IBHS Hurricanes Brochure

At a glance..

You don't have to be blown away when a hurricane hits. It's never too early to prepare ad you can take several basic steps right now to protect your family and your home from disaster.

The details..

Hurricanes are one of the most destructive natural disasters that can hit homes in coastal regions. This book by the Institute for Business & Home Safety offers homeowners practical guidance on how to protect their property from hurricane damage. The first step is to ensure that your home meets current building code requirements for high-wind regions. Structures built according to model building codes have a better chance of surviving violent windstorms than those that do not meet these standards.

The second step involves making sure all exterior elements of your house are secure enough to withstand strong winds. For example, replacing gravel or rock landscaping material with shredded bark can prevent debris from flying around during a storm. Keeping trees and shrubbery trimmed also reduces the risk of falling branches damaging your home's structure.

The third step focuses on specific areas such as doors, windows, garage doors and roofs which require extra attention when it comes to protecting against hurricanes. Installing impact-resistant window systems or shutters over window openings will help prevent flying debris from breaking windowpanes during storms; while laminated glass or plastic glazing door systems offer more protection against wind damage than traditional sliding glass patio doors.

Finally, this book advises readers about what they should do when faced with an impending hurricane threat: become familiar with community disaster preparedness plans; create a family plan; report any property damage immediately after natural disasters occur so temporary repairs can be made quickly preventing further harm.