Hurricanes can cause damage to your property in a variety of ways. Luckily, there are also many ways you can protect your home from the catastrophic effects of strong winds, rain and everything else a hurricane can bring. Here are three areas to focus on when hurricane-proofing your home:
Windows are an important feature to focus on when preparing for a hurricane. Broken windows can be the most common cause of damage and injury, whether from broken glass or structural damage. Consider installing high-impact windows throughout your home that can withstand the intense wind speeds and strengths of a hurricane. They'll help protect you against flying debris and water leakage with a lower likelihood of shattering under impact.
The roof is another part of your home that's particularly vulnerable to hurricane damage. If a roof is completely blown away or caved in, the elements can reach the rest of your home and cause tremendous damage. Two ways you can reinforce your roof for hurricane safety include metal roofing and architectural shingles.
Metal roofing made of tin, steel, aluminum, zinc or copper can be an expensive option but lasts a long time while providing excellent wind protection. Architectural shingles are thicker and heavier than traditional shingles and will provide better defense against the ravages of strong hurricane winds.
Your garage door is a huge entry point into your home and therefore a vulnerable point in a hurricane. If you live in an area prone to hurricanes, consider investing in hurricane-resistant garage door installation. These doors have extra reinforcement and hardware to help them withstand the pressure from strong winds.
You can also protect your garage door and other entry points into your home with removable metal panels. These are a more budget-friendly and flexible option because they are temporary. They also require some DIY work to mount them before a storm hits, so make sure you familiarize yourself with the process if you choose this route.
The better prepared you are for a hurricane, the less damage your home will take. Consider these options when formulating your disaster preparedness plan with your household.
I'm John Mahan, Sales Associate with William Raveis Real Estate, Harwich Port Office.
Throughout his childhood, John Mahan spent summers on Cape Cod at his parents’ home in Dennis Port. His intro to the Cape was, as he puts it, when his parents “carried me down the stairs at Sea Street Beach when I was a week old.” With a lifelong connection to Cape Cod, it seemed only natural for John and his wife, Mary, to move to Harwich – where they still reside – with their two young children in 1996.
Prior to moving to Cape Cod, John lived in the Worcester-Auburn area where he worked for Mass Electric for 10 years and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Utility Workers. When John and his family moved to the Cape, he worked at NSTAR for six years.
John began his career in real estate in 2002 when he joined Team Waystack Realty in Harwich Port. He has been a consistent top producing realtor in the Harwich area for the past 20 years. John’s approachable demeanor, combined with an integral understanding of the Cape Cod residential real estate market, have allowed him to build trusting, long-term relationships with his clients – both sellers and buyers.
