Are You and Your Roof Prepared for a Hurricane?

Hurricane Preparedness – Protecting Your Family

A hurricane is one of the most horrific natural disasters you could ever experience. Are you and your roof prepared for a hurricane? This is why being prepared is imperative. The following checklist will help you prepare for hurricanes.

• Make sure you always have a working NOAA radio and batteries.
• Put together a disaster supply kit.
• Keeping emergency phone numbers on your cell phones and posting them near your phones is a good idea. Your children should learn to call 911 as soon as possible – it is never too early to do so!
• Become familiar with First Aid, CPR, and disaster preparedness.
• Make sure you have a safe room or area in your house. You should find a safe place to shelter if you live in a mobile home.
• Prepare your evacuation routes in advance if you live in an evacuation zone. Identify places where family members can meet if separated and evacuate when necessary. Make sure you get out before it’s too late!
• Ensure outdoor furniture, lawn tools, hoses, and plants are moved indoors. Leaving anything outside that could be blown into your home by hurricane winds is not a good idea.
• Make sure you have flood insurance. Flood damage is typically not covered by homeowner’s insurance. Floating can occur in areas not usually prone to flooding due to hurricane storm surges. Insurance premiums for flood damage vary according to your location.

Visit the National Hurricane Center’s web page to learn more about hurricane preparedness.

Hurricane Preparedness for Your Roof and Home

For a home to survive a hurricane, it must have some crucial construction features. Several weeks are required to complete most of these features. While some hurricane preparations can be done in a few days, starting well before a storm is best.

Hurricane Straps or Hurricane Clips

Standard homes usually have roof trusses and rafters attached directly to their top plates. This attachment will not suffice during a hurricane to hold your roof in place. The trusses and rafters should be joined to the home’s wall framing instead of using hurricane straps or clips.

Roof Deck Reinforcement

Your roof deck may not be secured during a hurricane due to weak nails attached to your trusses/rafters, depending on where and when it was built. Bonding the roof deck to the trusses/rafters is possible using wood adhesive if an inspection determines that nail lengths and spacing need to be improved.

High-Speed Wind Resistant Roof Shingles

A high-speed wind-resistant shingle may be required if you live in a hurricane-prone area. Some shingles are warranted for speeds up to 130 mph on the market. It is desirable to use these shingles since they won’t blow away and will prevent water damage from affecting your house during a hurricane. Aside from not tearing off and posing flight and impact risks, they will remain in place.

Impact-Resistant Windows

Building codes usually require storm shutters, but impact-resistant windows can be used as an alternative. Impact-resistant windows offer the same level of protection as storm shutters but offer it 24/7, 365 days a year. When a hurricane is approaching, impact-resistant windows eliminate the need for shutters or other protective window covers during the critical hours before the storm arrives.

Entry Doors, Garage Doors, and Gable End Walls

Other elements of your home that should be reinforced before a hurricane include entry doors, garage doors, and end walls. It is too complex to discuss these reinforcements here, but the National Hurricane Center has more information about them.

Hurricane Preparedness Review for Homes

For your home to withstand a hurricane, you need to incorporate the features mentioned above. Depending on the property’s age and location, some or all elements may already exist.

Using past construction and renovation records and codes, you can determine whether your home is equipped to withstand hurricane loads. You may also have to review your own home’s construction records.

Alternatively, a professional can inspect your home to determine if additional work is needed to make it hurricane-proof.

Durable Roofs Built by a Professional Roofing Company

HUDCO Roofing & Exteriors can provide you with the help you need. Getting in touch with us can be done by calling us at 318-584-0044. We service areas in Bossier City, Shreveport, and Baton Rouge, LA.

Contact us today with additional questions about hurricane preparation for your roof and home.

A free roof analysis is also available upon request to be confident that your roof is ready to withstand hurricane-force winds and rain.