The massacre left behind by Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean this week is a stark reminder of the devastation such storms can wreak on entire communities. And with meteorologists assuming an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year, nearly 33 million homes from Texas to Maine could be at risk from the harsh winds, storm surges and heavy rains such storms can bring, real estate data provider CoreLogic estimates.
Read on to find out what experts say homeowners can do to better protect their properties from hurricanes.
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Cover the windows
If time is of the essence, the quickest and least expensive way to protect your home from a hurricane is to nail plywood over all windows. Homeowners who have more time to prepare can protect windows by installing so-called roller shutters, which look a bit like a garage door and cost between $300 and $400.
“That protects you from debris flying through your window,” said Michael Gridley, a professor of residential engineering at SUNY Morrisville in New York State, noting that many homeowners can install plywood or shutters themselves.
But such solutions are temporary and likely won't prevent glass from breaking and falling into your home, Joshua Parrish, a Georgia contractor, told CBS MoneyWatch.
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For stronger, long-lasting protection, a professional can install hurricane windows. These windows typically have a steel or aluminum frame and reinforced glass.
“The glass actually has two layers of heat-treated glass, and there's plastic in between. It will actually protect you,” Gridley said.
Not surprisingly, hurricane windows are expensive. At $125 to $150 per square foot, installing them can easily cost a homeowner between $10,000 and $30,000, he noted.
Barricade your doors
As with window protection measures, homeowners have three basic options: use plywood, add a larger roller shutter, or have a hurricane door installed.
Parrish said installing plywood on sliding glass doors or patio doors should provide adequate protection against Category 2 (96–110 mph winds) or Category 3 (111–129 mph) hurricanes. For more powerful storms, he recommends a hurricane door. That starts with deciding whether you want a steel, aluminum or fiberglass door.
“I would go with something like fiberglass because if there's a dent, that type of metal is harder to repair and you'll end up having to replace it,” Parrish said.
According to Gridley, hurricane doors typically cost between $2,400 and $4,000, depending on the structure and size.
Strengthen your roof
Before making any changes to your roof, it's important to first check for soft spots in the roof, nail down any loose shingles and clean out the gutters so water can quickly drain away from your home, experts say.
Once the roof inspection is done, homeowners generally have two routes to take. For those who don’t have the time or money to replace the roof, Gridley said they should consider cementing the existing shingles together. Shingles are already nailed and bonded together with asphalt, but over time the asphalt cracks and fades — adding cement strengthens them.
Another, more expensive option (but one that offers better protection, also from an insurance perspective) is to install a metal roof.
“It is fixed, there is less space for [wind] “Pickup is the best option,” Gridley said.
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Metal roofs are installed so that there are no “seams for wind to come under and lift it off the building,” Parrish said, adding, “It's probably going to cost twice as much as a typical shingle roof. But it will last almost forever — 40, 50, 60 years.”
According to a government study, a 2,000-square-foot metal roof costs an average of about $27,000. Architecture overview.
Seal the foundation
Examine your home’s foundation and the walls of your basement or crawl space for cracks, the experts said. If you notice deep, long cracks, consider hiring a waterproofing company to seal them.
It is critical to repair cracks because water can push against the foundation wall, a structural risk that could lead to flooding during a hurricane, Parrish said.
“That's extra water pressure hitting your house and if it's severe enough, it can cause other problems. Then you have an even bigger problem,” Parrish said.
