Fort Belvoir residents say heat causing damage to homes, cars

Local Army families upset over housing conditions at Fort Belvoir

Residents at Fort Belvoir in Virginia are speaking out about the unsafe housing conditions that they say is leading to their personal property being destroyed. FOX 5's Sierra Fox reports.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - Fort Belvoir residents are speaking out about the unsafe housing conditions on base. Families say their personal property is being destroyed by heat damage.

The heat from the sun is reflecting off the windows of homes onto other houses and cars, causing noticeable damage.

Photos sent to FOX 5 show the sides of a home melting and patio furniture and a kid's trampoline burned.

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Families who spoke to FOX 5 did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation but are reaching out because they're not getting help, and they're worried someone could get hurt or a fire could start.

One woman says she had to take three of her cars to the shop to get fixed after they were charred and damaged.

"I feel violated because they take our money every month, but in return, we don’t get the maintenance that is required to give us a safe and habitual living experience," she says. "We get pushed to the side all the time."

Families say they did reach out to the housing office, maintenance and other officials to get the issue resolved, but nothing efficient has been implemented.

Last week, the Army released results of its 2022 Tenant Survey, revealing a decrease in resident satisfaction, specifically with maintenance service response times and overall communication.

FOX 5 spoke with an expert who has experience dealing with this type of heat damage from windows. He says it's very common and often people realize what's going on once it's too late.

"If you just imagine somebody’s backyard – they just invested $5,000 and all of a sudden it’s ruined," says Max El Kacemi of Turf Shield. "It’s terrible, and it does have a big impact on families. It’s sad to hear."

To prevent this at your own home, double-check to see if your windows have low Low-E coatings. If you notice a green hue, you'll want to get your windows coated.

FOX 5 reached out to Fort Belvoir, but we have not yet heard back.