Make Sure Your Roof is Protected
Whether you're preparing for a hurricane or not, it's always a good idea to maintain your roof regularly. This is something you can do yourself, or if you're not comfortable on a ladder, you can hire a professional.
Here are some items you can inspect to make sure your roof is ready to withstand a hurricane.
- Inspect your eaves.
- Inspect your soffit seals.
- Inspect and clean out your gutters.
- Make sure there are no loose tiles or shingles.
- Trim your trees so that there are no loose or dead branches that can fall onto your roof.
Secure Your Windows, Doors, and Garage Doors
You can use sandbags to secure doors, garage doors, and the floor to prevent water and wind from getting in. Sandbags are affordable, and you can make your own.
Some people tape their windows, but that has not proven effective. Unless you have special hurricane shutters, windows can be boarded up with plywood. The plywood should be placed outside of the window frame, so that wind can't get underneath.
Secure Soffit Vents
One of the most essential, and low-cost things you can do to your home to prepare for hurricanes is to secure your soffit vents. In Florida, in 2004 and 2005, an estimated 75% of houses that had extensive hurricane damage lost pieces of soffit.
Unfortunately, many soffit panels have been installed poorly. To keep water from coming into the home through the soffit vents, they have to be held in place. For a guide on how to secure your soffit vents for hurricane season, click here.
What to Do in a Hurricane if You Have Limited Time to Prepare
Let's face it, sometimes hurricanes come up unexpectedly. Not everyone has months to prepare their home with physical improvements. But one thing everyone should do is make sure there is a basic storm kit in the home.
A storm kit should always include blankets, batteries, flashlights, a first aid kit, three days worth of water, and a two days supply of food. Visit this site for a sample storm kit that you can easily create.
Keep Your Family and Your Home Safe
With a little bit of preparation, you can protect your family and your home during a hurricane.
A well-maintained home is a resilient home.
