Comments by "Lepi Doptera" (@lepidoptera9337) on "How Can You Build a Fireproof House?" video.

  1. And unless you have a bunch of trees around the house nothing will burn for more than ten minutes. Less if you turn the sprinklers on.
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  2. Ah, somebody didn't pay attention in high school when the concept of a Faraday cage was discussed.
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  3. @UCmjM1errX7ZJTGjyuzCGHfw Tell you what, friend. You get into a wooden stud cage, I get into a steel stud cage and we both go underneath a lightning test facility's generator. Better get yourself a tin foil hat, though, we don't want your beautiful hair to burn. The smell of burnt hair is really awful. The rest is more like BBQ, I guess. :-)
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  4. What is? How earthquake resistant a structure is depends entirely on the bracing between the studs and top and bottom plates. Your average contractor builds your straw house with two nails per wall stud and then slaps on some pretty weak wall panels with four nails. That's why it doesn't stand up. A properly built house requires metal wood connectors and special wall panels with plenty of specialty fasteners that don't pull out. Nobody does that until you force them to by watching them do it right.
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  5. Yes, that is cheaper, but you will miss the ocean.
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  6. It isn't.
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  7. Actually, if you look at the cost of cement board vs. particle board or laminated wood, the cement board probably wins in many cases. Wood is expensive. Why does your contractor not like it? Because he probably has to pre-drill holes and use screws as fasteners. He can't just shoot it on. Cutting it might also require more precautions... the workers can't breath the dust in.
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