The Institute for Business & Home Safety.

THE TOP THREE HURRICANE PROTECTION MYTHS
And why believing them can be dangerous

Gearing up for hurricane season can often mean well-intentioned friends and relatives will provide you with their own tips and advice.

The Institute for Business & Home Safety wants to help residents in vulnerable states avoid some potentially dangerous ideas, by identifying The Top Three Hurricane Protection Myths.

1. Open the windows so the air pressure doesn’t explode the house.

This would not only be unsafe for you and your home, but it would also allow wind-driven rain to stream through your house and ruin belongings.  The normal leakage of air around windows and doors will tend to keep the pressure in your house slightly lower than the atmospheric pressure caused by the storm outside.  The greatest danger comes when a large window or door fails on a wall facing the wind.  The key is keeping all wind and water out with proper opening protection.

2. You only need to protect the openings facing the ocean or gulf.

Because hurricanes are a moving, rotating storm, winds can come from any direction, which can change rapidly if you are near the eye. Your best bet is to protect windows and doors on all sides of your home.

3. You should tape windows with a big “X.”

Taping glass does nothing to address the main point of protection – keeping the glass in its frame and securely attached to the home.

Remember – never lean or push against a window or door that is being blown inward by wind pressure.  And no matter what kind of glass you have, stay away from all windows during a severe storm.

The Institute for Business & Home Safety works to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other property losses by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices.

The post Tuesday Tips-The Top 3 Hurricane Protection Myths appeared first on The Mom Maven.

I know not all of my readers live in hurricane prone areas, in this series of tips we will also cover information on floods, wildfires and tornadoes too. I feel that it is important to get the word out about what you can do now to protect your family in case a natural disaster strikes where you live.

In the interest of full disclosure, all of my tips are coming from the Institute for Business and Home Safety. My sister, Wendy Rose, is currently the Media Relations Manager for IBHS and she is my source for the information.

TOP 5 WAYS TO PROTECT HOMES FROM HURRICANES

The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has outlined five ways to better protect homes from damaging wind and rain this hurricane season.

1. Shutter all openings
2. Secure loose roof shingles
3. Seal openings, cracks and holes
4. Strengthen soffits
5. Survey surroundings

1-Shutter all openings
The most important thing you can do to improve the chance your home will survive a hurricane is to protect all windows and doors. The range of products on the market today means it’s easier to find protection that fits your budget. Whatever you choose, make sure the product has the proper approvals for wind pressure and large-missile impact. If it’s not a permanent product, install permanent fasteners ahead of time so installation is easier when storms threaten. Gable end vents can be shuttered as if they were a window. Garage door companies have bracing systems available for about $400 that should work for most door styles (visit now for more information).

2-Secure loose roof shingles
Keeping shingles attached is critical. If the edge shingles are not well fastened or extend beyond the drip edge more than a 1/4″, high wind can lift them off and create a peeling process or domino effect. If they come up without much effort (older shingles become brittle and may crack when bent too much), call a roofer to have them secured with three one-inch dabs of roofing cement under each tab. You can visit their site for more information.

3-Seal openings, cracks and holes
Water can invade homes in a number of ways, especially when it’s being blown horizontally. The problem is compounded if there’s a loss of power and air conditioners or dehumidifiers are unable to dry things out. Fill holes where wires, cables and pipes enter and exit the house and seal around electrical boxes and circuit breaker panels. Seal cracks around wall outlets, dryer vents, bathroom and kitchen vents, and wall lights.

4-Strengthen soffits (the material covering the underside of your roof overhang)
Keeping soffits in place can help keep water out of your house. Some have wood supports but the soffit material is not adequately fastened to the wood or there is no wood backing and the vinyl or aluminum channels are stapled or nailed to the wall. If there are wood supports, secure soffit material with sharp-pointed stainless steel screws. If the channels are just nailed to the wall, you can use polyurethane caulk to seal the channel to the wall and tie the parts together.

5-Survey surroundings and limit potential flying debris
Limiting possible sources of wind-borne debris before a storm will help protect your home and those around you. Replace gravel/rock landscaping materials with shredded bark. Limit yard objects. Keep trees and shrubbery trimmed. Cut weak branches.

For more information, request a free copy of the IBHS publication “S Marks the Spot” by calling toll free 1 (866) 657-4247 or view it on the IBHS web site www.DisasterSafety.org.

The post Tuesday Tips-Hurricane Protection appeared first on The Mom Maven.