C.C. – Canton, North Carolina
This very nice small rental cabin – 1BR/1BA – in the shadow of Mt. Pisgah in the Hominy Valley outside of Asheville North Carolina offered the Eco-Panels team a unique opportunity to more fully realize the strength of our product in a real world situation. Erected by owner/builders in the height of the economic recession (around 2011) the cabin that featured both the finished LP Smartside Panel exterior rated siding integrated into our building panel as well as gable ends using the Huber ZIP System exterior sheathing with an integrated weather resistive barrier (WRB). The underside of the roof panels used a beadboard plywood product that was simply painted after installation.
Large Tree Lands on Cabin - Minor Damage
In the spring of 2020 a very strong storm moved through this valley and felled a number of tall trees. One of these trees – perched up-hill from the cabin – fell and hit the front side of the cottage at almost full force. We know this because when it struck the tree was almost horizontal with where it impacted. Measuring almost 80’ long from base to top branches, this tree had few leaves on it to slow its fall and where it struck the home the trunk of the tree measured at about 16” in diameter 36’ away from its base. Eco-Panels was asked to check out the damage, and with a licensed structural engineer that we retained for this survey for insurance purposes we were able to satisfy ourselves and the client that there was ZERO structural damage to this house, and no cosmetic damage at all to the interior of the home.
“I’ve never seen anything like it” said the NC licensed structural engineer. “This tree would have destroyed a stud framed roof system – and maybe even the whole cabin, possibly killing people inside. This gable-end wall stopped the force of the falling tree dead-cold. It really is amazing.”
During this survey we were also able to take many great photos of the interior of the rental cabin – we thought these owner-builder clients did an amazing job on a tight budget with the interior.
