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

Damages induced by hurricanes can be devastating for your house. The high winds can smash windows, tear apart roofs and knock over trees and shrubs. Your house is also vulnerable to water damage from the constant rain. Yet, there are preventative measures you can take to safeguard your property from strong weather conditions. Follow the practices listed below to assure you, your family and your residence is safeguarded from a hurricane and to avoid extreme storm damage repairs.

Hurricane Precaution Checklist – Best Steps to Prevent Storm Damage

  • Garage Door – Indeed, your garage is actually one of the more vulnerable places when it comes to heavy weather conditions like hurricanes. The reason why: most garage doors are not supported and strong winds can get into the area. When this happens, a positive push generates in the garage, and as the winds are churning above it, this creates a negative pull. With the push-pull combination, this can place a lot of pressure on your roof and ultimately rip it off. To prevent this from taking place, the best approach is to purchase a kit that braces your garage door. Although, if time isn’t on your side to install a kit, then you can use your automobile to support your garage door.
  • Windows and Doors – Water damage is one of the more common perils tied to hurricanes, and when your windows and doors aren’t safeguarded this will allow the storm to get into your house. Before the storm hits, verify that your shutters are sturdy and in a working condition. The latches on your shutters need to be secure and it may be necessary to install locks on them. Boarding up your windows is also a great idea if you don’t have storm shutters. A common fallacy with window preparation is that you can tape up the window; but this doesn’t help at all. Additionally, confirm that your doors are in strong condition and that the deadbolts are working correctly. You can also install braces on your doors for extra security.
  • Roof – A roof checkup is crucial, and you should locate for any loose shingles and other vulnerable spots. You can use roof cement to fix any loose shingles, and you should consider hurricane straps to ensure your roof is fastened to your home. Also, you’ll want to seal any areas where wires enter into your house to avoid any water damage from occurring. During your roof analysis, this is a good time to see if your gutters are cleaned out. You want to make sure you have proper irrigation for the pouring rain that occur during a hurricane.
  • Your Property – The exterior of your property can be a primary threat when a hurricane hits your town. Items that aren’t weighed down or fastened to the ground could be picked from the high wind and be propelled into your home and your neighbor’s too. Make sure to relocate any children’s toys, patio furniture, BBQs and garden accessories to a place out of harm’s way. One other thing you’ll want to do is remove any dangling or dead branches from your trees and shrubs.
  • Car – Your car can easily be forgotten when you’re preparing your residence for a storm. But it’s important to get your car ready too, so ensure you have: your gas tank filled, working windshield wipers, good tires and your windows sealed. Additionally, be cautious of where you park your car, especially if you rely on street parking. Make sure your car isn’t beneath any trees or in a location that’s susceptible to floods.

Contact a Local Paul Davis Franchise Today

Even with all the preventative measures you take in defending your residence, there is only so much you can do. If your property experiences damage generated from a hurricane, contact the professionals at Paul Davis. Our storm and hurricane damage repair and remediation services will get your property back to the condition it was before. We also work with a variety of insurance companies and we can help you verify if your damage is covered. Contact Paul Davis today at 989-894-4450 to find a franchise near you.