How to Protect Your House from a Hurricane – Prevent Storm Damage
Natural disasters can occur without a moment's notice, but hurricanes can at least be discovered prior to hitting your area. Planning and preparing are very fundamental things you can execute when a hurricane approaches. Because your house is one of your biggest assets, it's a good idea to do what you can to avoid the perils that hurricanes can bring to your property and to prevent any storm damage repair. There are many things to check up on when prepping your residence for a hurricane. To protect your residence from a hurricane, follow the steps below.Ways to Plan for a Hurricane
- Garage Door – If you have a garage, this may be one of the first things you need to take care of. Most garage doors don't have the support to combat high winds. What can take place is the wind will create a positive push in your garage, and the wind outside of the structure creates a negative pull. When this happens, your roof and garage will sustain a lot of pressure because of this push-pull situation. To avoid a major storm damage repair, you can purchase a kit that will help your garage door combat hurricane conditions. This is the most efficient method, but if time isn't on your side, then you can use your car to help brace your garage door.
- Windows and Doors – A common occurrence that's associated with hurricanes is water damage, and when your doors and windows aren't protected this will allow the storm to move in your house. When a hurricane is imminent, make sure your shutters are durable and in a working condition. The latches on your shutters need to be secure and it may be necessary to put additional locks on them. Boarding up your windows is also a great idea if you don't have shutters. A common fallacy with window preparation is that you can place masking tape on the window; but this doesn't help at all. Additionally, ensure your doors are durable and that the deadbolts are functioning properly. You can also install braces on your doors for added measure.
- Roof – Inspecting your roof is crucial before a hurricane passes through your area, and it can help you avoid property damage and provide you a sense of well-being. One of the first things you'll want to look for is damaged shingles and use some roofing cement to repair them. Afterward, check to see if there are threatening gaps where any wiring is coming into your house and seal them off. This can stop water from coming into your residence. You might want to consider obtaining hurricane straps to ensure your roof is fastened as well. Another thing to do is clean out your gutters so there's appropriate irrigation for the heavy rains.
- Your Property – Have a walk around your lawn before the storm hits. Your trees and shrubs need attention and might necessitate some trimming. Any dead or loose limbs can be threatening in windy conditions and could cause a lot of damage to your property. This goes for items on your property such as patio furniture too. Transfer any items that aren't secured to the ground or weighed down to a safe location before the wind takes them away.
- Car – When you're worried about protecting your property from a hurricane, it's easy to forget about your automobile. Make sure that you have a full tank of gas, that your tires are in good condition, the windows are up and that your windshield wipers are working. If you have to park on the street, you'll want to verify that you're not parked under any trees or in a location that is vulnerable to flooding.