Storm Preparedness

After a record-setting hurricane season property owners are still reeling from the estimated $150 to $200 billion in damages. Waterfront property is most vulnerable due to direct impact from surge conditions and high winds.

What’s the best strategy for repairing existing damages while helping your dock, pier or waterfront home survive future storms? According to Mark Pearson, owner, Pearson Pilings, building with composite materials such as Pearson Composite Pilings is a good start. While no one can guarantee property will remain unscathed, “We’re giving them the best chance they have,” he explains. Due to its flexibility and strength, Pearson’s composite material is more likely to bend without breaking. To maximize the strength of the pilings, Pearson recommends connections to composite structures when possible, since pilings bolted to wood are more likely to fail.

“I’ve seen the results of this kind of catastrophic failure,” notes Pearson. “During hurricanes and storms bolts can rip right out of wooden pilings.” He snapped the image above while in Texas in 2009 after Hurricane Ike. “It’s heartbreaking to see,” he recalls. “But we want to give you the best chance possible to keep your property intact during natural disasters. That’s why we do what we do.”