Top Tips for a Hurricane Proof House

If you live in an area where hurricanes are common, it’s critical to hurricane proof your house. In addition to preventing damage in the event that a hurricane does come through, this essential step can also help keep your family and possessions safe in the event of bad weather.

5 Top Ways to Hurricane Proof Your House

1. Add shutters to windows and doors

One of the greatest risks in a hurricane situation is impact from flying objects driven by high winds. Flying debris can easily shatter glass windows and doors, so it’s critical to protect them before a hurricane hits. Adding shatter-proof shutters to your glass windows and doors allows you to pull the shutters closed in the event of high winds, and can protect your home and its interior when a storm hits.

2. Keep your landscaping tidy

Hurricane-force winds can easily pluck off a dead tree limb and send it crashing through your roof, so it’s wise to keep your landscaping neat and tidy at all times. Remove dead tree branches as they appear and be sure to prune your bushes so they’re not laden with dead material. This can help protect your home from damage should a hurricane strike your town.

3. Design your roof accordingly

Most areas in hurricane-prone zones have specific building codes contractors must meet when putting homes together. One of these pertains to the roof. Because hurricanes result in strong winds that can easily tear the roof off of a home, homes in hurricane zones need specially constructed roofs that include things like tie-downs and bolts to keep them secure in the event of high winds. If you have an older home, it’s possible that your roof is not up to code, and that you could boost the safety of your home by redoing the roof according to current standards.

4. Brace the garaged door

Garage doors are functional and convenient, but not very sturdy in the event of a hurricane. To prevent your garage door from caving in or being blown through in a hurricane, reinforce it with interior branches to give it some added strength.

5. Keep your gutters clean

Hurricanes bring drenching rains, and they need somewhere to go. Clean your gutters regularly to make sure that there’s nothing impeding the flow of water. If you don’t, you may just pay the price of flooding in your roof and attic structure.

A Hurricane Proof House Starts Here

Nobody wants to weather a hurricane, but they do happen. Luckily, hurricane-proofing your home in advance can help keep you and your belongings safe and sound, even in severe weather.