A Homeowners Guide to Securing a House from a Hurricane

Damages produced by hurricanes can be disastrous for your residence. The extreme winds can smash windows, separate roofs and knock over trees. Your residence is also vulnerable to water damage and flooding from the heavy rains. Nevertheless, there are precautions you can take to defend your home from heavy storms. Follow the approaches listed below to ensure you, your family and your residence is secure from a hurricane and to avoid excessive storm damage repairs.

How to Plan for a Hurricane

  • 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 in residential neighborhoods aren't designed to defend against hurricane conditions, so it's important to buy a support kit. By bracing your garage door, you'll have defense against the winds that cause a positive push in your garage. This is critical because the winds that develop outside will cause a negative pull above your garage. When this happens, you'll get a push-pull scenario which puts a lot of stress on your roof and garage. Getting a support kit for your garage door is the most effective way to avoid major damage. However, if it's too late to install the garage door kit, you can use your automobile to support your garage door.
  • Windows and Doors – Doors and windows are another entry-point for a storm to create havoc. Busted windows will allow wind and rain to enter into your home, and this can cause water damage issues. When a storm is imminent, make sure you lock and secure your windows. If you have storm shutters installed, ensure they are closed and locked, but if you don't have storm shutters, you can board up your windows to keep possible damage out of your residence. Additionally, remember that using masking tape on your windows won't protect them at all. As for your doors, utilize the deadbolts or any other locks to verify they don't fly open during heavy wind gusts.
  • Roof – Your roof is a primary defense against the elements, and that's why it's crucial to ensure it's ready for a hurricane. Locate any out of place shingles and mend them with roofing concrete. You'll also want irrigation for the strong rains, so clean out your gutters so the water doesn't pool on your roof. You can then check out any wires that are entering into your home and seal off any vulnerable gaps to prevent water damage from occurring. At last, judge whether it's imperative to secure your roof with hurricane straps.
  • Your Property – Have a stroll through your property before the storm hits. Your trees and shrubs need some attention and might necessitate some pruning. Any dead or dangling branches can be dangerous in high winds and could cause some damage to your home. This includes items in your yard like patio furniture too. Transport any items that aren't fastened to the ground or weighed down to a safe area before the wind can take them.
  • Car – Your car can easily be forgotten when you're securing your home for a storm. But it's just as crucial to get your car ready too, so make sure you have: your gas tank filled, good windshield wipers, good tires and your windows sealed properly. Furthermore, be attentive of where you park your car, especially if you park on the street. Make sure your car isn't beneath any trees or in a location that's vulnerable to floods.

Paul Davis - Your Hurricane Damage Restoration Professionals

Paul Davis provides storm damage repair and remediation services, so if your home has been damaged by a hurricane, call our expert team. Unfortunately, there is only so much you can do to combat the elements. We can repair and restore your home back to normal, and we work with different insurance companies. The experienced team at Paul Davis can help you figure out what's covered with your policy. To find a Paul Davis franchise near your location, give us a call at +1-403-696-8886.