| [Image: Jones house] |
| [Image: Sheri Fair] |
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After Hurricane Rita devastated Southwest Louisiana, taking away her house, Margaret Jones decided she would build a new house that could stand up to a hurricane.
Her previous house was a ground-level structure she inherited after her parents died. When Hurricane Rita ravaged the Southwest Louisiana coast in September 2005, more than 8 feet of water ran through her house, the windows blew out, and the walls caved in.
“I came back to nothing,” Jones said. “Some people thought I should move away, build somewhere else. But I’ve lived here all of my life. There was never any doubt I would rebuild.”
Features of Jones’s house include:
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Elevated 2-story structure.
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Piling foundation includes 36 10-by-10 wooden pilings. The 20-foot pilings are driven 10 feet into the ground and are surrounded by a collar of concrete 18 inches in diameter to a depth of 5 feet. The pilings are connected to the concrete collar and slab with steel rebar.
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The slab perimeter is 51 feet wide by 55 feet long, with a floor plan of 50 feet by 54 feet.
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The framing system consists of 2-by-6 pressure-treated lumber, spaced 16 inches on center.
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Fiber cement siding:
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Doesn’t rot, split, crack or peel.
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Has a 25-year “no paint” rating.
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Flood-resistant, non-combustible, termite-resistant.
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Installed to resist high wind forces.
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Impact-resistant window units.
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Energy-efficient features include:
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Insulated windows and doors.
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Insulation between 2-by-6 studs.
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Spray foam insulation on the underside of the roof deck in unvented attic —so ductwork is in conditioned space (prevents energy losses); no attic/soffit vents prevent wind driven water entry, which insulates the attic and adds thermal protection for ductwork.
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A/C unit operates in zones, controlling the upstairs and downstairs rooms separately.
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Two natural gas water heaters operate in zones; shorter piping.
Jones is proud of her new house. She said it is more suited to her needs.
“This gave me the opportunity to build a house the way I wanted,” she said. “The first house was my parents’ house. It was a reflection of them. This is my house, and it is built like I want it.”
Video: Interview with the owner