Hurricane season doesn’t start for another 6 months, so you may be wondering why we are writing a post about hurricane ready homes now. But if Sarasota and Longboat Key homeowners are interested in upgrading their home to be ready for any big storms, now is the time to investigate the possibilities.
We are looking at this issue from the standpoint of existing home renovations. If you are considering building a new home in the next several years, this information should be useful to you, although new home builders will be required to build your home to comply with the latest hurricane codes.
What Changes are Needed for Hurricane Ready Homes?
There are three major exterior areas which need to be addressed if you have an older home – the roof, the doors and windows, and your garage door. Anyone of these areas represents a point of vulnerability. What many people do not realize is that the major damage takes place if your home’s “seal” is broken, and wind can find a gap to exploit. Once the wind finds a vulnerable area, it can rip apart structure, allowing your home to become a wind tunnel, and rain and floodwaters to infiltrate. Therefore making sure none of these areas can be breached is of utmost importance.
While there is no such thing as a hurricane-proof home, there are steps you can take to ensure that your home is as ready as possible.
Roof: There are several issues in a major storm in regards the roof. If roofing materials fly off (especially tile and stone) they can become dangerous projectiles. Once the underlayment is exposed, regardless of roofing materials, there is a far grater chance of debris ripping it and allowing water in. Your local roofing contractor can help you to assess that your roof is up to code, has the proper tie downs and structural items, and has no damaged areas which could be more easily exploited by the severe conditions.
Doors and Windows: We include these in the same category as so many South Florida homes have glass doors and sliders in addition to windows. Like the roof, the biggest problem with a broken window is that it allows your home to become quickly inundated with wind and rain when a hurricane or tropical storm is raging. Even well-installed windows are susceptible to breakage cause by a flying object (such as your neighbor’s roofing tile!) so they should be reinforced as well. There are many options available to homeowners, from films and shatter-proof glass to hurricane shutters which roll-down with the flick of a switch. With any type of shutter, it is recommended that you leave one small, protected doorway without a shutter, so you can have easy egress if necessary.
Garage Doors: Older garage doors didn’t hold up too well to hurricane force winds, and left a gaping hole when they were damaged. Not only will installing a hurricane proof garage door help with securing the area, but will also help with theft on a normal day.
Did You Know? Installing any or all of the above precautions will not only keep your home safer, but will lower your insurance payments and make your home more marketable to buyers.
In the interior of your home, you should always have a room with no exterior doors or windows to shelter your family if necessary. Contemporary Sarasota homes often have walk-in closets which are perfect for this type of “safe room”, while laundry rooms and bathrooms will work in an emergency.
When you build your home with Lindahl Construction, you can be sure that your home is up to the latest hurricane codes – but if you want further protection, just ask! We are happy to install any features will help to protect you and your family, and to make hurricane ready homes people will love.