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If you live in or near any coastal area, then you know that hurricanes are a viable summertime threat. Many precautions have been made to guarantee that future disasters do not cause as much damage as past storms like Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. However, you can also do your part by hurricane-proofing your home or hiring a residential contractor to do it for you. Here are four ways to ensure that your home will be safe in the event of a hurricane. 1. Building Codes If you are already renovating your house or putting on a new addition, you can also take the opportunity to retrofit your dwelling to meet appropriate building codes. Building codes are local or state laws that require your home to meet particular standards for your own safety. Many of these codes reflect the lessons that have been learned by residential contractor firms from past disasters. Many areas have building codes that require you to build a continuous load path in your home. This is a method of construction that uses a system made from metal connectors, fasteners, wood, and shear walls to connect the structural frame of your home like a chain from the roof to the foundation. The method is extremely effective at holding a house together when high winds roll in. Unfortunately, some parts of the country don't always enforce building codes, and homes that have been built prior to 1985 did not require the continuous load path design. 2. Hurricane Clips If you want to incorporate a proactive method for securing your entire roof, you should consider hurricane clips. Hurricane clips, otherwise known as hurricane strips or hurricane ties, are installed by a residential contractor to provide a sturdy connection between the roof rafters and the exterior walls of the structure for effective wind resistance. Many homes in coastal areas have hurricane strips already built in, but they can be difficult to see in your attic because they are usually covered by the insulation. If you already have them installed, you will see them fastened to the tops of exterior walls. If they are "toe-nailing" the rafters outside, they may not be strong enough to sustain the high winds of a hurricane and will need to be re-installed. 3. Window Clips Window clips are used in conjunction with pre-cut plywood to close windows off from the home in the event of high wind. They are a favorable alternative to boarding windows because they do not damage walls. 4. Bolster Your Garage Door Due to the width of double-wide garage doors, they are extremely susceptible to damage from the strong winds of a hurricane. If you don't have a tested hurricane-resistant door, the wind can force it off its roller track. It is especially vulnerable if the anchor bolts have loosened or the track is lightweight. A quick way to strengthen the garage door is to reinforce its weakest points. A residential contractor can install horizontal or vertical bracing onto each panel and use light gauge metal or wood bolted to the door. If you take these simple precautions, your home should be a safer place in the event of a hurricane or high-wind storm. Just remember: even though these tips may be able to save your home, they cannot guarantee your personal safety. To learn more about their options for a residential contractor, Sacramento residents should visit http://www.alcalhome.com/.
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