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TAKING THE LEAD IN PROPERTY LOSS REDUCTION SM

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IBHS Urges Floridians to Protect Themselves Against Hurricane Floyd
Contact: Susan Sherwin
September 13, 1999


BOSTON – Hurricane Floyd is making his way towards Florida, so act now to avoid losing your home and possessions to his potentially devastating winds and storm surges.

Here are some immediate steps to consider. You can tackle these projects one at a time, but remember, the more you do, the better the chance of your home surviving this or another hurricane.

Move outdoor furniture, garbage cans and anything else that can become flying debris inside. Encourage your neighbors to do the same.
Replace gravel/rock landscaping material with shredded bark.
Trim trees, shrubbery, climbing roses and vines. Cut weak branches and trees that could fall or bump against the house. When trimming, try to create a channel through the foliage to the center of the tree to allow for air flow.
If you have time, install impact-resistant shutters that close over window openings to prevent flying debris from breaking window panes. If high winds threaten immediately, an easy, temporary and effective step is to cover windows with securely fastened plywood storm shutters (minimum of 7/16-inch).
Be sure to cover all doors that have glass, too.
Hinges, latches and dead-bolt locks should be strong enough to resist high wind pressures. Double doors such as French doors need special attention because of the stress on the center latch. Make sure door frames are securely anchored to house frames.
Rebuilding

If Hurricane Floyd makes landfall and damages your home, or if you are lucky enough to avoid disaster this time and simply want to improve your house and its damage resistance for the future, think about these retrofit measures. If you’re handy with a hammer and saw, you can do much of the work yourself. Some things may call for the assistance of a building contractor or even an architect. Before you undertake any structural changes to your home, check with your local building officials to be sure that they comply with local building codes.

Windows: Install either impact-resistant window systems or permanent shutters; make sure window frames are properly installed.
Garage Doors: Because of their size, garage doors are highly susceptible to wind damage. An installer can determine if both the door and the track system are suitable for resisting high winds and replace them with a stronger system if necessary. Double-wide garage doors are most vulnerable. Permanent wood stiffeners can be installed and temporary center supports can be designed by the door manufacturer or a local installer. Local building code officials can provide more information.
Roofs: If you are considering replacing your roof, you can take steps to ensure that both the new roofing material and the sheathing it attaches to will resist high winds most effectively.
Your roofing contractor should:

Remove old coverings to the bare wood sheathing
Remove sheathing to check that hurricane clips are in place
Replace damaged sheathing
Refasten old sheathing with a proper fastening schedule (Use #8 wood screws or 10d common nails every 12 inches o.c. minimum)
Install a roof covering designed to resist high winds
Gables: The end wall of a gable roof must be properly braced to resist high winds. An inspector can help determine if your gable end walls should be strengthened.
Connections: The points where the roof and the foundation meet the walls of your house are extremely important if your house is to resist wind pressures and the loads they place on the structure.
Hurricane clips (most easily added when a roof is being replaced) are very effective at anchoring the roof to the walls. This transfers wind forces from the roof to the walls.
When wind forces place stress on walls, it’s important that walls be properly anchored to the foundation. An expert can determine if these joints need reinforcement, which can be done by a qualified contractor.
For houses with more than one story, the connections between each level must be properly tied together.
For more information about protecting your home and family from hurricanes, check the homeowner’s guide to hurricane retrofit, "Is Your Home Protected From Hurricane Disaster?"



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