Harden Your House Against High Winds

Tornado and hurricane season is upon us, and now is the time to take a look around your home to make sure you are as prepared as possible for anticipated violent weather. Although you can never make your home “wind proof,” here are few things you should check around your house to help keep it and you safe from high winds:

1.  Make sure your doors and windows are impact resistant, and secure items in your yard that can act as missiles during high winds.

2.  Check to see if your garage door is hurricane rated.  A garage door failure in a home with an attached garage, especially one with a second-story bonus room, can lead to a catastrophic loss of the entire house.

3.  If you have a gabled roof, make sure its end walls are internally braced, otherwise they can collapse from high wind pressures.

4.  Inspect wood structural members to make sure they are sound and free from insect damage and rot.