That’s right. Tornado warnings. In New York City.

Now, it is important to keep in mind that some spots out near the end of Long Island are use to this sort of thing. And by “this sort of thing” I mean heavy winds, rains, and powerful, dangerous winds. In fact, there are some parts of Long Island where you’d be hard-pressed to find a house not equipped with hurricane windows and impact resistant shutters.

But the five boroughs? No, they’re not that use to it. Which is why when a tornado hit both Clinton Hill AND Park Slope on September 16^th it was such a shocking situation.

Here’s a short video of the storm:

Global weather phenomenon or not, if this crazy weather continues, I’ll be asking my landlord to install impact resistant windows like the guys on Long Island have.

Hurricane windows are generally constructed with a combination of plastic and glass – generally, the outer layers are a high impact glass, while the inner layers are plastic. That means that if a hurricane does break the glass, the window will hold shape and stay in place because of the plastic layer, so your home is still protected from wind and rain.

When choosing a hurricane windows contractor, review their certifications and find out what hurricane impact standards their products conform to. Windows should be clearly labeled as being tested and approved hurricane windows and should have a wind speed rating indicating the maximum impact that the windows can withstand. Like with any important household renovation, it’s essential to select a quality installer with a proven track record – the effectiveness of impact resistant windows can, of course, be compromised if they’re not installed properly.

A tornado is a swirling, violent, rotating column of air that’s connected to both the ground and a cloud, a visible funnel of dust and dirt. Most tornadoes are about 250 feet wide, have wind speeds of less than 100 miles an hour, and only travel a few miles before they dissipate. The most extreme tornadoes can travel at wind speeds of more than 300 mph, stretch more than two miles wide, and can stay on the ground for many miles.

Most of world’s tornadoes occur in the United States’ infamous Tornado Alley, which covers the area between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. Texas has more tornadoes than any other state in the United States, with Oklahoma, and of course Kansas, where Dorothy Gale was swept up and blown into the magical Land of Oz, close behind.

Tornadoes can cause varying degrees of damage. A weak tornado may leave a house’s roof damaged but the walls and impact resistant windows in tact, while violent tornadoes can completely obliterate building structures.

Impact windows can save your windows and the property in your home when it comes to tropical storms and hurricanes. But sometimes, hurricanes are more severe, causing complete destruction to properties and loss of life. Some of the most destructive hurricanes in terms of economic and human impact in U.S. history include:

• Hurricane Carla in September 1961 – Carla struck the coast of Texas with winds of 150 miles per hour and caused 500,000 people to evacuate. 46 people lost their lives.
• Hurricane Camille in August 1965 – Beginning as a category 5 storm, Camille struck the Gulf Coast at 200 miles per hour and caused severe flooding right into the state of Virginia. 250 people lost their lives.
• Hurricane Andrew in August 1992 – Hurricane Andrew struck Florida in the summer of 1992, then went onto hit Louisiana with heavy rain and tornadoes. Over one million people were evacuated.
• Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 – Impact resistant windows everywhere were shattered by Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Mississippi coast and inundated New Orleans. Katrina goes down as the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, causing $150 billion in damage. Some 1,200 people died, most of them Louisiana residents.

You’ve got your hurricane windows installed, but what is a hurricane, exactly? A hurricane is defined as a “tropical cyclone of great intensity” and is marked by a whirling, violent movement. These forces of nature can cause devastating destruction to people and property.

Hurricanes happen when there are large bodies of warm, moist air; they generally occur in the warmer months between June and November. Hurricanes develop in three stages – tropical depression, tropical storm, and hurricane – and the eye of a hurricane is usually 20 miles in diameter. Hurricane winds generally range from around 74 to 155 miles per hour, but winds have been recorded as reaching over 200 miles an hour.

Hurricanes are almost always circular in shape and their winds are far-reaching, spanning about 500 miles. Hurricanes can last anywhere between one day and one month, and they usually move in a westward direction. A large hurricane can dump over 2.4 trillion gallons of rain a day.

The deadliest U.S. hurricane occurred in Galveston, Texas in September of 1900; it unleashed 15-foot waves and 130-mile-an-hour winds, killing 8,000 people. To stay safe during hurricane season, protect your home with impact resistant windows and always listen to weather warnings.

