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New to a Coastal Area? There's a Hurricane in Your Future
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By Carlo Morelli
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Do you want to rescue your new home from harm in a hurricane?Then you need to get the house ready for tough winds byreinforcing specific exterior areas against wind and debrisdamage. Most of the available options should be done before ahurricane warning is even given, so start planning now. Theplaces where wind can come into your house are the key areas toattend to for home hurricane reinforcement, say experts.
There are several main areas you should focus on. Your roof is agood place to start. In the case of a gabled roof, you need tomake sure gable end walls are reinforced by adding trussbracing. Get in touch with the local housing or building officefor your city for more information on securing roof structures.Another thing to consider is your roof's shingles. It could bethat shingles on your roof are not fastened strongly enoughagainst hurricanes. You can use fast drying cement glue tostrengthen the bond with your roof.
The next thing to tend to is your glass. All windows and glassdoors should be covered completely when a hurricane is due.Impact-resistance hurricane shutters can be installed for this,and they're ideal for defending windows and doors, also forprotecting your home from debris. Optionally you can installwindows made of plastic bonded to glass. These are beingincluded in many new homes but can be retrofitted as well.
One more feature to think about in preparation for a hurricaneare doors. Solid wood or hollow metal doors will probably befine through the storm, but other doors need reinforcement.Visit a local tool shop and get some head and foot bolts oninactive sides of double-entry doors for strengthening. If yourdoor is equipped with a dead bolt system and hinges are tightand secure it will be more likely to survive.
For advice on other ways to weatherproof your home against ahurricane, ask the staff at the local home improvement stores.They can educate you on what you will need and the best way togo about doing it. After all, they've probably been down thisroad many times before.
Just don't wait until the last minute to go buy what you needfor these tasks, the stores will probably already be sold out.Have it all out of the way well before the next "hurricaneseason" appears.
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