The 2006 hurricane season was thankfully mild this year. But that doesn’t mean that severe winds haven’t been an issue in the United States. The Northwest has been pounded by a winter storm with wind gusts of up to 110 mph. If those were sustained winds, that would be...
Ah, Fall. Crisp temperatures, college football—and gutter cleaning. I know you don’t want to hear it, but you need to think about your home’s gutters. Why? The two top reasons that come to my mind have to do with fire and ice. Let’s talk fire first. Did you know that...
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that FLASH has a pretty nifty website at www.flash.org that’s filled with information to help you strengthen your home against disasters. But what if you want more technical information? FLASH has you covered there,...
We've looked at how to assess your home’s risk to flood. Now here are three ways to reduce potential flood damage. 1) Elevate Your Home—Raise your home so that the lowest floor is above the flood level or base flood elevation (BFE). Use building piers or columns to...
There are tons of products on the market aimed at relieving the stress and trauma of a major weather event. We've looked at windows, doors, roofs, landscaping, and generators. Hurricane Katrina's natural disaster and manmade tragedies have encouraged companies to come...
Homeowners insurance is an important part of owning a home. That’s because your home not only provides you and your family with shelter from the dangers of the outside world, it is probably your largest financial investment. But do you really understand your...
Technological advances and innovative concepts keep coming to help defend our homes against nature’s destructive forces. This time it's Fastnet, a product designed to prevent shingles and tiles from flying off in hurricane force winds. The Fastnet system uses a...
Now that you know that only tested and approved shutter systems or windows made with impact-resistant glass should be used as window protection, let’s debunk another common myth. MYTH: Crack or open windows to allow wind pressure inside the house to equal pressure...
Most of us have been fooled by urban myths and email hoaxes. Remember the Bill Gates e-mail? It was a hoax and you never saw a dime. Unlike that harmless hoax, urban myths about disaster safety aren’t just annoying, they are dangerous. Myth 1: Placing masking tape,...
As the first storm of the Hurricane Season bears down on Florida, we at Renovate Your World are keenly aware of the needs of coastal homeowners for designs and products that make their homes safer in severe weather. Here’s one we came across called the Hurricane...
