We never lost water, but it was good to know we had plenty.

15. Not all of your 3 gallons/person water is for drinking! I filled any container I could find; save and rinse out empty milk containers, fill the tub and washing machine, collect rainwater in buckets for washing and flushing. I also have two of the collapsible 5 gallon containers. I prefer the smaller bottles for drinking, and the larger ones for cooking, etc. When it comes to food, small is better; you can't store leftovers.

16. Sun Shower I had a neighbor with gas hot water, so I could take a hot shower...by candlelight. However, I have one that I'm prepared to use to wash with. (wearing a bathing suit, of course; my yard is pretty private, but still...)

17. Canned flavored water We like the LaCroix brand. It comes in cases, so is easy to stack. This is true of ALL drinking water; if you can find it in cases, it's much easier to store.

18. GENERATOR Even if you can't store it yourself, you could possibly go in with a nearby neighbor, as we did. However, he's buying a bigger one ASAP, and we're getting the smaller one, with his larger reservoir modification. Otherwise, you have to refuel every 2-3 hours!!! We also purchased more gasoline cans (plastic, really) so we didn't have to run to the gas staion as often. All of the cars, including my daughter's, were filled and could be used as fuel. Fortunately, we didn't need it.

19. DO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN "NORMALLY" WHENEVER YOU CAN For instance, I had access to hot water, so we used "real" dishes instead of paper and plastic. Just a small thing, I know, but it made things feel better. I also ran my car's DVD player for the neighborhood kids one night. We sat with the A/C on, munching on snacks, with the rain on the roof. Again, just a small thing, but the sort of thing they'll remember. We also celebrated both my husband's and neighbor's birthday this past week. I had an ice cream cake stored in my neighbor's freezer (generator) but we all had to finish it in one sitting. The sacrifices we made! :lol:

WOW! I can't believe how much I wrote! :eek:

I put #14 to use right now. Let the ice maker work for you. What happens when it fills up? It stops. Zip lock bag that ice so that the bin is empty and fills up again. Great tip!
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
Have a 12 gauge. I have 4 shot think that's the right size for crowd control. Has some stopping power and a wider pattern then 00.

I can just pull the generator into the garage at night. The way I'm set up the generator is in front of my garage, short distance to break panel, deadens the sound in the house and I can bring it in and lock it up easily when not in use. No point in running it while everyone is a sleep. If it was really hot and humid I might run the generator all night but I'm not sure who is brave enough to run off with it. In general everyone has a rifle or shot gun around here.

All natual disasters invite predators in from the outside those whose lifestyle is based on taking whats not theirs. These are the people you need to worry about not your neighbors.

During the big ice storm we had a few years ago there were many generator thefts largely by criminal elements from gangs based out of state along with a few home grown lowlifes.

But chaining down the gensets stopped most of the thefts as a 30 second heist was now a few minutes so the probability of getting caught went way up.

Chaining together fuel cans also a good idea.
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
Propane burns 2.9 gal/hr at max load. Most of the time it burns about .6 GPH under normal load as we shut off all non essential loads

Propane is just about the ideal fuel for generators as its clean and does not go bad like gasoline and diesel (Diesel grows algae if left alone)


We decided to make it mobile to an extent as we've had situations where we've been fine but wife's parents without power for a week. And also it allows us to provide power for outdoor events we participate in.
 

Me 'Earties

Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate
After Sandy, we did the permanent standby generator. It was surprisingly easy to DIY and reasonably affordable. But when the power is out and you have working A/C or Heat, it's worth every penny spent.
View attachment 227390

I'm also putting one in @Me 'Earties new house too. (She needs the bigger one for the hair dryer :p)

View attachment 227389

It's also nice not to be price gouged by contractors installing one, as they were doing after Sandy. Nice that family knows how to install one of these things...and be able to use a forklift to put it in place ;)
 

Me 'Earties

Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate
LOVE this - we have a Generac in MI - it has saved our butts 4-5 times in 10 years....
But curious? A lot of FL has NO Nat Gas availability.... are you running YOUR Generac on Propane? One could - these are "duel fuel", and a big, filled tank of Propane beats scrounging for Gasoline :). Also FAR safer.

Worth noting - OUR Generac, like a car that gets driven about 3 weeks a year, is likely to outlive us. It just runs in weekly self test most times, and costs us about $200 per year in pro tuneups. Initial outlay, Unit+Labor, WAS about $7000. My dear wife and I, after several years, think this is the best $7000 we ever spent :).

@monothingie didnt mention it, but his house (and mine on the other end of town from his) are in northern NJ, so no issue with gas supply
 

Kamikaze

Well-Known Member
Something I don't know the answer to but I'm sure @marni1971 does. What is the previous largest thing damaged from a Hurricane/Tropical Storm at WDW? I know roofing tiles/shingles happens, but has there ever been structural damage?
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Something I don't know the answer to but I'm sure @marni1971 does. What is the previous largest thing damaged from a Hurricane/Tropical Storm at WDW? I know roofing tiles/shingles happens, but has there ever been structural damage?
Not that I can think of off the top of my head but don't quote me. Remember everything on property of any merit is built to the EPCOT Code standard.

I just hope this weekend won't be the biggest test of the code.
 

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