When a hurricane strikes, it can cause serious damage to your home, especially your windows. Heavy winds can shatter the glass, sending a high speed hail of broken glass into your home. Any homeowner who lives in an area that has frequent stores may be thinking: How can I prepare for a hurricane? Here are some hurricane home preparation tips to keep your windows in tact, and you and your home safe.
When a hurricane warning is put into affect, many homeowners scramble to take preventative storm protection measures. Some believe that you should tape up the windows to keep them in place and protect against the wind. However, this will not help protect your windows from a hurricane, which has winds that reach over 100 MPH. Instead, shield your window with plywood, using heavy duty screws and anchors to secure them down into your home’s wall. If you pre-install the screws into the wall, you can use this method again and again each time a storm is announced.
If you live in an area that is susceptible to frequent storms, you may want to consider installing impact windows and hurricane blinds. These help protect your home by using impact-resistant glass that is much less likely to shatter. Impact windows are similar to your car’s windshield, and made of two sheets of shatter-resistant tempered glass, separated by a plastic film. Hurricane blinds are heavy-duty, metal blinds that can be rolled down over your window, preventing any shattered glass from entering your home. Impact windows and hurricane blinds come in a variety of styles and frames, and can even be tinted to help deflect the sun’s rays, which helps you save on your air conditioning costs.