Insurance » Hurricanes » Get Your Home In Shape For Hurricane Season
Don't wait until a storm approaches to try to protect your property from high winds and flying debris.
Forecasts for a quiet hurricane season may lull you into complacency. But remember that the 1992 storm season was uneventful until Hurricane Andrew blew billions of dollars of damage into South Florida in late August.
There's much you can do now so you won't get caught making last-minute -- and probably inadequate -- preparations.
"If you buy shutters or other coverings with product approvals and use licensed contractors who pull building permits, you're on your way to protecting your home," says engineer Jose Mitrani, associate professor of construction management at Florida International University in Miami.
"And be sure that inspections are done of the work," says Mitrani, who served on building code task forces after Hurricane Andrew.
Start at the top
Roof cover damage is the biggest reason for hurricane insurance claims that are not related to storm surge, says the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, or IBHS, in Tampa, Fla.
A cascade of trouble can happen when a roof is roughed up by a hurricane: Water gets in through gaps in the roof decking, which soaks the attic insulation, which collapses the ceiling, which damages your furniture and other belongings when wet wallboard and insulation fall on them.
And that's if your roof mostly stays intact. You could lose part or all of it because of unbraced or improperly braced gable ends or if you don't have truss tie-downs called hurricane straps.
That's why IBHS and FLASH, the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, suggest these roof precautions long before hurricane season:
- Nail or caulk loose roof tiles or shingles.
- Check for rust and loose anchoring on a metal roof.
- Install hurricane straps. (Consider hiring a licensed contractor to do this.)
- Brace gable ends. (Ditto on hiring a professional.)
- Install a backup water barrier under the roof cover if necessary.
IBHS also recommends checking attic ventilation. Loose eave and gable end vents, soffits and turbines will let water pour into your attic.
Window and door coverings
To a great extent, getting your home hurricane-ready means making sure it's equipped with the right hurricane-resistant window and door coverings. They run a gamut that includes various types of shutters, panels, screens and sheeting, as well as impact-glass windows and doors.
Plywood is cheap but considered an emergency measure -- and it's critical that sizing and anchoring are done properly.
Even the smallest window must be covered because smaller openings actually get higher wind pressures than larger areas such as the side of your house, Mitrani says.
The average window area to be covered (including doors with windows) is about 15 percent of a home's total square footage, according to IBHS. A 2,000-square-foot home would need about 300 square feet of shutters. If your shutters cost $20 per square foot, you'll spend $6,000.
IBHS notes that some coverings can be installed only by professionals and cost up to $30 per square foot of opening. Do-it-yourself products cost about half as much.