How to Protect Your House from a Hurricane – Avoid Storm Damage

Water damage, flooding and structural destruction are the usual incidents for a post-hurricane environment. Nevertheless, there are some important approaches you can execute in order to prevent these scenarios and any excessive storm damage repairs. It’s important to do anything you can to defend your house from a hurricane and to keep your loved ones and your neighbors secure. Below is a list of practices to keep in mind when prepping your house against Mother Nature.

Hurricane Prevention Checklist

  • Garage Door – To prevent any major storm damage repairs, your garage door should be one of the primary things to check for. Most of the garage doors on the market aren’t installed to combat hurricane conditions, so it’s important to buy a brace kit. Through supporting your garage door, you’ll have defense against the winds that cause a positive push in your space. This is significant because the winds outside will cause a negative pull over your garage. When this occurs, you’ll get a tug-of-war scenario which puts a lot of pressure on your roof and garage. Supporting your garage door with braces is an effective way to prevent major damage. However, if don’t have the time to install the garage door kit, you can use your automobile to brace your garage door.
  • Windows and Doors – Water damage is one of the more common impairments tied to hurricanes, and when your doors and windows aren’t protected this will allow the storm to get into your house. Before the storm reaches your location, check that your shutters are durable and in a working condition. The latches should be secure and you’ll also want to put additional locks on them. If your house doesn’t have shutters for your windows, then you can cover them up with some OSB. One wrong idea that’s been taught for window prep is that you can place masking tape on the window; however, this won’t defend it at all. Additionally, check that your doors are durable and that the deadbolts are working correctly. You can also use braces on your doors for extra defense.
  • Roof – Your roof is your primary defender against Mother Nature, and that’s why it’s crucial to ensure it’s prepared for hurricane season. Locate any loose shingles and fix them with reliable roofing material, such as roofing cement. You’ll also want proper irrigation for the pouring rains, so clean out your gutters so the water doesn’t concentrate on your roof. You can then check out any wires that are entering into your property and seal off any threatening gaps to block water damage from occurring. At last, judge whether it’s necessary to attach your roof with hurricane straps.
  • Your Property – It’s significant to clear your yard of any loose items like patio furniture, children’s toys and other miscellaneous garden items. If it can be picked up from a heavy gust of wind, then relocate it to a secure location so it doesn’t cause damage to your property and others’ around you. Additionally, check your trees and shrubbery for any dangling or dead branches and trim them if necessary.
  • Car – When you’re caught up in protecting your property from a hurricane, it’s understandable that you forget about your car. Make sure that your car is filled with 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 trees or in a location that is susceptible to floods.

Paul Davis’ Hurricane Damage Cleanup & Repair Services

Despite all the precautions you take in securing your house, there is only so much you can do. If your house experiences damage caused by a hurricane, contact the professionals at Paul Davis. We can bring back your property to normal with our storm damage restoration and remediation services. We also work with a variety of home insurers and we can offer guidance and help you determine if your damage is covered. Get in touch with Paul Davis today at (803) 796-4343 to find a franchise near you.