Hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms and other severe weather events can produce dangerous winds that put your home at risk of serious damage. During storm season, the windows of your home are especially vulnerable. Broken windows can result from flying debris or extremely high winds, damaging your home’s contents and increasing the likelihood of severe structural damage.
In addition to substantial property damage, broken windows and airborne materials pose a serious safety hazard to you and your family. That’s why it’s vital that you prepare for storm season by protecting your windows properly. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help prevent or reduce window damage when dangerous weather hits. Learn about storm and hurricane window protection from the experts at ServiceMaster Restore®.
Ways to Help Make Your Windows Hurricane-Proof
1. Install Storm Shutters
Storm shutters are permanently attached to your home, so they’re easier to use than installing plywood each time a storm approaches. Here are some facts about storm shutters to consider:
- When a storm approaches, you simply pull the shutters down to cover your windows.
- Styles include roll-up designs and accordion-style models that fold up and down
- Some storm shutters include perforations or are made from translucent materials so that light can come into the home
- Materials range from aluminum to reinforced fabric or foam wrapped in aluminum.
- Storm shutters for windows can be costly, but may be worth the expense if you live in a hurricane-prone region
- Make sure you know how to put up hurricane shutters, or hire a professional, to ensure effective protection
2. Choose Hurricane Impact Windows
Special windows designed to withstand the impact of high winds from a hurricane are another option to keep your windows protected. These designs can make your windows hurricane-proof and are rated for heavy winds. If you’re thinking about buying hurricane impact windows, consider the following:
- High impact windows are made of two panes of tempered glass, making them much more expensive than traditional windows
- Using hurricane impact windows will not affect your home’s appearance, since they look like traditional windows
- Unlike with storm shutters or boards, you won’t need to do anything when a storm approaches
3. Board Up Your Windows with Plywood
The most common and least expensive way to keep your windows safe is to cover them with plywood. Since this is an action you should take before a storm arrives, it’s good to know when hurricane season starts and ends. Before boarding up windows for a hurricane, read these tips:
- Plywood is the most cost-effective way to protect your windows and can be purchased at most lumber yards and large hardware stores
- Use heavy-duty anchors and screws for wooden frames or expansion bolts in masonry to attach the plywood securely
- Install plywood over your windows well before the storm hits so you’re ready when it arrives
- Keep in mind it will be dark inside your home until you remove the plywood from your windows
After the storm has passed, you can depend on the experienced professionals at ServiceMaster Restore to provide expert restoration services and support every step of the way so you can get your life back to normal after an emergency. We hope you’ll never need to make that call, but if you do, our expert teams are available 24/7/365 to assist. Reach out whenever you need to learn more.