As one of the most powerful natural disasters, a hurricane can definitely do a lot of damage to your home. The strong winds and the heavy rainfall are certainly not something to be toyed with, meaning that your safety, the safety of your family, as well as the safety of your entire property will depend on your preparation level. And, there is no doubt that you want to get adequately prepared, and thus keep everyone safe in your process, including the actual property.
Of course, some areas are more prone to hurricanes than others. So, if you live in one of those areas that are likely to get hurricanes, you will have to get properly prepared, and it’s better if you do it sooner rather than later. Yet, you may not be entirely sure about what it is that you have to do so as to make your home safer, and that is something that we will be discussing right now.
To put it differently, below I will share some tips that will guide you towards the right direction when it comes to hurricane protection. You’ll learn what to think about and which steps to take to increase the safety of your home, and thus of all the people living in it. Without any further ado, thus, let me start listing the tips and inform you about the things you should do to get prepared for the hurricane season.
Inspect Your Roof
If the roof of your home is weak, it is bound to make the entire property rather vulnerable. For one thing, it can be torn off during the strong winds, thus completely exposing your home and leading to severe damage. For another, loose shingles can fly off, or at least cause leaks, which is definitely not a good thing.
So, one of the first things you should do is inspect your roof and reinforce it if necessary. Start with repairing and replacing any loose shingles before hurricane season. Then, also remember to clean the gutters. And finally, think about using hurricane straps and clips that are designed to secure the roof to the structure of your home, thus increasing your overall safety.
Protect Windows and Doors
Your doors and windows can also be a cause for concern, if they are not properly protected. After all, these are the entry points to your home, and if they are not strong enough, you are likely to have a lot of problems during a hurricane, from debris flying into your home to rainfall entering and causing a lot of damage itself. The good thing is that you can reinforce these parts of your home and thus feel much safer during the storm.
For instance, you can install storm shutters to increase protection against flying debris. Then, plywood boards can also be a cost-effective alternative that you can use in an emergency. Of course, you should also think about reinforcing the doors with heavy-duty bolts and hinges. And, finally, the best thing you can do is upgrade to impact-resistant windows, as those have been designed specifically for the purposes of keeping your home safe during hurricanes and other dangerous storms.
Read more about how you can prepare for the storms: https://www.cdc.gov/hurricanes/safety/index.html
Don’t Forget Garage Doors
People usually do remember the fact that their doors are vulnerable, and that they have to be reinforced. But, they often forget that the same goes for their garage doors, and that they should reinforce those as well. After all, if they are blown in during the strong winds, they can certainly cause a lot of damage to your property and leave it open and vulnerable.
This clearly means that you’ll need to carefully think about protecting your garage doors as well. For one thing, you can use those reinforcement kits to strengthen the doors you already have. Or, and this is often the best solution, you can install brand new doors, and go for the wind-resistant ones that are made specifically for protecting the space against hurricanes.
Secure Any Outdoor Items
You may be keeping some items in your yard, such as patio furniture, a barbecue, and similar things. When the hurricane season hits, though, these items can pose a great threat to your property, as the high winds can blow them into any direction, thus potentially damaging your home. This, naturally, means that you’ll have to take care of those outdoor items as well in order to stay safe.
If you can move the items indoors, remember to do so, as that’s the best way to avoid them from causing damage. But then, you can also reinforce those structures that could be blown away, or remove them completely. For instance, you may not be able to bring the fence or a shed inside, but you can reinforce them and make them more resistant, or remove them if you’re not sure that reinforcing would do the trick.
Trim the Trees in Your Yard
If you have some trees in your yard, you should take good care of them, so as to reduce the risk of them damaging your home during a hurricane. Basically, what you have to do is remove the dead branches, as well as the overgrown ones. This way, you will avoid the risk of those branches breaking off and hitting your home, causing plenty of damage in the process. So, inspect those trees and make sure that they are also properly prepared for hurricane season.
Think About Water Damage Too
The strong winds are definitely rather dangerous during hurricane season. But, so is the rainfall, as it can cause quite a lot of water damage to your property, if not handled well. So, you have to think about potential water damage as well, and do your best to reduce the chances of experiencing it. Raise your electrical appliances to a higher level, use sandbags and floor barriers to redirect the water. And, of course, if you live in a flood-prone area, it would be best for you to install a sump pump and thus enhance the overall safety.