Think your home is prepared for the hurricane season? The DailyGreen.com interviewed Ray Stone, the vice president of catastrophe operations for Travelers Insurance, to sort through some of the untruths. They came up with these four common myths about hurricane preparedness that may have you thinking twice:
The most vulnerable area of the home is the roof. “It simply isn’t true,” Stone said. “The most vulnerable part is the garage door.” If wind enters through the garage door, a window or any other opening, however, the roof is at risk: The rush of air could blow it off, with your stuff following close behind. Kits are available to protect garage doors.
You only need to protect the openings facing the water. Hurricanes rotate, and their winds can strike from surprising directions. Similarly, it’s dangerous to try to open windows on the opposite side of the house from the direction of the wind, because they could break in the process, or the wind direction could change suddenly.
Taping with a big “X” protects windows. The real key is to make sure windows are securely attached to the building and that they stay that way despite heavy winds.
Leaning or pushing against a window or door can prevent it from being blown in. A better plan is to stay clear of windows and doors during the storm. Before the storm, make sure hinges and bolts are secure, and that all openings can be closed securely.
Read more about the predictions for the upcoming hurricane season at The Daily Green website.
You can also read more about storm-ready garage doors here.
Credit: DailyGreen.com
