Trusted Local News

Preparing Your Home's Roof for Hurricane Season: A Complete Guide

  • News from our partners

The high winds and torrential rains that come with the hurricane season can be overwhelming. But with a bit of prescience and readiness, your house can withstand the hurricane, especially your roof.

Giving your roof attention is crucial as it is your home’s first line of defense. This guide will assist you change your home into a fortress that withstands hurricanes thus ensuring the security of both property and lives.

Understanding the Threat

Hurricane seasons take place between June and November annually; this is when severe damage may happen. Shingles can be ripped off by high winds while flying debris could punch holes through roofs causing leaks and structural damage. Recognizing what you are going to face is the first step in knowing how to prepare a house for a hurricane.

Choosing the Best Roof for Hurricane Season

Any roof that has a slope between 30 and 45 degrees is considered to be the best choice for wind resistance. This angle facilitates easier passage of winds over the roof, thus minimizing uplift risks.

Hurricane-resistant roofs are built to withstand extreme conditions. Such systems often incorporate materials like metal or specially treated shingles that can withstand high winds.

For example, when choosing shingles, you should go for those labeled as “hurricane roof shingles” or storm code roofing since they meet specific standards regarding wind and impact resistance.

Essential Roof Preparations

Preparing the roof for hurricane season is all about doing a series of things that will make it stronger and prevent damage.

  • Inspection and Repair: Start by checking for already damaged areas on your roof. Look for loosened or missing shingles, crevices, and any other weaknesses that can be found. This will prevent the cracks from being doors through which water and wind may enter later.
  • Reinforce Roof Structures: Install hurricane straps to make your roof stronger. These metallic fasteners will help tie down the rooftop with the walls making it difficult for it to be blown away during a storm.
  • Protective Measures: Think of adding some hurricane roof protection features like clips or tie-downs on your roofs. These gadgets reinforce the security of a house by offering more anchoring points on the roof. More than roofs, you'll also want to get in contact with a window installer near Mankato that specializes in hurricane proof windows.

Advanced Roof Protection Features

During hurricanes, skylights can be vulnerable areas. However, one can opt for the use of hurricane-rated skylights as a mitigating factor. These skylights are constructed to resist strong winds and flying objects thus they are durable and safe.

Additionally, hurricane-impact skylights are a great option. They have reinforced glasses that do not break even in harsh environments. Not only will installing such windows protect your house but also allows natural light to come in without compromising safety.

DIY Preparations

It is vital to develop your plan for the hurricane season as part of home preparation. This should involve having a comprehensive checklist listing all the things that must be done before a storm to ensure that nothing is left out.

Get local news in your inbox every morning

* indicates required


DIY Hurricane Proof Roofing Tips:

  • Seal Gaps and Cracks: Use sealants to fill any openings or crevices on the roof or around skylights. It prevents rain from entering into your home due to winds.
  • Trim Trees and Shrubs: Prune any branches that might fall off during severe wind affecting and ruining roofs.
  • Install Temporary Protective Measures: You may choose to cover windows or skylights with metal panels or plywood when there is an approaching storm.

Budget-Friendly Preparations:

  • Use Affordable Materials: Choose cheap yet durable materials like asphalt shingles made to resist high wind speeds .
  • Focus on Critical Areas: Start by reinforcing the parts of your roof that are most likely to fail such as eaves and corners.

Professional Help and Resources

Though doing it yourself preparations are helpful, when to involve a professional is very important. This is the case if your roof has significant damage or you are uncertain about what repairs need to be made.

A well-done analysis by a reputable roofing company will help him recommend the best solutions.

Finding the Right Contractor:

  • Check Credentials: See to it that the contractor is licensed and insured.
  • Read Reviews: Check for reviews from previous clients and testimonials on their dependability and quality of work done.
  • Get Multiple Quotes: Obtain quotes from several contractors in order to compare prices and services.

Other resources within the community such as local community organizations and government programs can also provide support for hurricane preparations. Utilize these resources for information purposes so that you can stay informed and prepared during hurricanes.

Post-Hurricane Roof Maintenance

When your house has been hit by a hurricane, checking whether the roof survived unscathed is very important. To see any signs of damage like missing pieces of shingles or leaks and structural defects look for them. Take pictures and write down whatever you notice in terms of destruction.

Immediate Repairs:

  • Temporary Fixes: Use tarpaulin plastics or plywood to cover holes on the surface and prevent water from going into your house.
  • Professional Repairs: Approach a qualified roofing contractor who will properly assess the damage and carry out necessary fixing promptly.

Long-Term Maintenance:

  • Regular Inspections: Conduct regular inspections so that before minor problems become major ones they can be addressed.
  • Upgrade Materials: Consider using stronger materials that are resistant to hurricanes when carrying out routine maintenance.

Secure Your Roof and Protect Your Home Today!

Getting your home’s roof ready for hurricane season involves several steps including material selection, necessary fixing as well as precautionary measures. By following this guide, you can protect your house from storms and it will bring comfort knowing your family members are safe.

In addition, hiring professional roofing contractors is strongly recommended. They will conduct thorough assessments, give professional guidance, and make essential additions to ensure that your home meets the highest standards of hurricane-proofing.

A little investment in expert intervention now could save you from much devastation later on when you need major repairs done on it even though it might seem expensive at first.

author

Chris Bates

STEWARTVILLE

JERSEY SHORE WEEKEND

LATEST NEWS

Real Estate Widget Fragment

Events

December

S M T W T F S
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 1 2 3 4

To Submit an Event Sign in first

Today's Events

No calendar events have been scheduled for today.