Before the storm threatens and the shutters go up, there are hurricane preparations you can make that may seem trivial at the time of the storm. These items help seal your house and avoid rain and wind from getting in as the bands move through the area.<\/p>\n
Few things in nature will rival the sheer power and damage left behind from a strong hurricane. While our warm climate and temperatures attract the world to our backyard, those of us who live here year-round know the threat that lies in a wind and rain-based storm. In the Orlando area, we are not immune to powerful storms like hurricanes and the tornadoes they can spawn. Every year, local and national resources like the National Hurricane Center<\/a> put out guides on what to do to prepare your home and family when a storm threatens the area.<\/p>\n Living in the tropical south, we know that hurricane preparations begin long before the season kicks off on June 1. To get ready, residents will begin stocking up on water, canned goods, and generator supplies. Getting your home in tip-top shape should start before your first trip to the store. Any of us who has fought with plywood has surely considered adding shutters or hurricane impact windows. In that same vein, you should be looking at your home’s seals and paint to withstand the storm as well. Here are some items that should be addressed before the beginning of the season.<\/p>\n Wind, Rain, and Floods<\/strong><\/p>\n While wind is the most costly culprit of storm-related damage, flooding and water issues are right behind it. According to the National Flood Insurance Program, the average hurricane-related home flood claim was over $39,000. Hurricanes every season cause billions of dollars in damage. Take time to prepare your house for every possibility before the storm comes. Here are a few items to look for to reduce potential damage.<\/p>\n Window Seals<\/strong><\/p>\n We are swift to install hurricane windows, but are the windows on your home sealed properly? Even under the shutters and plywood, improperly sealed windows are prone to cracking, damage, and water intrusion. Over time, especially in humidity and heat, caulk can get old, brittle, and fall away. The once-tight seal can be left, allowing wind and water to blow during a regular afternoon thunderstorm, so you can imagine the outcome during a hurricane.<\/p>\n Inspect Wall Gaps, Soffits, and More<\/strong><\/p>\n Any allowance for water to make its way into your home is a potential for damage during a storm. Stucco can have gaps and cracks that should be addressed, especially before a storm. Some issues may need a simple caulking, while other larger gaps could require patches to be applied. Ask your painters to consider an elastomeric patch and a high-quality sealer, and paint to finish the project.<\/p>\n All holes naturally found in the house should be looked at for their seal. Inspect areas like HVAC systems, laundry outflows, cable and wiring holes, and more. Every hole in your home has the potential to cause wind and water to end up inside. Make sure soffits and pipes, and joints are all in good condition. Getting the most thorough seal allows you the most protection.<\/p>\n Gutters and Roof Sealants<\/strong><\/p>\n Since you probably have the ladder out, climb onto the roof and up to the gutters and make sure they are intact and well secured. A flying gutter can cause an exorbitant amount of damage through 12 hours of rain bands. Clogged gutters can cause backflow to run into your home or stress your roof. Stacks, skylights, chimneys, and any other roof elements need to be sealed and secured pre-storm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Storms that Come with Tropical Living Before the storm threatens and the shutters go up, there are hurricane preparations you can make that may seem trivial at the time of the storm. These items help seal your house and avoid rain and wind from getting in as the bands move through the area. FewRead the full article <\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":1,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-dynamic-fields-full-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-953","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/certapro.com\/space-coast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/953","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/certapro.com\/space-coast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/certapro.com\/space-coast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/certapro.com\/space-coast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/certapro.com\/space-coast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=953"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/certapro.com\/space-coast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/953\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/certapro.com\/space-coast\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/certapro.com\/space-coast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/certapro.com\/space-coast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=953"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/certapro.com\/space-coast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Make Proactive Hurricane Preparations<\/h2>\n