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LaHouse is a display of high-performance building practices to create more sustainable, resilient and healthy homes in the gulf region. The research-based facility is located on LSU's Baton Rouge campus and displays home-building techniques and solutions for Louisiana's unique climate. LaHouse is open weekdays from 10 am to 4:30 p.m. for self-guided tours or can be toured completely virtually.
Experience the Lahouse via virtual tour
The metal straps are precut and engineered for quick installation and optimal performance.
Tying all parts of your house together creates a continuous load path allowing your home to distribute the load the high winds bring. This is critical during a hurricane because it helps hold your home together when winds try to pull it apart.
Impact rated windows and doors are made with an adhesive layer between the two panes of glass. If flying debris breaks the glass, the adhesive holds the window’s shape rather than having shattered glass in your home. If a window has no exterior protection like an awning, porch, or shutter, impact rated glass on doors or windows is an excellent solution to protect the home.
Fiber cement products are water resistant, insect resistant, and never rot.
A durable house wrap can withstand being handled and installed without damage. Durability is measured based on the ultraviolet (UV) rating, tensile strength, and cold surfactant resistance.
The main goal of house wrap is to keep water out of the wall assembly. The house wrap’s air resistance stops airflow across the building envelope.
Vapor permeability is the amount of vapor transmission that a house wrap permits in each time frame. A high perm means the wrap has a high vapor permeability that also prevents moisture from the outdoors entering the home.
A hip roof has four sides that all slope downward as opposed to a gable roof with only two sloped slides.
Because a hip roof does not rely on diagonal bracing and does not have a flat edge for the wind to catch, it is more stable during high winds. Some insurance companies will give small discounts on homes with hip roofs. Hip roofs are also less expensive to construct because they do not require all the additional bracings like gable roofs.
