How to Safeguard Your Home from a Hurricane – Avoid Storm Damage
Flooding, ruined structures and water damage are the common cases for a post-hurricane environment. However, there are a few essential approaches you can take in order to prevent these scenarios and any major storm damage repairs. It's important to do what you can to defend your home from a hurricane and to keep your loved ones and your neighbors secure. Below is a list of approaches to keep in mind when defending your residence against the elements.Hurricane Preparation Checklist
- Garage Door – Start with your garage if your house has one, because this is one of the more susceptible areas for storm damage. Typically, garage doors don't have the support to combat strong winds. What can happen is the wind will produce a positive push in your garage, and the wind outside of the structure creates a negative pull. When this occurs, your garage and roof will endure a lot of pressure because of this tug-of-war situation. To avoid a major storm damage restoration, you can buy a kit that will help your garage door withstand hurricane conditions. This is the most trustworthy step, but if time isn't on your side, then you can use your car to help support your garage door.
- Windows and Doors – The other vulnerable areas in your residence are your entrances like your windows and doors. Broken windows will allow wind and rain to enter into your home, and this can lead to water damage problems. When a storm is on the way, make sure you lock and secure your windows. If you have storm shutters installed, ensure they are functioning and locked, but if you don't have storm shutters, you can board up your windows to keep possible damage out of your home. Additionally, keep in mind that placing masking tape on your windows doesn't defend them at all. As for your doors, lock the deadbolts or any other locking mechanisms to make sure they don't fly open during heavy winds.
- Roof – Conducting a quick checkup on your roof before a hurricane hits your location can save you from excessive property damage. One of the main things you'll want to check for is loose shingles and apply some roofing cement to fix them. Next, check to see if there are threatening gaps where any wiring is entering in your home and seal them off. This can prevent water from coming into your residence. You might want to think about obtaining hurricane straps to verify your roof is secure too. Also, you'll want to clean out your gutters so there's good irrigation for the heavy rains.
- Your Property – Take a stroll through your property prior to the storm. Your shrubs and trees need some treatment and might require some pruning. Any dead or loose branches can be dangerous in high winds and could cause a lot of damage to your home. This pertains to items in your yard like patio furniture as well. Move any items that aren't secured to the ground or weighed down to a safe place before the wind takes them away.
- Car – When you're worried about safeguarding your house from a hurricane, it's easy to forget about your automobile. Ensure that your vehicle is filled with gas, that your tires are in good condition, the windows are up and that your windshield wipers are good. If you park your car on the street, you'll want to check that you're not parked under any trees or in a location that is susceptible to floods.
