How To Prepare Your Home for High Winds

12/4/2022 (Permalink)

How To Prepare Your Home for High Winds

Hurricanes, tornadoes, and other high-wind events can be devastating to your Shawnee, KS home. Even if you live in an area that’s not prone to extreme weather events, it’s important to prepare your home for high winds by securing your roof and windows and making sure you have the right coverage in case of any damage.

Remove Dead Trees.

Dead trees are more likely to fall on homes when high winds hit. If you have dead trees in your yard, hire a professional arborist to remove them as soon as possible.

Dead trees are also more prone to falling during high winds because they’re already weak and susceptible to breakage. If you notice that a tree is leaning or appears sickly, contact a tree company that specializes in removing dead trees before it’s too late! Dead trees can be not only an eyesore but also dangerous for your family—especially if you have small children running around outside on the ground level of your home!

Secure Your Roof.

The first thing you'll want to do is check your roof for any loose shingles or tiles. If they are still firmly attached, then you can leave them as-is. If they're not secure, however, you'll need to secure them somehow or else risk having them fly off in a high wind and hit someone (or something) below.

Next, walk around the perimeter of your house looking for any signs of water damage and leaks that may have occurred after a previous storm or heavy rains. Check all doors and windows to make sure they are properly sealed shut so that no water can enter through their openings. If there's any sign of water damage inside your home at all—even just small puddles on floorboards—you should contact an expert immediately so that repairs can be made before mold begins forming within those areas too!

Install Hurricane-Resistant Windows.

If you plan to stay at home during a hurricane, it is important that you install hurricane-resistant windows. The severity of the storm can be determined by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale (based on wind speed), with categories of one through five. A category three or four storm will do serious damage to an ordinary house, so it is essential that your window frames be strong enough to withstand these high winds.

These windows should have impact-resistant glass and frames that are securely fastened together. You don’t want them to blow away in the middle of the night when everyone else has evacuated their homes! If you already have hurricane-resistant windows installed around your home, now would be a good time to check them out and make sure they haven’t been damaged by previous storms or other natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods.

Read And Follow Your Homeowner’s Policy.

Keep in mind that not all damage is covered under standard policies—some things may be excluded from reimbursement entirely while others may require payment first out of pocket before any funds are reimbursed by an insurer. For example, Some exclusions exist like flood damage which won't be covered unless you buy a specific rider for floods."

Ensure You Have The Right Coverage.

It's important to check your insurance policy before the storm hits. Your insurer may have limits on coverage that could leave you with a hefty bill if something is damaged or destroyed in the storm.

You'll also want to ask about exclusions, especially if any of your possessions are particularly valuable. For example, many policies exclude coverage for damage caused by flooding, which can be devastating during a hurricane.

The terms and conditions of your policy are also worth checking over. Is there an aggregate limit (the total amount covered)? Is there a deductible? Be aware of these things so they don't catch you off guard after the fact!

You should protect your home from high winds and be properly covered if wind damage occurs.

If you live in an area that is prone to hurricanes, we recommend that you take basic measures to prepare your home for high winds. For example, if a tree falls on your home, the damage may be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy. But if there are no trees in the way and it still gets damaged by high winds, then coverage might not apply.

If you don’t have a homeowner's policy yet or haven't reviewed your current one recently, get started now! You can also learn more about hurricane season by visiting our page on what to expect during this time of year.

Preparation and planning can help you get through a hurricane or other extreme weather event. It’s important to prepare your home for high winds so that it can withstand the forces of nature without any major damage. We hope this article has provided some helpful tips on how to keep your home safe from hurricanes, but if you need more information on how we can help protect your family against all kinds of natural disasters, please contact us today!