Hurricane Defense – Prepping Your House from Possible Damage
Natural disasters can strike without a moment's notice, but hurricanes can at least be discovered before they hit your area. Hurricane season is a time for preparation. Since your home is one of your biggest assets, it's a good idea to do what you can to prevent the damages that hurricanes can bring to your home and to prevent any storm damage restoration. There are a lot of things to check up on when prepping your house for a hurricane. To safeguard your house from a hurricane, follow the approaches listed below.Ways to Prepare for a Hurricane
- Garage Door – To prevent any extreme storm damage repairs, your garage door should be one of the first things to take care. A lot of the garage doors in residential neighborhoods aren't designed to combat hurricane conditions, so it's critical to purchase a brace kit. Through bracing your garage door, you'll have defense against the winds that cause a positive push in your space. This is critical because the winds that develop outside will cause a negative pull above your garage. When this occurs, you'll get a tug-of-war scenario which puts a lot of stress on your garage and roof. Supporting your garage door with braces is an efficient approach to prevent major damage. But, if it's too late to install braces, you can use your car to brace your garage door.
- Windows and Doors – A typical occurrence that's correlated with hurricanes is water damage, and when your doors and windows aren't protected this will allow the wind and rain to get into your home. When a hurricane is imminent, verify that your shutters are durable and in a working condition. The latches on your shutters need to be secure and you'll also want to install locks on them. If your house doesn't have shutters for your windows, then you can board them up with some OSB. One wrong impression that's passed around for window preparation is that you can use masking tape on the window; but this won't help at all. Also, ensure your doors are in strong condition and that the deadbolts are functioning right. You can also brace your doors for extra defense.
- Roof – Make sure to go over your roof for any damaged shingles and other susceptible spots. You can use roof cement to mend any loose shingles, and you should consider getting hurricane straps to ensure your roof is fastened to your home. Additionally, it's a good idea to seal any areas where wires enter into your home to prevent any water damage from happening. While you're analyzing your roof, check to see if your gutters are clear of debris. Good irrigation is vital for directing water away from your house during the hurricane.
- Your Property – Your lawn can be a primary risk when a hurricane approaches. Items that aren't weighed down or fastened to the ground could be picked from the high wind and be flung into your home and your neighbor's as well. Walk around your lawn and move any garden accessories, children's toys, patio furniture and BBQs to a location out of harm's way. Another thing you need to do is remove any loose or dead branches from your shrubs and trees.
- Car – When you're caught up in safeguarding your house from a hurricane, it's easy to forget about your car. Ensure that your car is filled with gas, that your tires are in good condition, the windows are sealed and that your windshield wipers are working. If you park your car on the street, you'll want to check that you're not parked under any trees or in an area that is vulnerable to floods.
