5 Ways to Protect Your Home Against High Winds
Home is a haven, a place that keeps your family and treasured possessions safe—but that doesn’t prevent wind damage. With repair costs going into the tens of thousands of dollars, prevention is the best wind mitigation strategy. Here, we offer five tips on preventing wind damage and protecting your home from costly losses.
Finding and Patching Vulnerabilities
The best pergola for high winds in your area will withstand the most brutal storms, but preparation goes further. Pay attention to things that can become projectiles, like grills and outdoor furniture. As you prepare for high winds, pull these items inside or secure them with chains and cables.
Whether preparing for a storm or getting ready for the unexpected, the best way to prevent wind damage is to inspect your house inside and out. Focus on areas susceptible to wind damage, including roofing, doors, siding, windows, doors, and gutters.
Bolstering Windows and Doors
Homeowners in storm-prone areas often install aluminum or steel shutters on sliding glass doors and windows to prevent breakage. If you’re in a coastal area, storm shutters offer reliable long-term protection. While costly, they’re much cheaper than replacement doors and windows.
A home’s garage door is one of its biggest vulnerabilities, and wind damage creates problems in other areas. Before storm season arrives, hire a local garage door repair specialist to identify potential issues and recommend security strategies.
Fixing Shingles
When preparing for storms and mitigating wind damage, pay close attention to your roof. Loose and torn shingles may become deadly projectiles during storms, but they also leave roofs vulnerable to hail and water damage. Protect your home by securing loose shingles and installing a waterproof roof underlayment.
The average cost of wind-related roof repair can range from several hundred to a few thousand dollars, but pre-storm roof inspections will point out weak spots and reduce the risk of costly damage.
Securing Metal Roofing and Siding
High winds aren’t just dangerous for shingles; they also tear away siding and roofing panels, allowing water and wind into the home. To protect the interior of your home from water and wind damage, secure metal siding and roofing with clips, bolts, and screws.
For the best hold, install fasteners at regular intervals along the edges of panels. Cover each edge, including those at the corners, and you’ll keep the wind from damaging your siding.
Protecting Landscaping and Removing Diseased, Broken, and Dead Trees
One of the most significant wind damage risks doesn’t come from the home itself but from the landscaping surrounding it. High winds can topple the healthiest trees, and they’re even more likely to bring weak, sick ones down.
As you prepare for storm season, remove weak and overhanging branches and limbs from trees near your home. Ensure that trees and shrubs are far enough from the exterior to prevent damage if uprooted and remove any that pose a risk.
Follow These Tips to Prevent Wind Damage at Home
While professional pergola builders and roofers can help and offer advice, wind damage prevention starts with you. These are just a few ways to reduce the risk of loss and protect your home. By following these tips, you’ll reduce the risk of storm damage and give your family additional peace of mind.
