Try as we might, there seems to be no avoiding hurricanes. Every year they make landfall in the United States, causing damage and displacing people from their homes. Close to seven hurricanes every four years strike the United States. During the 20th century, 158 hurricanes hit the United States with 57 of them hitting Florida and 26 hitting Texas. In 2017, 10 storms in a row became hurricanes, a feat that hasn’t happened since 1893.

When hurricane season comes, hurricane ready homes can help residents weather the strong storms and stay safe. Here are some tips for residents to turn their houses into hurricane ready homes.

• Protect from flood damage: Floods are among the most common natural disasters and where and when there’s a hurricane, flooding usually follows. When a hurricane hits, unfortunately that means homes are susceptible to flood damage.
  To prevent or curtail flood damage, try using sandbags to help create a barrier. It’s recommended that the sandbags be at least two feet high. If you have a car or multiple cars to park, try to park it/them on higher ground rather than the driveway or in the garage as these areas can flood heavily.
  Taking preventative measures won’t protect your home against flooding 100%, but preventative measures can help lessen the impact of a flood if and when it happens. Inside your home, also be sure to unplug any appliances or electronics so you don’t risk getting electrocuted.
• Secure everything: Your patio furniture might look great on your back porch, but a hurricane can easily blow it away. Hurricane ready homes are better protected if loose objects like patio furniture are secured. The last thing you need or want to see is loose branches or plants slamming against the side of your house in a storm.
• Manage appliances: As previously mentioned, you’ll want to unplug electronics and appliances. A downed electrical pole can cause a power surge and do some serious damage to your appliances. For things that can’t be unplugged, get a surge protector or multiple surge protectors. They will help protect appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers from surges.
• Know what you have: If you and your family are forced to evacuate during a hurricane, you’re not going to be able to take everything with you. Even when you come back, some of your belongings may be damaged. To make your home even more hurricane-ready, creating a home inventory list can be essential, especially after a major storm. That way if you need to replace anything you know exactly what it is. Replacing things after weather damage is always tough, but home inventory apps can make the process much easier and help you keep track of your most important things.
• Shut up the windows and doors: An important part of transforming houses into hurricane ready homes is securing all your windows and doors. These are among the most vulnerable parts of a house during a storm and boarding them up helps secure them and can help guard against damage from a hurricane.
  Since windows and doors are so vulnerable, impact resistant windows, sound proof sliding glass doors or hurricane proof doors are among the installments you can take to guard against hurricanes. High impact are made with high impact glass, meaning they can withstand the impact of hurricanes. Impact resistant windows don’t break like regular glass does, making it an ideal in bad weather. Impact resistant windows can also reduce your power bill, reduce noise and ultimately protect your home and valuables from hurricane winds and hurricane damage. Impact resistant windows will save you from having to board up your windows and will keep you safer. Window and door systems that have an impact glazing system of +105/-130 can withstand hurricane force winds that can travel more than 100 mph.

By taking the steps mentioned above, you’ll be better prepared when a hurricane or floods hits and hopefully any damage your home and belongings won’t be as severe. With things like impact resistant windows and hurricane proof sliding doors, you’ll be better protected and able to protect those things that are most important to you.