←back to thread

Is the world becoming uninsurable?

(charleshughsmith.substack.com)
476 points spking | 1 comments | 17 Jan 25 00:32 UTC | HN request time: 0.208s | source
Show context
tobyhinloopen ◴[17 Jan 25 07:13 UTC] No.42734903[source]▶
American, living in area prone to natural disasters: "Is the WHOLE WORLD becoming uninsurable?"

The answer is obviously "no" since there are other parts of the world that don't live on a hurricane highway nor build houses made from firewood in an area prone to wildfires.

replies(22): >>42735049 #>>42735252 #>>42735436 #>>42736011 #>>42736604 #>>42736730 #>>42737082 #>>42737199 #>>42737348 #>>42737687 #>>42738099 #>>42738455 #>>42738961 #>>42740444 #>>42740756 #>>42741668 #>>42741813 #>>42742051 #>>42742463 #>>42743561 #>>42744077 #>>42744352 #
infecto ◴[17 Jan 25 13:03 UTC] No.42737082[source]▶
Honest question. Why when people describe wood framed homes do they always phrase it like houses made from "firewood", "sticks", "twigs" etc? It at least for me always detracts from the argument at hand. You could just as easily build a wood framed home with an exterior shell that is fire resistant using modern materials or brick.
replies(14): >>42737226 #>>42737735 #>>42737914 #>>42737966 #>>42737981 #>>42738100 #>>42738297 #>>42738497 #>>42739478 #>>42739857 #>>42740828 #>>42741037 #>>42741241 #>>42743464 #
1. vollbrecht ◴[17 Jan 25 14:40 UTC] No.42737966[source]▶
One huge problem with respect to fire resistance, in American home's, are the use of truss connector plates. While they have many advantages in cost and allow impressive cheap big houses, they fundamentally weaken the wood when it burns. Often houses just collapse on that joints, not because the overall beam failed, but this interface. In the end the use of "wood" is blamed, but that failed to address the rootcause.