12 Best Home Hurricane Protection
Secure tie-downs, reinforce windows, strengthen walls, sheath exterior, clear yard, secure HVAC, reinforce siding, protect interior, secure garage doors, use concrete base, maintain regularly, and seek outreach programs for added protection.
Manufactured homes, also known as mobile homes, offer numerous advantages.
They’re affordable, customizable, and perfect for those who enjoy a nomadic lifestyle. However, these structures can be vulnerable to natural disasters, particularly hurricanes.
The good news is that there are several strategies you can employ to make your manufactured home hurricane-resistant.
In this blog post, we will share twelve steps to help you weather the storm. So, let’s dive in!
|
|
|
|
$18.99
|
$39.99
|
$1,549.99
|
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!
1. Secure the Tie-Downs
The first step in securing your mobile home against hurricanes is to ensure your tie-downs are properly installed and secured.
According to the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Act, all manufactured homes should have tie-downs. But it doesn’t hurt to double-check!
There are two types of tie-downs: frame tie-downs and over-the-top tie-downs. Frame tie-downs are pre-installed in newer manufactured homes and add stability to the entire structure.
Over-the-top tie-downs, on the other hand, wrap around your house from one side to the other, providing additional security.
If your home isn’t equipped with straps, consider installing them to enhance your home’s resistance to high winds.
Regularly inspect your tie-downs and anchors for signs of damage or corrosion, and replace them as necessary.
Also, check local regulations for recommended strap strength and the number of tie-downs required for your area.
2. Secure Windows and Doors
Windows and doors can quickly become weak points during a hurricane. Strong winds can shatter glass, leading to water leaks and potential interior damage.
To mitigate this risk, consider installing removable shutters over your windows and doors. Alternatively, you can board up your windows with plywood for a more cost-effective solution.
In addition to physically securing your windows and doors, ensure they’re closed and locked before a storm hits.
You could also use anti-burglary window films for an extra layer of protection. Regularly inspect and repair any damaged frames to prevent potential leaks and drafts.
3. Strengthen Wall Joints and Cracks
Cracks in your walls can allow water to seep into your home, causing significant damage. It’s essential to fill these cracks to prevent leaks.
While a professional can handle this task most effectively, those with construction experience can certainly tackle this project themselves.
4. Sheath the Walls
Wall sheathing adds an extra protective layer to your home’s exterior, bolstering its defense against strong winds and rain.
Structural wall sheathing increases your home’s strength and support, while non-structural sheathing acts as insulation against harsh weather conditions.
When selecting sheathing material, consider wood-based options like plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). For non-structural sheathing, materials such as plastic, cellulose fiber, foam, foil-faced, or paper-faced sheathing can be effective.
5. Clear Your Front and Backyard
pruning hand saws” class=”wp-image-3991″/>Patio furniture, gardening tools, potted plants, and other loose items in your yard can quickly turn into projectiles during a hurricane.
To prevent these objects from damaging your home, secure or move them indoors before a storm hits. Additionally, consider hiring a professional to prune trees near your home to reduce the risk of falling branches.
6. Secure Your HVAC System
Your HVAC system can be severely damaged during a hurricane if not properly secured. Consider strapping your HVAC system to its platform and covering it with a sturdy protective tarp to shield it from high winds and debris.
7. Reinforce the Siding
Your home’s siding serves as an added protective layer for your insulation. If the siding becomes dislodged during a storm, your walls and insulation become vulnerable to the elements.
Secure your siding with screws or adhesive and consider choosing a siding material that’s resistant to hurricanes for increased protection.
8. Secure the Interior
Even with all exterior precautions, wind may still find its way inside your home. To avoid damage within your home, secure cabinets, cupboards, and doors with child locks.
Store electronics, glass objects, and cookware in secure places to prevent them from falling and causing harm.
9. Secure Garage Doors
If your manufactured home comes with a garage, pay special attention to securing the doors. Strong winds can easily rip off unsecured doors, potentially causing extensive damage.
Install hurricane-resistant doors or utilize retrofit kits, braces, and hurricane panels to fortify existing doors.
10. Use Concrete as the Base Material
Concrete is often considered the best material for hurricane-proof houses. It’s strong, durable, fire-resistant, and offers excellent longevity.
If you’re building a new manufactured home or are considering major renovations, concrete can be a reliable choice for your home’s base material.
