BEFORE A STORM: PREPARE YOUR HOME

Preparing your house for a hurricane begins with the windows and doors. If they're blown in and air rushes into the home, it could take off the roof and push the walls apart. You can do roofing and siding improvements during major repairs and remodeling.


WINDOWS

• Install temporary plywood shutters.
• For permanent protection, install storm shutters or impact-resistant laminated glass on all windows. Look for ASTM E1996 and E1986 or the words "Broward-Dade County Approved," which signify the ability to withstand the impact of a wooden 2x4 traveling at 34 mph. Cost for a 2,500-square-foot house: about $8,000 to $19,000 for shutters, $17,000 for windows. The extra security from burglary and theft is a bonus. You'll find additional data from the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes.

DOORS

• Hurricane and tornado damage often start with wind entry through garage doors, studies show. Install windowless garage doors that are no wider than the standard 9 feet and rated to withstand at least 50 pounds of pressure per square foot (look for a sticker on the door). Other doors should be braced or shuttered. Vertical braces, installed after the door is closed, are the most effective.
• Shutter the entire entry-door area, including sidelights and transoms.
• If replacing an entry door, choose a steel-framed, outward-opening one no wider than the standard 3 feet. Those offer better resistance to wind pressure and reduce the chance of water coming in at the door. Install it using three heavy-duty hinges and screws that are at least 2 1/2 inches long. Sidelights should have impact-resistant glass. If there are steps or a landing, they may need to be rebuilt to safely accommodate an outward-opening door.
• Make sure any entry doors are rated for wind conditions in your area (check your building department or www.ibhs.org for more information). If you live in a wind-prone area where building codes do not specify door requirements, look for Broward-Dade County Approved products.

ROOFS

• Reinforce the underside of an existing roof with a wood adhesive rated AFG-01 and certified by an independent test lab. If your home has exposed rafters, work from inside the attic. Use a caulk gun to apply a 1/4-inch bead of the adhesive on both sides of each beam where the sheathing meets the rafters or trusses.
• Add hurricane clips and other reinforcements at the connections between the rafters or trusses and walls. Hurricane clips and straps can allow a 2,500-square-foot house to resist winds up to 110 mph, for as little as $500. You can add the clips to your current roof if you can access the rafters or trusses through your attic. Otherwise, you'll have to do so when replacing the sheathing and roofing.
• Have roof sheathing fastened to the rafters with 8d (eight-penny) ring-shank nails, which have an angular, serrated surface for tear-out resistance. Nails should be 6 inches apart on framing members. The sheathing should be nailed rather than stapled in to place. Panels that were previously stapled should be renailed.
• Consider adding a secondary moisture barrier--adhesive joint taping or an ice-and-water shield--to protect against wind-driven rain.
• Look for roofing materials rated ASTM D3161 for wind-resistance up to 110 mph (check the packaging). ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials International) recently published a consensus standard with a three-tier classification system; the standard rates shingles for winds up to 150 mph (H rating). It has not yet been adopted by the International Code Council.

SIDING

• Masonry, hard plank, and brick are best. You can also put oriented strand board or plywood beneath other materials as part of a residing project to increase wind resistance and help support the frame and roofing.
• For vinyl, use siding certified by the Vinyl Siding Institute to industry standard ASTM D 3679, which should withstand winds of at least 90 mph. Proper installation is important. Siding that's nailed too tightly or too loosely may not perform as intended.

REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOOD DAMAGE

• Grade the property so that water runs away from the house; that will keep it from seeping through walls.
• Install a sump pump, floating drain valves, and exterior back-flow valves to prevent sewage from backing up and entering your home.
• Connect all basement and ground-floor receptacles to ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to avoid the risk of electrocution.
• Have an electrician move electrical-service panels at least 1 foot above the base flood-elevation line to protect them from water damage. You'll find more information at the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site, www.fema.gov, or check with your local building department.
• Mount water heaters and major appliances at least 1 foot off the floor. Elevate them using materials made of concrete, masonry, or pressure-treated wood.
• Anchor fuel tanks securely to a concrete slab whose weight can resist the force of floodwater and flotation, or anchor the tanks with metal straps attached to ground anchors.
• Check washing-machine water hoses for cracks or leaks; faulty hoses cause $150 million in property damage each year.

INVENTORY YOUR POSSESSIONS

If you need to file an insurance claim, a previously prepared home inventory will help ease the process. Photograph or videotape valuable items (including appliances) and rooms that have been remodeled, and, if possible, file the photos or videos with receipts with other important papers. (Go to www.knowyourstuff.org for free home-inventory software, and see our report, Keep documents safe, for more information.)


SECURE BOATS

Before a storm, it's also important to secure your boat, whether it's stored in water or on land. The U.S. Coast Guard (www.uscg.mil/news/stormcenter) offers information on boat safety during a hurricane, as does the Boat Owners Association of the United States (www.boatus.com/hurricanes/brochure.asp).