Hurricane Protection – Prepping Your House from Probable Disaster
Damage induced by hurricanes can be devastating for your home. The strong winds can break windows, tear apart roofs and uproot trees and shrubs. Your home is also susceptible to water damage from the heavy rains. Still, there are approaches you can take to secure your home from strong storms. Follow the guidelines below to make sure you, your family and your house is safeguarded from a hurricane and to avoid the need for storm damage repairs.Hurricane Preparation Checklist
- Garage Door – If your house has a garage, this should be one of the first things to prep. Strong winds can penetrate the standard residential garage door because they're not built with the extra support. What can take place is the wind will create a positive push inside your garage, and the wind outside of the structure creates a negative pull. When this occurs, your garage and roof will sustain a lot of stress because of this tug-of-war instance. To prevent a major storm damage repair, you can buy braces that will help your garage door combat hurricane conditions. This is the most trustworthy approach, but if you don't have the time to install a kit, then you can use your car to help support your garage door.
- Windows and Doors – A common occurrence that's correlated with hurricanes is water damage, and when your doors and windows aren't secure this will allow the storm to get into your house. Before the storm reaches your area, make sure your shutters are sturdy and in a working condition. The latches on your shutters should be strong and it may be necessary to install locks on them. Boarding up your windows is also a great idea if you don't have storm shutters. A common fallacy with window prep is that you can use masking tape on the window; however, this doesn't defend it at all. Also, ensure your doors are in strong condition and that the deadbolts are working right. You can also brace your doors for extra defense.
- Roof – Conducting a quick checkup on your roof before a hurricane hits your area can save you from a lot of property damage. A great starting point is to look for loose shingles and apply some roofing cement to repair them. Next, look for any threatening gaps where any wiring is entering in your house and seal them off. Small gaps may not seem like an issue, but sealing them off can prevent water from entering your house. You might want to think about getting hurricane straps to ensure your roof is fastened as well. Another thing to do is unclog your gutters so there's suitable irrigation for the strong rains.
- Your Property – Take a walk around your property before the storm hits. Your shrubs and trees need some treatment and might require some pruning. Any dead or dangling branches can be dangerous in extreme winds and could cause a lot of damage to your home. This goes for items on your lawn such as patio furniture too. Transport any items that aren't fastened to the ground or weighed down to a safe place before the wind takes them away.
- Car – Your car can easily be forgotten when you're preparing your property for a storm. But it's just as critical to get your car ready too, so check that you have: a full tank of gas, good windshield wipers, tires with good tread and your windows sealed properly. Additionally, be conscious of where you park, especially if you rely on street parking. Check that your car isn't beneath any trees or in a location that's susceptible to floods.
