House explodes in CO!

[sjwaste]

My old house is extremely efficient and is built to survive a bomb. No plywood anywhere, yay.

My old place was built in 1940. All brick. Roof and subfloors were decked, no plywood. 2x10 joists and I-beams supporting the whole thing in the basement. Somehow the block foundation didn't even leak, but I think that was just luck. Oh, and plaster/lathe. Yes, that shit is a pain to repair when you have to, but it was also really hard to crack, dent or chip. I miss plaster.

My new one (1997) isn't bad by modern standards. Each floor is supported by trusses instead of beams and joists. Structure is bracketed and bolted to the poured foundation - being coastal, this is shockingly important. Insulated well enough for northern new england. But there's something else about brick, boards and plaster that makes newer construction feel less durable.

 

[Red Squirrel]

One of our telco COs in town is pretty much a historical building from like the 1920's or so. Even has embossing on top with what was probably the company logo at the time. Still has original wood trims inside, asbestos tile (most are pealing off). The best though, is the old style doors. Heavy wood, and those crystal door handles with the small lock at the bottom, on a rectangular metal plate. Plaster and lathe of course, too. I find it's just so cool going in there. The basement is also quite something... you could totally shoot a horror movie in there.

 

[Ns1]

For sure, buy an older home.

wood rot, black mold, and asbestos; just what I always wanted!

 

[CPA]

This is why I rent.

Seriously tho, this happens all of the time and 9 out of 10 times its a fairly new house. You would think with the technical progression we would build houses better these days. My aunt has a house built in the 40s and its is still standing even tho the house next to hers spontaneously combusted.

No, it does not "happen all the time".

 

[Greenman]

This is why I rent.

Seriously tho, this happens all of the time and 9 out of 10 times its a fairly new house. You would think with the technical progression we would build houses better these days. My aunt has a house built in the 40s and its is still standing even tho the house next to hers spontaneously combusted.

The dreaded SHC (spontaneous house combustion). We've been battling this menace in the housing industry for years. Despite our best efforts, our tireless dedication, our relentless pursuit of fireproof construction, homes across the nation are still exploding at an ever increasing pace.
As you've discovered, the only certain method of prevention discovered to date, is renting. Someday, with enough funding, we will beat SHC, as God is my witness, I swear it.

 

[BudAshes]

older homes are even worse, wood rots

brick house on the other hand...

Earthquake will own it.

 

[highland145]

The dreaded SHC (spontaneous house combustion). We've been battling this menace in the housing industry for years. Despite our best efforts, our tireless dedication, our relentless pursuit of fireproof construction, homes across the nation are still exploding at an ever increasing pace.
As you've discovered, the only certain method of prevention discovered to date, is renting. Someday, with enough funding, we will beat SHC, as God is my witness, I swear it.

 

[gorcorps]

Jesus, that thing was torn apart.

Another video, but doesn't seem to explain much:
http://www.9news.com/video/default....&odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|featured

 

[JDMnAR1]

At about 1:34 it looks like the stove/oven comes into the frame (black fronted appliance anyway), and the only visible sign of fire damage is right next to it. Looks like a leaky gas line ignited to me.

 

[gorcorps]

Huh, my dad said he was working a good 30 blocks away and heard it. Didn't think anything of it really at the time as he was far enough away, but when he saw the news he knew that's what he heard.

 

[T9D]

This is why I rent.

Seriously tho, this happens all of the time and 9 out of 10 times its a fairly new house. You would think with the technical progression we would build houses better these days. My aunt has a house built in the 40s and its is still standing even tho the house next to hers spontaneously combusted.

I know man it's getting epidemic. I had 8 brand new houses explode on my street alone this year. I had to clean up debri again this morning that landed in my yard. The skyline is dirty from filth in the air from the new development across town exploding like popcorn in a microwave. My 1938 house is doing fine though

 

[Red Squirrel]

I know man it's getting epidemic. I had 8 brand new houses explode on my street alone this year. I had to clean up debri again this morning that landed in my yard. The skyline is dirty from filth in the air from the new development across town exploding like popcorn in a microwave. My 1938 house is doing fine though

It's a good thing rentals are explosion proof! I don't know what they do, but they just never blow up!

 

[marvdmartian]

It's a good thing rentals are explosion proof! I don't know what they do, but they just never blow up!

Mine did! :'(

Photo of the front of the house, afterwards. Still amazes me that I walked out without a scratch!

 

[dr150]

It all makes sense. These guys were in the house.

 

[Jmman]

I work really close to there. I was in the basement of our building, and it felt like a large sonic boom or something. Then we saw the cloud of smoke and debris. Crazy explosion......

 

[Gillbot]

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2013/06/14/gas-leak-caused-home-explosion-westminster/

 

[JulesMaximus]

older homes are even worse, wood rots

brick house on the other hand...

A brick house in San Francisco? Good luck with that...

 

[marvdmartian]

Most brick homes made in recent times are simply a brick facade over a wooden structure. Still has wooden wall construction, with drywall (or whatever) on the inside, and a sheathing that the brick is braced by, on the outside. On newer construction, it's oftentimes not even actual bricks, but a true facade of 1" thick brick on top of a regular wooden structure, to save on material cost and weight, most likely.

True brick structures can still be found, but they're usually OLD. The labor cost to build a real brick structure would be pretty horrendous, I'd imagine.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Drone strike on American soil should not be tolerated.

 

[skyking]

speaking of volatile situations, my nephew was having his first home floor refinished and they had a finishing product in there gassing off, a pilot light ignited it, and the whole floor flashed off.
The contractor had to re-sand the floor and replace some drapes, re-paint........ oops.

 

[Red Squirrel]

speaking of volatile situations, my nephew was having his first home floor refinished and they had a finishing product in there gassing off, a pilot light ignited it, and the whole floor flashed off.
The contractor had to re-sand the floor and replace some drapes, re-paint........ oops.

That was part of the plan, gives it that rustic finish.

 

[Greenman]

Most brick homes made in recent times are simply a brick facade over a wooden structure. Still has wooden wall construction, with drywall (or whatever) on the inside, and a sheathing that the brick is braced by, on the outside. On newer construction, it's oftentimes not even actual bricks, but a true facade of 1" thick brick on top of a regular wooden structure, to save on material cost and weight, most likely.

True brick structures can still be found, but they're usually OLD. The labor cost to build a real brick structure would be pretty horrendous, I'd imagine.

Building them isn't tough at all, or all that expensive. It's getting them to stand up in a quake that eats money.

 

[sjwaste]

Building them isn't tough at all, or all that expensive. It's getting them to stand up in a quake that eats money.

The labor is ridiculous. It takes a long time to lay brick compared to frame + plywood + barrier + siding/veneer.

But yeah, a brick structure would be terrible in a quake zone. Pretty good out here on the east coast, though.

 

[Greenman]

The labor is ridiculous. It takes a long time to lay brick compared to frame + plywood + barrier + siding/veneer.

But yeah, a brick structure would be terrible in a quake zone. Pretty good out here on the east coast, though.

Pretty good for what? I worked on an apartment building in Chicago that had partially burned, I can't believe that pile of crap could support it's own weight. It was just stacked up brick, no reinforcing, no sheer transfer, no floor to wall connections. I leaned against one of the walls before the roof framing was in place and it fell over. This was on the forth floor. Build something like that in California and you'd end up in prison.