Protecting Your Home from the Storm

When you live in South Florida, hurricanes (and tropical storms) are a part of life—and protecting your home from potential damage is a necessity. Homes can be destroyed by high winds and/or high waves; and debris can break windows and doors. As unpredictable as some storms can be, there are ways you can protect your home—and your family—to keep damage to a minimum.

At Luxury Home Solutions, we’ve made storm protection a priority. Our VP of Construction, Norm Bloxham, attends numerous seminars each year to stay up-to-date on the latest information and products designed to protect your home.

When it comes to storm protection, the roof, windows and doors are typically the areas that require the most attention.

The Roof
Hurricane protection begins with the roof over your head. The most important step you can take is to make plans to secure and protect the roof on your property before hurricane season starts. That way, when a storm does threaten, you can concentrate on the safety of your family or business and know that you have done your best to protect your property.

There are many types of roof design, and many ways of ensuring that it’s safe. In every new home built by LHS, we employ a roofing technique called "hurricane blocking." According to Bloxham, this technique entails installing an additional 2x4 under the truss, allowing a 2-inch air space, which prevents the vacuum that can often occur during high-powered winds. By preventing the air volume to get up under the roof, it can hold the roof in place during a hurricane.

Doors and Windows
Once a window or door is broken, tremendous pressure is brought to bear on a home’s interior walls, as is an upward pressure on your roof—this can lead to roof failure and expose the inside of your home to the storm. Additionally, even if the roof and walls remain intact, the rain and water damage from a broken window can be severe, sometimes leaving a home uninhabitable and resulting in a total loss of its contents. To protect your home’s interior, use windows and doors with impact-resistant glass, or shutters that can withstand high winds and flying debris.

When it comes to windows, there are several types of impact-resistant glass ranging from monolithic to high performance low-e insulated glass. All of these impact resistant window products are rated and tested to withstand hurricane force winds in Florida.

At LHS, impact resistant windows and doors are a standard part of new home construction. In older homes, we specialize in an advanced water proofing technique called wet-flashing, which uses a sealant to prevent water from leaking into the rough openings and framing from window and door installations.

Just as windows offer several options, doors do as well. Impact resistant doors are built to withstand sustained winds and high levels of impact. Doors must meet or exceed industry standards for air infiltration, water penetration, structural and thermal performance and forced entry. You should also make certain your doors have at least three hinges and a dead bolt security lock with a bolt at least one inch long—or an even better option is a door with multi point locks.

Hurricane shutters are an option if you decide not to go with impact-resistant glass. Shutters cover the windows during a storm to prevent wind and debris from coming into contact with glass—and there are a multitude of options from which to choose. With any product, there are pros and cons, depending upon which type of shutter you choose. Some are bulky, require storage, and are laborious to install and uninstall.

Hurricanes are like no other storms on Earth and it’s important to be prepared—both inside and outside. Move anything in your yard that can become flying debris inside your house or garage before a storm strikes. Become familiar with your community's disaster preparedness plans and create a family plan. Finally, put together an emergency kit that includes a three-day supply of drinking water and non-perishable food; first aid supplies; extra batteries, flashlights and more.

For more information, contact an expert at Luxury Home Solutions.

Serving Southwest Florida, Collier & Lee Counties: Naples, Marco, Sanibel, Captiva, Bonita, Fort Myers.
State Certified General Contractor • Licensed and Insured • CGC024853