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Safeguarding Your Home from Hurricanes

By Cathy Baldwin

For coastal homeowners, Hurricane Katrina’s crushing blow to New Orleans in August was a major wake-up call. It was nature’s fury at its deadliest--a direct hit from a Category 4 storm. Thousands of homes were damaged, many beyond repair.

With the Atlantic to the east, the sound to the west, and an elevation that barely rises above sea level, homeowners on the Outer Banks must take precautions to protect against the weather. Fortunately, the Outer Banks’ building codes are more stringent than inland communities to protect from flooding and wind damage.

Buddy Shelton, Chief Building Inspector for Dare County, points out that Dare County is in a 130 mph wind zone, which demands the need for strict building codes. On the Outer Banks new homes are required to have roof tie downs, which are ties that attach the roof to the walls and help keep the roof from flying off in strong winds. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, roof ties have a 92 percent success rate. In addition to tie downs, extra strapping on the girder system, deeper piling depths, windows and doors with a higher design pressure rating, and more nails are required for new Outer Banks homes than for inland homes. Mobile homes must also be made of stronger materials and rated for Hurricane Zone 3, the 130 mph wind zone.

Beyond what is required by the building codes, homeowners can take even greater precautions to protect their homes. Abiding by the following rules can help avoid or at least minimize the damage done by a hurricane.

• Install either roll shutters made of extruded anodized aluminum or extruded aluminum storm panels. John Macko of Macko Construction recommends both the roll shutters and the storm panels to protect homes and windows from water and flying objects. Says Macko, “After Isabel we went into many homes that didn’t have any type of wind protection that were filled with water, sand and debris. Storm shutters are specifically designed for a storm, whereas windows alone are not designed for a storm.” In addition to storm protection, roll shutters and storm panels provide extra security and shading for the home.
• Avoid building steep roofs or very low roofs, which can create wind uplifts and lateral wind loads.
• Consider installing impact-resistant window systems to replace your current windows and sliding glass doors. These are usually made of plastic glazing, laminated glass, or a combination of plastic and glass.
• Make sure that your door frames are securely anchored to the wall framing and that doors have at least three hinges.
• Reinforce garage doors with metal or wooden stiffeners. Some garage door companies make stiffeners that can be easily attached or removed depending on the weather.
• Proper roof sheathing is essential to protecting the roof from high winds. Ring shank nails are the best nails for keeping roofs on in high winds because, unlike normal nails that have a smooth shank, ring shank nails have rings around them similar to a screw. In addition to the proper nail type, attention must be paid to nail placement.
• HUD recommends proper flashing and sealing to keep water damage and mold-growth to a minimum.
• Don’t skimp on building materials. Buy materials that will last in the long run and have high wind ratings.

While following all of these rules to the letter still may not save a home from a powerful hurricane, the chances of having less damage are better when precautions are taken. Still, if the worst-case scenario hits, there are local companies that can help repair the damage.

The most recent hurricane to hit locally was Hurricane Alex in the fall of 2004. Many homes in Ocracoke were damaged by floodwaters, and Woodsavers, a local water-damage and reconstruction company, was there to help. “Response time is crucial,” says Stacy Justice of Woodsavers. Woodsavers must first stop water from entering the house and then dry out the house with commercial dehumidifiers and air movers. “You need the humidity level to be below 60 percent--but ideally between 30 and 50 percent--so that mold doesn’t start growing.”

Hurricane damage is an upsetting possibility, but a possibility nonetheless. But with preparation, precaution, and proper building practices, damage just might be kept to a minimum.