The Importance of Hurricane Proof Doors and Windows
Hurricane season is right around the corner, and homeowners in Florida and other coastal areas are preparing to protect their property when the inevitable and potentially devastating storms come rocking through. Many are considering investing in hurricane proof doors and windows if they haven’t already. Should you? For peace of mind, security, and the greatest chance of surviving even relatively mild storms without costly damage, you definitely should: A single storm can produce more than two trillion gallons of water in a single day. Hurricanes frequently lead to tornadoes: 1992’s Hurricane Andrew yielded 62 tornadoes, some of them several days after the storm hit land. And in 2017, ten consecutive storms developed into full hurricanes. The risk is legitimate.
Choosing Hurricane Proof Windows and Doors
Starting your storm preparations with the doors and the windows does a great deal more than secure your windows and doors: having high impact windows, hurricane glass windows, or impact resistant windows is a big step toward keeping the rest of your property safe. If windows facing hurricane winds are breached, damage to the rest of the house as it sustains the winds from the outside and the inside can often be a great deal greater. Severe changes in air pressure inside a building are frequently a contributing factor when roofs sustain costly damage or are lost altogether. Hurricane proof doors and windows with hurricane glass, stronger hardware, and hurricane proof construction are vital to the chances of your property withstanding the storms of hurricane season without too much costly damage.
Impact Rated and Impact Resistant
Homeowners preparing their property for hurricane season should make certain that the doors and windows they’re relying on are impact rated and impact resistant: that the construction, structure, and glass have been fabricated and tested to resist not only the great winds of hurricane season but also the detritus large and small that hurricane winds propel at high speeds toward vulnerable parts of a home. One of the prominent features of hurricane proof doors and windows is laminated glass. In laminated glass, strong layers of glass are fixed together around a sturdy plastic layer, for a three (or more) ply window that holds together even if shattered or pierced. Another feature of impact windows is a more durable frame than found around conventional windows.
Hurricane Shutters
Hurricane shutters are another common precaution for homeowners in coastal areas. Hurricane shutters, or storm panel shutters, are temporary panels fixed around impact rated, hurricane proof doors and windows and secured during storms to further protect hurricane proof doors and windows. They are commonly made of corrugated aluminum but can be made of steel as well. Some homeowners choose these strong, overlapping panels instead of hurricane proof doors and windows, though the very best protection is to use both.
When in Doubt, Board it Up
If hurricane season is coming too rapidly – or too early – and you haven’t had the time or resources to add hurricane proof doors and windows, or if you’ve found that your windows are not impact rated, you can still protect those vulnerable parts of your home by boarding them up. Simple plywood in sheets or broad planks can be fixed across windows and doors for extra or last-minute protection.
More Options for Protecting the Vulnerable Parts of Your Home During Hurricane Season
Professionally installed hurricane screens offer some protection and are better than nothing but don’t compare to hurricane proof doors and windows. Simple films that apply to glass are being marketed as viable protection for your windows during hurricane season, but don’t meet state requirements for impact rating.
Quality Matters
Hurricane proof doors and windows will be protecting a great deal more than your doors and windows. Securing these vulnerable parts of your home plays a significant role in protecting the rest of the structure, your investment, and your family. Don’t let your peace of mind go out the window: choose high-quality products when preparing hurricane proof doors and windows.