11. Regular Maintenance
Regular maintenance can go a long way in keeping your home hurricane-ready.
This includes routine checks and repairs of your roofing, regular cleaning of gutters, and ensuring your home’s drainage system is functioning optimally to prevent water buildup.
12. Look for Hurricane Protection Outreach Programs
Many areas prone to hurricanes have outreach programs offering assistance with hurricane-proofing homes.
These programs can provide consultations to identify potential risks, suggest improvements, and even help cover costs for certain enhancements. Reach out to your local program to see what resources are available to you.
Conclusion
While no home can be completely immune to hurricanes, following these steps can significantly increase your manufactured home’s resilience to these powerful storms.
Remember, the key to minimizing hurricane damage is preparedness.
Take proactive measures, invest in quality materials, and don’t hesitate to seek professional advice when necessary.
Stay safe, and happy hurricane-proofing!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is impact-resistant glass for home hurricane protection?
Impact-resistant glass is heavy-duty window glazing engineered with a shatterproof polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or SentryGlas interlayer to prevent airborne debris from breaching the home during high winds. Even if the outer glass cracks upon impact, the inner resin interlayer remains intact, maintaining the home’s structural pressure envelope. Standard impact windows are tested to withstand winds over 140 miles per hour and category 5 wind-borne projectiles.
What does a hurricane clip do to secure a residential roof?
Hurricane clips are galvanized steel brackets that fasten roof trusses or rafters directly to the exterior wall studs to resist strong wind uplift forces. High winds blowing over a roof create negative pressure that tries to lift the structure off the foundation. Adding metal clips creates a continuous structural load path, dramatically reducing the risk of total roof detachment during major storms.
How do I install plywood window covers for emergency hurricane protection?
Exterior plywood panels must be cut to overlap each window frame by at least four inches and secured using heavy-duty masonry anchors or barrel bolts spaced twelve inches apart. Building codes recommend exterior-grade CDX plywood with a minimum thickness of 5/8 inch. Never nail plywood directly to the vinyl frame or drywall, as pressure fluctuations during a hurricane will pull the nails loose within minutes.
How long does professional storm shutter installation take for a single-family home?
Professional storm shutter installation generally takes between one and three business days for an average two-thousand-square-foot home with fifteen to twenty windows. Custom-fabricated roll-down or accordion systems require concrete drilling, track alignment, and electrical wiring if motorized. In contrast, homeowners can deploy pre-installed accordion or fabric shutters in under thirty minutes once the initial mounting tracks are in place.
Accordion shutters vs roll-down shutters which is better for coastal homes?
Roll-down shutters offer superior automated convenience and aesthetics, while accordion shutters provide a more affordable manual solution with comparable Category 5 wind and projectile ratings. Roll-down models store inside an overhead box and operate via electric motor or manual crank, costing roughly fifty to eighty dollars per square foot installed. Accordion shutters fold horizontally along tracks, costing fifteen to thirty-five dollars per square foot, making them the preferred budget option for multi-story homes.
How much does permanent home hurricane protection cost for an average house?
Permanent home hurricane protection typically costs between five thousand and twenty-five thousand dollars, depending on whether you install storm shutters, impact windows, or reinforced doors. Outfitting an entire single-story home with aluminum accordion shutters averages around six thousand to ten thousand dollars. Replacing all standard windows with engineered impact glass across the same property commonly runs between twelve thousand and thirty thousand dollars.
Why is taping windows during a hurricane considered dangerous?
Taping glass with masking or duct tape provides zero structural reinforcement against wind pressure and creates larger, deadlier shards of broken glass if the pane shatters. Wind pressure easily fractures taped glass, turning the taped cluster into a heavy, razor-sharp projectile that blows inward at high velocity. The Federal Emergency Management Agency explicitly warns homeowners to avoid tape and rely instead on engineered impact shutters or tested plywood coverings.
Are hurricane straps and shutters worth the money for insurance discounts?
Certified hurricane mitigation upgrades are definitely worth the investment because they can reduce annual homeowner insurance premiums by twenty to fifty percent in high-risk coastal zones. Insurers require a certified wind mitigation inspection report to verify qualifying roof straps, storm-rated garage doors, and full window protection. In states like Florida, these statutory insurance credits frequently offset the upfront hardware installation costs within three to five years.
