Hurricanes can easily cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to American cities.

Preparing for hurricanes isn’t just about buying a few extra flashlights and rushing to the grocery store to stock up on canned goods.

Especially if you live in a high-risk area, you need to think about how to hurricane proof your home.

We’ve all seen the pictures of devastation and destruction after a hurricane hits. While you can’t always prevent hurricanes from damaging your property, there are things you can do to lessen their impact.

From filling you in on the best hurricane window and door protection to making sure that you’ve chosen the right insurance policy, we’ll tell you the most important hurricane home protection steps you need to take before a storm hits.

Read on to make sure that your hurricane plan doesn’t have any gaps.

1. Prepare Your Garage Door

Did you know that your garage door is actually one of the most vulnerable parts of your home during a hurricane?

Because garage doors aren’t well reinforced, they can easily blow in — destroying your car in the process. That’s not the only thing you have to worry about, however.

If an attic or any kind of room rests above your garage, it can also collapse — leading to the ruin of your home.

Take the time to install proper garage door braces. You should also invest in several wooden beams to install across the ceiling of your garage. Make sure that the items you’re storing in your garage are completely strapped down before a hurricane hits.

2. Invest in Impact Windows and Doors

Why bother wasting time on the potentially futile act of learning how to board windows for hurricane season when there are stronger windows (and doors) available?

Plus, the right hurricane windows protection can save your life in many different disasters or emergencies, not just a storm. This makes them well worth the investment.

In most cases, these special windows are made from inner-membrane or shatter-resistant types of glass. Usually, this means that they have a middle layer of polyvinyl membrane that prevents them from smashing in a storm. They can stand up to even high winds and rains.

They’re also seriously tested against hurricane-force winds and are designed to withstand even debris that would shatter a normal window.

When shopping, make sure you find a window that has a label to show it’s been tested.

In addition to helping your windows to withstand hurricane conditions, impact windows Miami also increases your home’s overall energy efficiency and lowers the overall amount of UV rays that sneak into your home.

3. Clear Your Yard

Often, homeowners get so caught up in the larger processes of hurricane-proofing their homes, that they actually end up overlooking the obvious.

Especially if you know that a storm is on its way, make sure that you’ve cleared your yard.

Get rid of lawn chairs, tables, toys, and, if the storm is especially bad, see if you can disassemble swing sets.

While you’re in the process of going a yard sweep, also take a look at your trees. If you notice any dead or decaying branches, now is the time to trim them. They’re not going to be able to make it through the storm, and they could fly at your house.

4. Protect Your Roof

There are several different ways you can prepare your roof to be able to withstand hurricanes — or at least, mitigate the overall amount of damage it suffers.

First, we suggest making annual roof inspections a part of your regular routine.

This will help you to ensure that your roof doesn’t have things like loose tiles and shingles — which can quickly become missiles in a storm.

Talk to a professional roofer and ask them if they’re able to install hurricane straps/clips to your roof. This helps to keep your roof in place during a storm.

Also look into roofing cement, construction adhesive, and more.

5. Take a Hard Look at Your Current Insurance Policy

Most people only consider the more physical preparations when it comes to hurricane home protection.

However, especially before storm season starts, we strongly suggest that you take a look at your insurance policy.

Does it cover water damage? If your entire home is washed away or damaged, how much will your policy give you to rebuild?

Is the amount of coverage consistent with your home’s value, as well as today’s building costs?

Trust us when we tell you that the worst time to find out you have inadequate coverage is when you’re staring at what’s left of your home after a storm.

In addition to reviewing your insurance policy, you should also take a serious inventory of the valuables in your home.

Upgrade Your Hurricane Home Protection Plan with These Tips

We hope that this post has helped you to better understand the strategies that you need to start thinking about now when it comes to hurricane home protection.

Remember to invest in hurricane windows protection, make sure your roof is in good condition, and remove outdoor furniture/decorations.

Hurricane protection might require a bit of an initial investment up front, especially if you live in a city that’s prone to hurricanes and tropical storm.

However, we can promise you that it will still be far less expensive — and less emotionally draining — than having to rebuild your home from scratch.

Looking for additional advice on finding the right insurance? Want to know which home improvement projects might help you prepare for a storm?

We’ve got you covered when it comes to all of that and more. So, keep checking back with our blog to get all the advice you need and learn to find the right home for your lifestyle.