How To Prepare Your Home For Strong Winds

12/17/2020 (Permalink)

As fall winds down and winter approaches, winter storms, and their accompanying strong winds are in store for folks in the greater Nashville area. Storms often bring gusty winds, rain, sleet, snow, and ice, and all of these can implement serious damage to your home if you don’t take preventive measures to prepare your home to face inclement weather.

Prepare your home for strong winds this winter by doing these four things:

1) Trim your trees.

You’ve most likely heard this before, but we can’t emphasize it enough. Trim your trees in preparation for forceful winds! Any dead branches or particularly long tree limbs are susceptible to breaking and flying into your home or any other nearby buildings when strong winds come to visit. Have playground equipment, a fence, or other outdoor structures that may be vulnerable to gusty winds? Make it a point to secure those, too. 

2) Reinforce your chimney.

Particularly if you have a chimney that is six feet or taller or wider than 40 inches, adding vertical reinforcing steel at its corners will ensure that it doesn’t get toppled by any mighty winds. Do you have a brick home? Hire a contractor to inspect and maintain your masonry on your home and also on your chimney to ensure it’s in good condition and can withstand the force of the wind at high mph.

3) Install storm windows and doors.

Strengthening your windows and doors, including your garage door, will ensure they won’t go anywhere when strong winds are around. These also help protect your home from the cold temperatures that winds bring. Impact-resistant storm windows are designed to withstand strong winds and can easily replace your existing windows and doors until the storm or windy season passes.

4) Seal your roof. 

A poorly maintained roof is especially vulnerable to strong winds tearing shingles off and making any existing damage or weak links worse, so reinforcing your roof as well as maintaining it throughout the year puts it in a good position to withstand gusts of wind. You can reinforce and seal your roof by using peel and stick tape along the seams of your roof or using a peel and stick membrane over the entire thing. You can also have it professionally inspected every year to keep it in good repair.

Are you dealing with the aftermath of windy storms? Whether you experience storm damage, fire, water damage, or mold, SERVPRO of Belle Meade/West Nashville has your back. Contact us at (615) 242-9391 for disaster restoration assistance any day, anytime.