Ways to Protect Your Home from Hurricane Damage
June 1 marked the beginning of the 2017 hurricane season. With Hurricane Irma on the way, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to home protection. Follow these tips in order to better defend your home against potential disaster.
Secure Windows and Doors
Not only do broken windows let in rain and wind, but they can also increase the air pressure underneath the roof. Use storm shutters to prevent windows from breaking; if you don’t have storm shutters, boarding up your windows will work just as well. Doors leading to the outside should be locked, preferably with several locking mechanisms or a good deadbolt lock. Doors and windows should be secured on all sides of the home, as hurricane winds can be unpredictable and come from any direction.
Prepare the Roof
Make sure you have hurricane ties installed in the structure of the roof as they will make it more resistant to high winds, uplifting, racking, and over turning. Also check the roof for any loose tiles or shingles, which can become lethal projectiles in the high winds of a hurricane. Sealing areas where wires enter the home through the roof will lessen the chances of water damage during the heavy rain period.
Brace the Garage Door
The garage door can be the most vulnerable part of the house if it is not reinforced. If the wind gets into the garage, it creates a positive push; at the same time, the wind swirling above the garage creates a negative pull. This combination can result in the roof coming off. Click here to learn different ways you can brace your garage door.
Trim Trees
The bigger a tree grows, the more prone it is to falling in high winds due to weak wood and branching structure. Look for dead sections or foliage on any trees near your house. Loose limbs can easily turn into missiles that can break through windows during a hurricane. Insurance will cover damage done by fallen trees, but might only pay a portion of the cost of tree removal, especially if the tree has not hit anything. Check this list to find out what trees pose as dangerous during a hurricane.
Get Prepared
Make sure your insurance policy covers the full cost of rebuilding in case you lose your home during a hurricane. The cost of rebuilding a home might be more money than what the home is valued at. Consider getting flood insurance, too, if you don’t have it; post-hurricane flooding is the leading cause of home damage. Take an inventory of all the important items in your house – should a disaster occur it will be easier to make an accurate claim.
Hurricanes can cause enormous damage to home property during and after the storm. You can find tools here to help support your local community in the event of a hurricane.
