BASC Search | Building America Solution Center

Asbestos: Worker and Employer Guide to Hazards and Recommended Controls

Reference

Guidance from HUD, EPA, NIH, and FEMA for workers who deal directly with asbestos.

Benefits of Seismic Upgrades: Is Earthquake Retrofitting Worth It in CA?

Reference

Article from California Earthquake Authority on the benefits of retrofitting homes to withstand earthquake forces, with a focus on foundations, walls, and chimneys.

Don’t Try Building Hugel Swales

Reference

Article describing the difference between swales and hugels (berms used to create soil from woody debris).

El Dorado County Fire District - Defensible Space

Reference

Document explaining requirements and recommendations for defensible space, with a focus on sloped vegetation.

Federal Disaster Policy: Toward a More Resilient Future

Reference

Newsletter reviewing federal disaster policy, the research basis for resilience, and three models of building resilient communities.

Hurricane Retrofit Guide - Gable End Overhangs

Reference

A document aimed at reducing the vulnerability of a gable end roof to wind damage in a hurricane.

Retrofit Improvements - Fuel Tank Anchoring

Reference

A guide on how to anchor fuel tanks to avoid damage from flooding and seismic events to the home by using straps and solid concrete slabs.

Using Backup Generators: Choosing the Right Backup Generator - Homeowners

Reference

A reference guide providing basic tips on using backup generators safely and effectively.

Above the Flood: Elevating Your Floodprone House, FEMA 347

Reference

Document describing three methods for elevating a home out of the flood zone.

Construct Roofs and Attics for Ice Dam Prevention

Guide

Guide describing how ice dams form and how roofs can be constructed to prevent them.

Emergencies and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Reference

Website that lists references that can help you determine how to control you indoor air quality while combating an emergency.

Raise Electrical System Components - Protecting Your Property from Flooding

Reference

Flyer describing reasons and best practices for raising electrical systems above flood-levels.

Advanced Technical Solutions for Zero Energy Ready Homes: Renewable Integration

Presentation

Webinar describing technical solutions for integrating renewables in Zero Energy Ready Homes.

Grim Lessons from Tornado Alley

Reference

Website article touring areas hit hardest by tornadoes to see how they are building differently to protect against the next big twister.

Installing Seismic Restraints for Duct and Pipe, FEMA P-414

Reference

Report showing installers how to attach ducts, pipes, and associated equipment to buildings to minimize earthquake damage.

FORTIFIED Home Choosing the Right Tape

Reference

Checklist providing recommendations for the right tape in order to reduce the risk of leaks during storms with wind-driven rain.

Earthquake-Resistant Design Concepts: An Introduction to the NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions, FEMA P-749

Reference

Report providing an introduction to the NEHRP recommended seismic provisions for new buildings and other structures.

FLASH website

Reference

Website containing resources from the nonprofit FLASH, which "is the country’s leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from natural and manmade disasters."

Did You Know? Hurricane Retrofit a Home (#5349)

Video

Video segment educating homeowners on how to make their communities more disaster-resistant, from Michael Holigan's Your New House Home Improvement TV Show.

Food and Water in an Emergency, FEMA 477

Reference

A fact sheet on how to prepare for a natural disaster by storing food and water through an emergency food supply.

Preparing for Disaster, FEMA P-475

Reference

Fact sheet describing how to prepare for a natural disaster and assemble a disaster supply kit.

FORTIFIED Home Inside FORTIFIED

Reference

Website providing resources for roofers to construct high-wind, hurricane, and hail-resistant roofs from IBHS Fortified program.

Rain and Groundwater Management Technote

Reference

Fact sheet describing design and construction practices to reduce the likelihood of water intrusion in walls and foundations in residential construction.

Earthquake Country Alliance: Refrigerators

Reference

Factsheet describing how to secure refrigerators and other major appliances to wall studs using earthquake appliance straps or angle brackets and bolts.

Earthquake Country Alliance: TVs, Computers and Electronics

Reference

Factsheet describing how to secure televisions, microwaves, computers, and other electronics to prevent damage during earthquakes.

Understanding Attic Ventilation, BSD-102

Reference

BSD-102 report providing guidance about whether to construct a vented or unvented attic based on hygro-thermal zone.

Flood and Hurricane Resistant Buildings, BSD-111

Reference

Guide from Building Science Corporation on how to construct a flood and hurricane resistant home.

How subterranean termites get into your house and how to stop them | 10News WTSP

Video

Video from 10 Tampa Bay showing how subterranean termites can get into a home and two strategies to deploy to clear your home of termites.

Freeze Protection for CPVC Fire Sprinkler Piping Guide

Reference

A guideline containing fire sprinkler insulation requirements from the Prescott, Arizona Fire Department.

Creating a Fire Adapted Home

Reference

Fact sheet describing guidance for choosing appropriate materials and using proper construction practices when rebuilding, repairing, or renovating a home to increase its resistance to fires.