KENZO:
Are Wood Frame Homes Safe In Florida
With concrete block construction or CMU, cement blocks are utilized. Generally, the typical residential exterior wall made from these blocks (called CMUs) will measure 8” x 8” x 16” and is 80% hollow. Many people are curious as to why Florida has a combination of both wood frame and concrete block homes. It all depends on geography, as the Northern part of the state as well as the panhandle and some central Florida areas are majority-built in wood frame, while other areas in Florida typically build CMU homes even though the majority of homes with a second floor that is made out of engineered wood frame construction. Charlie Johnson Builder, one of the top home builders in Lake County FL, notes that both methods can be useful as both methods meet all current building codes which require the structure to be able to withstand 120 mph winds and perform properly thermally. Both types of building methods are built to withstand strong winds and hurricane weather, which is why it then depends on you as the homeowner.