As Hurricane Preparedness Week begins to wrap up, experts at government agencies such as NOAA’s National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service are encouraging people to check to see just how strong their home is ahead of hurricane season. Both the Central Pacific and Atlantic Hurricane seasons begin on June 1 and run through to the end of November.
“If you plan to ride out the storm in your home, make sure it is in good repair and up to local hurricane building code specifications,” the National Weather Service says in Hurricane Preparedness Week communications today. “Many of these retrofits do not cost much or take as long to do as you may think. Have the proper plywood, steel or aluminum panels to board up the windows and doors. Remember, the garage door is the most vulnerable part of the home, so it must be able to withstand the winds.”
Now is also a good time to understand how your home was built. Building codes change over time and older homes may not fare as well as newer ones in storm-vulnerable regions. People should understand how their home is built now so when tropical storm force or hurricane force winds impact in the future, they know at what point they should head to sturdier construction.
People should use the time before hurricane season to make sure their yard is storm-ready too. Trimming trees, developing a plan to secure loose outdoor objects, and knowing what to do with cars that lack garage protection should be done now well before any tropical cyclone threat exists.
