by Jamie Schultz
2017-01-02
Every year, hurricane season tests the homes and nerves of Florida residents. And this year was no different. In September, Hurricane Hermine swept through the Florida Gulf Coast, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Hundreds of homes were damaged, however, the DIY Network Blog Cabin™ 2016 home in Panacea stood up beautifully to Hermine.
After seeing how gorgeous this Gulf Coast getaway turned out, everyone was relieved that the home resisted Hermine incredibly well. Dylan Eastman, the build and design manager, inspected the home and reported there was no debris damage. Unfortunately, that was not the case for most of the neighbors who experienced severe damage from Hermine’s high winds that reached up to 80 miles per hour. The winds downed trees and battered houses up and down the coast. Dylan said he was thankful that the damage was contained to the dock and landscaping, and minimal in comparison to everyone else.
Even though Hermine is the first hurricane in about 10 years to come ashore in Florida, Dylan said that winds, ocean spray and humidity were general concerns when building the house on the Gulf Coast of Florida. As one of the DIY Network Blog Cabin partners, James Hardie’s siding and trim were used for the home’s exterior, and America voted on the colors. “Offering America the choice to design much of the DIY Network Blog Cabin is always an exciting process,” Dylan said. “This year, I gave our audience a choice of ColorPlus® finish combinations for siding and trim that spoke to our overall design motif, and they chose the Boothbay Blue siding with Monterey Taupe trim as their favorite.”
Dylan also talked about how the DIY Network Blog Cabin now stands out from the other homes in the neighborhood. The original house had faded into the backdrop of pine trees and palms, and the new siding transformed the look of the house.
After the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the devastation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, it makes sense to protect homes that lie in hurricane-prone areas with fiber cement siding. The DIY Network Blog Cabin 2016 made it through Hermine without any exterior damage, and it’s well prepared for what Mother Nature brings next.
For more Hurricane Hermine aftermath photos click here.
(Photos © 2016 Scripps Networks, LLC. Used with Permission)
