Drive around parts of Waterbury and you’ll notice buildings boarded up with trusty plywood.
Some say the days of using plywood to board up abandoned or vacant buildings are over-- but not everyone thinks the replacement is a good idea.
This conversation began after Ohio banned the use of plywood to board up buildings.
“It’s nice to have beautification but some people will break into places if they’re not secure,” Len Bunting of Waterbury, said.
Ohio wants people to use a material called polycarbonate. The clear material could go over windows in an attempt to look better. In addition, the material is stronger than plywood and would stop people from easily breaking into buildings.
The main drawback is the cost.
“The main thing is cost. There’s a huge cost difference between the two,” Gil Graveline, Waterbury building inspector, said.
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A whole house could be boarded up for $180 with plywood, which is the cost of one sheet of polycarbonate
“I’m all about saving money. I just paid a ton of money on car taxes,” John Merritt of Waterbury, said.
But, money is not the only issue. Polycarbonate’s durability could pose a problem in an emergency.
“Fireman don’t like that because they can’t break that. If it’s secured properly, it’s extremely difficult to get off,” Graveline said.
Some don’t see either as a good option and worry about how fires including one recently in Waterbury started in an abandoned warehouse.
“To me all these buildings should be demolished and just leave the plain area so we don’t have to deal with fires or people breaking into the buildings,” Keila Gonzalez of Waterbury, said.
According to reports, Ohio’s law goes into effect in April and applies to homes foreclosed on by the bank.
