With hurricane season coming to an end, you may be wondering what you can do to prevent damage to your home in the coming years. Read on to learn about several strategies you should consider to stormproof your home.
Florida’s Extreme Weather
Hurricanes and tornadoes are by far the most devastating storms to hit Florida, but the constant onslaught of water that comes with the rainy season poses serious threats as well. When stormproofing your home, it is important that you consider all of these aspects.
Preventative Measures to Protect Your Home
The three main areas to focus on when stormproofing are your entryways, roof, and windows. The following stormproofing measures help protect your home and are intended to decrease the damage caused by high winds and rain:
1. Reinforcing Your Entryways
Entryways consist of any door connecting the outside of your house to the inside. As a best practice, all entrances should be closed and secured during inclement weather. Garage doors tend to be the largest entryway in a home, so investing in a hurricane-resistant garage door is a good first step. Hurricane-resistant garage doors have steel reinforcements and extra hardware that protect against wind and water pressure.
For the other entries in your home, installing impact-resistant glass doors can prevent your doors from shattering in the event of flying debris or high wind and water pressure. The construction and materials of your entries are vital in determining their strength and durability.
2. Reinforcing Your Roof
A properly reinforced roof relies on various factors, such as the chosen material and its shape – opt for metal roofing and architectural shingles for added security. Metal roofing is the most hurricane-proof option for roofs. Architectural shingles are different from standard shingles in that they are thicker, heavier, and wind resistant, up to 130 miles per hour.
The shape of your roof also impacts its wind resistance. Roofs with six or more sides are ideal, but a 4-slope hip roof is a good option for those wanting fewer slopes.
3. Reinforcing Your Windows
Reinforcing the frame and pane of your windows will go a long way toward stormproofing your home. Opting for high-impact windows throughout your home is one of the best ways to reinforce them. While installing high-impact windows can cost a few thousand dollars, they can prevent you from incurring tens of thousands of dollars in damaged property repairs. To ensure that you are selecting the best windows for your home, check the Design Pressure rating and have a professional install them.
Has Your Property Been Damaged? Let Us Help You Fight for Compensation.
Insurance should work for you when you need it the most, especially after a storm. Sadly, too many Floridians experience resistance from insurance companies unwilling to fulfill their end of the bargain. Chad J. Robinson, PLLC can help insurance policyholders navigate the claims process or fight for insurance policyholders whose claims were wrongfully denied or woefully underpaid. Whether your home, business, boat, or other property was damaged, we can help.
Contact us today at (561) 564-0233 or fill out our short online inquiry form to schedule your free consultation. We speak Spanish, Hebrew, and Portuguese.