Tornadoes wreak havoc all across the Midwest. With such powerful forces of wind, they rip apart homes and businesses in a matter of minutes. To ensure that you do everything possible to fortify your home, here are four protection tips that you should implement today.
Start by Assessing Your Outdoors
The best place to start is to identify any outdoor hazards that pose a threat to your home. With winds that exceed 300 mph, outdoor objects can be easily swept up and thrown as debris. Items like lawn chairs, outdoor furniture, and even your children’s outside toys can be deadly hazards. Be sure to have a secure place ready where you can easily move these items in the event that a tornado is on the way. Assess any surrounding trees and remove any downed tree limbs so that they don’t turn into flying objects.
Install Hurricane Straps
Reinforcing your roof to help it withstand high force winds is a great idea for those that live in tornado-prone regions. Hurricane straps are installed at the roof joists to provide an extra layer of reinforcing power to hold the structure of your roof together. If you’re not comfortable installing these straps, then consider hiring a residential roofing expert to do the job.
Install Storm Shutters
Your window glass can turn into a dangerous hazard for your family. It’s best to invest in some impact-resistant windows that provide an added layer of protection to your home. Also, consider adding storm shutters. These can help to prevent damage from flying objects. The more layers of protection that you have between your window and the outside, the better.
Secure Large Pieces of Furniture
The furniture in your home can be heavy and extremely damaging when picked up by the wind. You can work to save your furniture and make your home safer by securing large pieces to the walls and the floor. Metal strapping and even braided wire can do the trick. Consider adding childproof latches to all of your cabinets and doors to ensure that they stay shut during any major movement of the house. When anchoring furniture, make sure you head to the bedroom. You’ll want to secure your bed, bookcases, and dressers.
Protecting your home from the hazardous windows of a tornado is something that you should highly consider if you live in an area with frequent tornadoes. The above are four great tactics for protecting your home. While your home may not withstand some of the worst tornados, you can greatly limit your risk of high amounts of damage from smaller tornados.