And while some issues are miniscule and not worth wasting your time, there are certainly some small home repairs worth undergoing.

Typically, finding a contractor who specifically deals with the area of small home repairs you’re looking for is an inexpensive route to take. Not only does it get rid of the stress of doing the repair yourself, it also guarantees the job gets done the right way… that is, assuming you pick the right contractors.

Don’t forget, these trained professionals are ideal for your small home repairs because they have a plethora of specific training to complete the job successfully. Not to mention, they have the right tools (or at least should… assuming, once again, you’ve picked the right contractors) and a ton of experience.

The experience is the key factor, in this writers opinion, because it’s great to know whatever the problem is, big or small, your contractor has faced it before.

For those worried about price, be aware that TI Contractors only offers competitive pricing. And it is also important to know that impact windows often reduce the overall price in comparison to Non-Impact Windows. This is because installing windows that are non-impact require individuals install hurricane impact resistant storm shutters to ensure their safety and protection. And did we mention Energy Star rated impact glass window owners receive a tax rebate up to $1,500, thanks to The American Recover and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009?

Of course, having TI Contractors heavy duty 3-inch thick frame impact resistant windows and doors offers a plethora of different benefits. This includes non-stop hurricane and storm protection, non-stop intruder protection, outside sound reduction, UV protection, water penetration control and drainage, and both positive and negative wind-load pressure testing protection, amongst many others.

So make sure to use TI Contractors Impact Windows and Doors division for all your hurricane window and door needs. Not only does it have the most benefits, it can also save you the most money.

The list of 2010 Atlantic Ocean Hurricane names has already been decided, as it typical is. Generated by the National Hurricane Center, the names of the hurricanes always start from A and continues on until W, and then starts from the top again. However, the letters Q and U are both excluded. The National Hurricane Center has been pre-approving the list since 1953, and up until 1979 the list only consisted of female names. Currently, the lists alternate between male and female.

However, new lists are not created each year. There are a half-dozen lists at the moment that are rotated every six years. The only time a list changes is when a hurricane name is “retired” because of the massive devastation it causes. For example, the 2010 hurricane name list is the same as 2004, except that Charlay, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne have been replaced by Colin, Fiona, Igor, and Julia.

The list of 2010 Hurricane names:

Alex
Bonnie
Colin
Danielle
Earl
Fiona
Gaston
Hermine
Igor
Julia
Karl
Lisa
Matthew
Nicole
Otto
Paula
Richard
Shary
Tomas
Virginie
Walter

Whether its Alex, Fiona, or Karl, when the Hurricane comes, you better have your impact resistant windows ready.

If your building has a violation, even if it’s just a small one, it becomes a big one for you. That is why TI Building Code Violations division “specializes in providing remediation services… for all come building code violations, housing code, violations, fire department and fire code violations, electrical code violations, violations for fire sprinklers, violations for commercial buildings, residential code violations, violations for work without permits, and violations for open permits or expired permits.”

With a professionally trained team that is compiled entirely of in-house staff members and experts (no outsourcing here), the TI Building Code Violations division is professionally trained in everything from on-site evaluations to preparing the necessary documentation (including drawings and plans). And did we mention they can finish and complete all the necessary alterations to the structure needed in order to obtain or retain a full and final release of the violation? No? Well they will.

With TI Contractions, you are guaranteed to get the best team of trained remediation staff that will assist you in adjusting and overcoming any sort of common building code violation, whether they be residential or commercial.

When it comes to tenant improvements, two classic models are the design/bid/ build method and the design/build method.

The design/build method of making tenant improvements is a little more collaborative than the design/bid/build method, which is more linear, each party having their own separate role.

Since the design/bid/build method is more common in construction, today’s post will focus on the advantages of the design/build method.

As we see it, there are several advantages:

• it’s potentially the fastest delivery method
• it enables construction to begin before design is complete
• it provides integrated project team
• it allows more room for design phase builder assistance/expertise
• there is a single point of liability for design and construction
• it allows for an early construction cost commitment
• it reduces the likelihood of design related change orders and construction delays

To be fair, there are a few things that get lost in the design/build process, such as checks and balance between architect/engineering and contractor. It can be more difficult to rely on contract clauses to get the tenant improvements done, as this process requires more of a partnering attitude in which relationships and trust play a large role.

Is this the right method for you?