The most common question we are asked is how safe container homes are. Can atiny house containerstand up to the elements and natural disasters? Potential customers from Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama are unsure whether a container home can withstand forceful hurricane storms, tornados, and strong winds. The answer is yes. Container homes are designed keeping durability in mind and can survive weather extremities like earthquakes, hurricanes, and even wildfires. However, buying atiny house containerfrom a trusted builder is always recommended if you want hurricane-proof space. At TinyHouseMe, we simplify your search by helping you find 100s of tiny home sellers under one platform.
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Can a container home withstand a hurricane?
Container homes can be used anywhere in the world and are suitable in every climate. This is because they are manufactured with the strongest building material like Corten Steel, weather–resistant steel. Corten Steel is a copper chromium alloy steel that ensures greater weather resistance than other alternatives.
So, what else makes a tiny house container strong and resilient? It’s the design. As discussed above, Corten Steel provides structural strength. The doors with watertight seals also ensure that moisture and dust cannot get inside. Moreover, the container homes on a foundation built by a trusted builder ensure that the structure can withstand strong winds, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
However, you also need to note that the more you cut the walls of the container home for doors and windows, the more unstable the structure becomes. Therefore, it is also essential that the container home is built as per the local building codes, for which you should get the structure designed by a trusted builder.
If the buildings in your location are prone to hurricanes, tornados, and heavy storms, then it’s advisable to take expert help to plan your container home.
Can the container home withstand a tornado?
A tiny house container is sturdy, durable, and can withstand wear and tear. However, many ask whether a container home can withstand a tornado.
A container home would withstand a tornado better than a traditional house. This is why container homes are often used in disaster-prone areas as emergency shelters. So, if you are worried that natural calamities will destroy your container home, you can relax, as that won’t happen. The framing of the container home and steel wall structure can offer better protection than traditional houses. However, there are a few important factors to consider when building a container home to avoid disaster. For instance, the container home must be properly anchored to withstand the storm, and the foundation needs to be secure and strong.
Overall, the right construction techniques and design can ensure the tiny house container is safe and secure enough to withstand rough weather conditions.
Precautions you can take for the container home from incoming storms
Building a berm can ensure safety from incoming storms. When you build a berm, build in the direction of the storm to address wind speeds and stop any damage from flying debris.
You can also bury the tiny house container completely or partially to protect the structure from storms and prevent damage. Of course, this method is not ideal as you have to sacrifice views and windows; but your home will surely be more protected.
The only point to note here is that burying a container home is not as easy as digging a hole and putting the structure inside. You need to reinforce the walls and take additional precautions, or else, the structure might collapse on you.
Choose hurricane windows or impact-resistant windows
Coastal areas or places prone to storms have container homes with impact-resistant or hurricane-proof windows. They are made of two or more panes of glass and are held jointly by interlayers of either polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). Therefore, if at all the glass breaks, it develops a ‘spider web’ cracking instead of the glass shards flying all around.
Impact-resistant windows and doors can also block 99% of harmful UV rays, increase security and reduce noise. In addition, these windows allow natural sunlight even during a storm and thus improves energy efficiency.
What is the best way to protect a container home from hurricanes and storms?
The ideal way to secure a tiny house container is to mount the structure on a foundation. If you plan to get home on wheels, bolt the container to the foundation rather than welding it. There are some products that can help you to anchor and strap the home down on a foundation to provide an extra layer of protection from hurricanes and strong winds—for example, steel arrowed anchors, earth penetrators, bullet anchors, and so on.
However, taking expert advice is better, and that’s why signing up at TinyHouseMe is ideal. We offer you good advice on tiny homes and can help you connect with container home builders at a faster pace. However, if you are worried about your container home getting rusty, the next answer is for you.
Will container homes rust faster due to heavy storms?
Container homes last for many years in wet atmospheric conditions, but you need to check rust spots more often than you would like. The average lifespan of a container home is 25 years, and a used one will last only for ten years. However, there are many things you can do to increase lifespan and prevent rust.
Firstly, if you notice rust spots, treat them immediately because if it gets too late, sandblasting is necessary to remove the rust. First, all the rust spots need to be removed and cleaned, and then the metal should be painted and left to dry. Certain paints are rust-resistant and last for ten years or longer. You can also prolong its life by adding external cladding to container homes. Proper cladding lasts for decades and won’t get damaged by termites or rotting. High-quality cladding materials are rated to last for more than 50 years.
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Final Words
When hurricanes have destroyed traditional homes, container homes are set up for disaster relief in certain areas, proving their strength against the weather elements. However, if you are looking for a good quality container home, you should meet with trusted tiny home builders before signing a contract. Join TinyHouseMe to connect with multiple tiny home builders now. We help you book an appointment with your matched builder at the earliest. Become a member now!
