Hurricane Protection – Prepping Your House from Probable Disaster
Structural destruction, water damage and flooding are the usual cases after a hurricane hits. Yet, there are some fundamental steps you can execute in order to avoid these incidents and any excessive storm damage restorations. It's imperative to do anything you can to secure your property from a hurricane and to keep your loved ones and your neighbors protected. Listed below are things to keep in mind when securing your house against the elements.Things to Plan When a Hurricane Is En Route
- Garage Door – To avoid any major storm damage repairs, your garage door should be one of the first things to take care. Most of the garage doors on the market aren't designed to fight hurricane conditions, so it's important to buy a support kit. By supporting your garage door, you'll have defense against the winds that generate a positive push in your garage. This is crucial because the winds outside will create a negative pull above your garage. When this occurs, you'll get a tug-of-war scenario which puts a lot of pressure on your roof and garage. Supporting your garage door with braces is an efficient way to prevent major damage. However, if don't have the time to install braces, you can use your vehicle to support your garage door.
- Windows and Doors – A common incidence that's associated 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. Before the storm reaches your location, make sure your shutters are sturdy and in a working condition. The latches need to be stable and you'll also want to put additional locks on them. If your house doesn't have shutters for your windows, then you can board them up with some OSB. A common fallacy with window prep is that you can use masking tape on the window; but this won't help at all. Also, make sure your doors are in strong condition and that the deadbolts are working correctly. You can also use braces on your doors for added measure.
- Roof – Your roof is your number one defender against the elements, and that's why it's important to make sure it's prepared for hurricane season. Locate any loose shingles and repair them with roofing concrete. You'll also want appropriate irrigation for the strong rains, so clear out your gutters so the water doesn't accumulate on your roof. You can then locate any wires that are going into your house and seal off any exposed gaps to prevent water damage from happening. At last, judge whether it's crucial to fasten your roof with hurricane straps.
- Your Property – Your lawn can be a number one risk when a hurricane comes through. Any loose items could be lifted from the high wind and be launched into your house and your neighbor's too. Walk around your property and relocate any garden accessories, children's toys, patio furniture and BBQs to a place out of harm's way. One other thing you need to do is remove any loose or dead limbs from your trees and shrubs.
- Car – Your car can easily be forgotten when you're protecting your home for a storm. But it's important to get your car ready too, so check that you have: a full tank of gas, working windshield wipers, good tires and your windows sealed properly. Additionally, be attentive of where you park, especially if you rely on street parking. Make sure your vehicle isn't under any trees or in a location that's vulnerable to floods.
