By Linden J. Walhard
You can hardly have missed the devastating hurricanes that have been experienced in the last few years. It is a fact that certain locations are more prone to hurricane activity than others and that the force of these seems to be on the increase. If you own property in one of these areas, it is crucial that you take steps to protect your home buildings from bad weather, which can include installing adequate hurricane shutters and storm windows.
Fitting hurricane shutters yourself is a relatively simple task, but you should find out a little about them before you make a purchase. The main purpose of storm shutters is for protection against airborne debris that can smash through your windows or doors during a strong storm.
Your doors and windows are particularly susceptible to damage during a hurricane as they are unlikely to have been manufactured to withstand forceful blasts of wind. They may be damaged purely by the wind, or possibly by a piece of brick, metal or wood that is picked up by the hurricane and flung at the property.
Once the wind enters your home, either by breaking glass or blowing a door in, the air pressure in your home begins to increase. This will continue to worsen as long as the storm continues. The combination of the air pressure within the building, and outside wind rushing over the roof of the house can cause a vacuum effect. In severe condition this can result in your roof being ripped from the building. As well as the obvious expense and inconvenience of replacing your roof, you may experience structural problems and significant damage to the fixtures and fittings in your home.
I'm sure having read that many of you will begin an immediate hunt for storm shutters. Make sure your home is protected by high quality, robust shutters and you dramatically decrease the risk of hurricane damage. If the wind cannot penetrate your home during such a storm, the only damage will be to the exterior of the property and should hopefully be less severe. Hurricane shutters may not be the most attractive addition to your home but they will be worth the investment if your house is located in a hurricane prone area. Of course, as well as the structure of your property, they will provide some protection to your family, safely tucked away inside during the storm.
About the Author: Linden Walhard very often publishes papers on areas relating with storm windows and home building. His comments on hurricane shutters are found on his site .
|
