Host of HGTV's Fixer to Fabulous, Dave Marrs, and his family are based in Bentonville, Arkansas, an area prone to tornado activity. They have lived through two tornadoes in just the last five years and have experienced first-hand the fear that sets in when winds pick up, the tornado sirens sound and phone alerts go off.
In that period, the Marrs family was spared with only some roof and vehicle damage, but others in their community were not so lucky. In talking with Dave about how to protect homes from tornadoes, he shared with us how he recommends building with Insulated Concrete Forms, or ICFs, to keep families safe from these dangerous storms. Learn more about Dave’s experiences with ICFs here and keep reading for a look at our Q&A with Dave Marrs.
Marrs: From my personal experience, it is absolutely necessary to create structures that can withstand extreme weather for anyone you love, especially your kids. Our youngest son, Luke, is still terrified of storms after enduring a tornado. As a dad, I never want my kids to experience that again.
Marrs: I don't believe stick-built homes are made to withstand the wind and flying debris a tornado creates. A 2x4 was never built to withstand flying debris coming at 200 miles an hour.
Q. How can someone build differently to keep their family safe in tornado-prone areas?Marrs: Build with ICF. Use impact glass, tie your trusses with steel from the footing to the roof.
Marrs: They give you the impact [resistance] and wind rating to keep you safe in some of the worst storms. Why build a storm shelter, when you have the option to build a storm house?
Marrs: I would have homeowners look at what they will be saving on insurance, utilities, and interior storm shelters. Also, you are building an investment for your family, a safe place for them to gather when storms come unexpectedly. ICF is worth the investment.
