If you have been anywhere close to the tv and happen to have a news station on you will know that 2011 has been the biggest year for deadly tornados this country has seen in the last 50 years. So it is important to be educated on ways in which you can storm-proof your investment and work to minimize damage if hurricane or tornado force winds were to strike. As you know in Charlotte we do get our share of wind advisories and tornado and storm warnings.  Being aware of some of the ways in which you can protect your home is a good place to start.

About.com’s Jackie Craven has some good ideas on this. The first place to start is the roof. Gabled roofs are much more likely to fall victim to damage from high winds. These types of roofs however can be reinforced by adding additional braces in the Trusses and at the gable ends. Another route you can take is bringing on a qualified builder to install galvanized metal hurricane straps. This will secure the roof to the walls.

The next item to storm proof would be your windows. Wind that is strong enough to break and shatter glass is a definate safety issue. We all know that when a strong storm is in the area we are all told to stay clear of windows. That is all great to protect us, but what about those windows. The most recommeneded and affordable way to protect your windows is to get storm shutters. Storm shutters are often used as a decorative element to the outside of the house and often overlooked as a functional piece of the home. Being able to easily open and close storm shutters will provide a basic form of protection against those stronger winded storms. If you are not wanting to put storm shutters up, then having pre-measured and cut plywood panels accessible to put in place is a great alternative option.

The next thing we would want to do to storm proof our home is the doors and garage. Many of today’s doors do not have bolt and pins that are strong enough to withstand high force wind storms. You can very cheaply purchase additional bolts that will help withstand the extra strain placed on the door. It is also recommended that you install horizontal bracing in each panel of the garage door.

The Red Cross released a brochure called Against the Wind, which you can read here.

In the end there is no full proof way to 100% guard against these types of winds, but you can take measures to better protect your investment.  The point is that when it comes down to it, the heart of the matter is not necessarily protecting your home, but rather protecting the people inside that make it a home.

Tim Brown,Owner/Broker, Realtor®, ABR,CRS,CDPE®,
Auctioneer NCAL#8560
Hines & Associates Realty
TeamHeidi
Direct Line: 704-619-1008
Client Care Line: 704-815-3208
www.CarolinaHomes4Sale.com

 
Tim Brown is a Owner/Broker, Realtor®, ABR,CRS,CDPE®, Auctioneer NCAL#8560 with Hines & Associates Realty. He currently serves buyers and sellers in Charlotte, Mecklenburgh, Cabarrus, Cornelius, Huntersville, and other surrounding communities in North Carolina. Charlotte Real Estate, Charlotte Homes for Sale

Some information in this article was borrowed from about.com