How to Protect Your Home from a Hurricane – Prevent Storm Damage
Damages produced from hurricanes can be devastating for your property. The huge gusts of winds can smash windows, tear apart roofs and knock over trees and shrubs. Your property is also prone to water damage from the constant rain. Still, there are preventative measures you can take to protect your house from strong weather conditions. Follow the guidelines below to assure you, your family and your residence is secure from a hurricane and to prevent excessive storm damage restoration.How to Brace for a Hurricane
- Garage Door – Believe it or not, your garage is really one of the more vulnerable places when it comes to extreme weather conditions like hurricanes. The reason why: most garage doors are not supported and strong winds can get into the area. When this happens, you get a positive push inside the garage, and as the winds are churning above your structure, this creates a negative pull. With the push-pull combination, this can put a lot of stress on your roof and ultimately it could tear it off your garage. To avoid this from happening, the best approach is to purchase a kit that supports your garage door. But if it's too late to install a kit, then you can use your car to support your garage door.
- Windows and Doors – Water damage is one of the more common perils tied to hurricanes, and when your windows and doors aren't secure this will allow the storm to get into your house. When a storm is approaching, verify that your shutters are sturdy and in a functional condition. The latches on your shutters need to be secure and you'll also want 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 preparation is that you can use masking tape on the window; but this won't help at all. Also, ensure your doors are durable and that the deadbolts are functioning correctly. You can also use braces on your doors for extra defense.
- Roof – A roof examination is crucial, and you should scan for any out of place shingles and other vulnerable areas. You can use roof cement to fix any loose shingles, and you should consider getting hurricane straps to ensure your roof is secure to your house. Additionally, you'll want to seal any spots where wires come into your house to prevent any water damage from occurring. While you're analyzing your roof, check to see if your gutters are congested. You want to verify you have appropriate irrigation for the pouring rain that happen during a hurricane.
- Your Property – Strolling through your lawn is another essential step you should take. Your shrubs and trees need consideration and might require some trimming. Any dangling or dead limbs can be threatening in high winds and could cause a lot of damage to your house. This includes items in your yard like patio furniture as well. Relocate any items that aren't secured to the ground or weighed down to a secure location before the wind takes them away.
- Car – Your vehicle can easily be forgotten when you're protecting your home for a hurricane. But it's a great idea to get your vehicle ready as well, so check that you have: your gas tank filled, working windshield wipers, good tires and your windows sealed properly. In addition, be conscious of where you park your vehicle, especially if you rely on street parking. Check that your vehicle isn't beneath any trees or in a location that's prone to flooding.
