How to Protect Your House from a Hurricane – Avoid Storm Damage
Flooding, structural loss and water damage are the usual scenarios for a post-hurricane environment. Nevertheless, there are some essential approaches you can execute in order to avoid these incidents and any excessive storm damage restorations. It's important to do anything you can to secure your house from a hurricane and to keep your loved ones and your neighbors safe. Below is a list of approaches to keep in mind when preparing your home against Mother Nature.How to Prepare for a Hurricane
- Garage Door – To avoid any major storm damage repairs, your garage door should be one of the primary things to check for. Most of the garage doors in residential neighborhoods aren't installed to fight hurricane conditions, so it's essential to purchase a brace kit. By supporting your garage door, you'll have defense against the winds that cause a positive push in your space. This is crucial because the winds that develop outside will create a negative pull over your garage. When this happens, you'll get a tug-of-war scenario which puts a lot of pressure on your garage and roof. Supporting your garage door with braces is an effective way to prevent major damage. However, if don't have the time to install the garage door kit, you can use your vehicle to support your garage door.
- Windows and Doors – Busted windows don't only allow the rain to get into your home, but the wind that comes through can increase the pressure under your roof, which can lead to excessive damage to your structure. Storm shutters are a great approach to protect your home during a storm. When a storm is on its way, make sure the latches on your shutters are functioning properly and you may want to think about adding additional locks for added measure. You can also board up your windows if you don't have shutters, but it's important to know that placing masking tape on your windows won't do anything in a heavy storm. When your windows are protected, check your doors next. Make sure they're strong and that the deadbolts are functioning right.
- Roof – Make sure to scan your roof for any damaged shingles and other vulnerable spots. You can use roof cement to secure any loose shingles, and you should consider hurricane straps to make sure your roof is secure to your home. Also, you'll want to seal any areas where wires come into your home to prevent any water damage from happening. While you're examining your roof, check to see if your gutters are cleaned out. You want to confirm you have good irrigation for the heavy rains that occur during a hurricane.
- Your Property – Have a walk around your lawn before the storm hits. Your trees and shrubs need some consideration and might require some trimming. Any dangling or dead limbs can be dangerous in windy conditions and could cause some damage to your house. This includes items on your lawn like patio furniture as well. Transport any loose items to a safe place before the wind takes them away.
- Car – Your vehicle can easily be forgotten when you're protecting your residence for a storm. But it's important to get your vehicle ready as well, so ensure you have: your gas tank filled, good windshield wipers, tires with good tread and your windows sealed properly. Furthermore, be conscious of where you park, especially if you rely on street parking. Check that your vehicle isn't under any trees or in an area that's vulnerable to flooding.
