Getting Your House Ready for a Hurricane - Prevent Storm Damages
Structural loss, water damage and flooding are the usual scenarios after a hurricane hits. However, there are some important precautions you can execute in order to avoid these incidents and any excessive storm damage repairs. It's imperative to do anything you can to protect your property from a hurricane and to keep your loved ones and your neighbors secure. Listed below are methods to keep in mind when safeguarding your home against the elements.Hurricane Precaution Checklist - Best Approaches to Prevent Storm Damage
- Garage Door – Indeed, your garage is really one of the most susceptible places when it comes to heavy storms such as hurricanes. The reason why: most garage doors are not supported and strong winds can get into the area. When this occurs, you get a positive push in the garage, and as the winds are churning above it, this causes a negative pull. With the push-pull combo, this can put a lot of stress on your roof and ultimately rip it off. To prevent this from happening, the best technique is to buy a kit that supports your garage door. Although, if it's too late to install a kit, then you can use your car to support your garage door.
- Windows and Doors – Broken windows don't only allow the rain to get into your home, but the wind that blows in can put a lot of pressure under your roof, which can lead to significant structural damage. Storm shutters are an efficient way to secure your home during a hurricane. When a hurricane is looming, ensure the latches on your shutters are working correctly and you may want to consider adding additional locks for added security. You can also board up your windows if you don't have storm shutters, but it's critical to know that placing masking tape on your windows won't do anything in a heavy storm. After your windows are secure, check your doors next. Verify that they're reliable and that the deadbolts are in working order.
- Roof – Your roof is your number one defender against Mother Nature, and that's why it's important to ensure it's prepared for a hurricane. Search for any out of place shingles and mend them with reliable roofing material, such as roofing cement. You'll also want proper irrigation for the strong rains, so unclog your gutters so the water doesn't pool on your roof. You can then locate any wires that are going into your property and seal off any threatening gaps to block water damage from happening. Lastly, judge whether it's imperative to secure your roof with hurricane straps.
- Your Property – Have a walk around your lawn prior to the hurricane. Your trees and shrubs need some consideration and might require some trimming. Any loose or dead branches can be dangerous in windy conditions and could cause some damage to your property. This also consists of items in your yard like patio furniture as well. Transport any items that aren't fastened to the ground or weighed down to a safe area before the wind can take them.
- Car – When you're caught up in protecting your house from a hurricane, it's easy to forget about your vehicle. Make sure that your vehicle is filled with gas, that your tires have good tread, the windows are sealed and that your windshield wipers are good. If you have to park on the street, you'll want to verify that you're not parked under trees or in an area that is prone to flooding.
