1. Check Your Hurricane Clips
Hurricane clips are the gold standard for securing your roof against wind damage. Most are secure with one or two nails, but by adding a third nail you can strengthen your roof even further. A third nail is also a requirement to qualify for savings on your homeowner’s insurance policy.
2. Secure Your Garage Door
Garage doors don’t stand up very well against wind. In fact, many of them crumple like paper during high-wind events. Not only is it expensive to repair a garage door, but it can also cause further damage if it hits other parts of your home. This is why many homeowners choose to install wind-resistant braces. This is a relatively easy DIY project, and it’s inexpensive when you consider how much it can do to protect your home against wind damage. If you want to go even further, you can replace your current garage door with a hurricane-rated model.
3. Keep Your Roof In Good Condition
Your roof is the first line of defense against the elements. During high-wind event, even small weaknesses like a water-damaged spot or a few missing shingles could lead to a catastrophic failure. Keeping up with repairs will ensure that your roof is able to protect your home in the event of a severe storm. It’s also just a good habit to get into regardless, as roofing issues left unchecked will only get more expensive to fix as time goes on.
4. Install Hurricane Shutters
Windows and glass doors can be very dangerous during severe storms. It doesn’t take much to send a projectile through glass, and even if that doesn’t hit anything some of the shattered glass might. Standard hurricane shutters are a fairly inexpensive way to solve this problem. They can also be removed easily when not in use, so they don’t affect the aesthetics of your home.
5. Maintain Your Yard
Damage to a home is often caused by projectiles blowing in the wind, not the wind itself. These projectiles don’t have to be large, either. During extreme high-wind events such as hurricanes, even a small yard decoration or stray limb can cause destruction. Keeping your yard clear of debris will minimize the risk of damage to your home. If you know about a storm in advance, make sure you tie down or put away anything in your yard that could become airborne.
6. Get A Wind Mitigation Inspection
A wind mitigation inspection is tailored towards finding the areas of your home most vulnerable to wind damage. Equipped with this knowledge, you can take the necessary steps to protect your home and your family from mother nature’s wrath. If your home was built relatively recently you may even qualify for significant savings on your homeowner’s insurance via wind mitigation credits.
Please, contact us at Super Inspection Pros. today to learn more about our inspections or to schedule a wind mitigation inspection for your home.
