How To Cover Windows For Hurricane

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Due to climate change, the severity of hurricanes is worsening in many parts of the world.^[1] If you live forth a coastline, it is reasonable for yous to be concerned about your windows. Consider a cheap DIY fix similar hurricane film or plywood covers. Installing metal, plastic, or cloth over your windows, or replacing them with high-impact glass, volition protect your windows and qualify yous for lower homeowner's insurance premiums at the same time.

one
Build plywood covers for your windows. Plywood is a cheap and popular pick for covering windows. Selection plywood sheets that are at least ⁵⁄₈ inch (i.6 cm) thick. Measure the perimeter of all your windows. Cut the plywood so that information technology extends eight inches (20 cm) by the window in every direction. Install the plywood covers before a tempest with bolts, screws, window clips, or barrel bolts every 12 inches (thirty cm).^[2]
- Attaching plywood to the window frame will help prevent flying debris or pressure changes from breaking the glass.^[3]
- When installing plywood, get someone else to help you elevator the heavy panels.
- Plywood is not upwards to code in many areas, and is unlikely to lower your insurance premiums.
ii
Cover your window drinking glass with hurricane film. Hurricane film is an affordable transparent plastic that y'all can leave in place twelvemonth-round. Measure out the perimeter of your windowpanes and buy enough film to cover each windowpane entirely. Skin the film off its backing and stick information technology slowly to your windowpanes.^[4]
- Hurricane motion picture does non prevent your window frame from blowing off, and might not fifty-fifty protect your window from breaking. Yet, it volition protect you lot from glass shards, and will keep the air current out of your house.
- Homeowner'south insurance premiums are not usually lowered for hurricane film.
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3

Go on your windows closed during a tempest. Do non open your windows during a tempest. Some people say this will lower the pressure in your house, but you actually want to keep the pressure from the hurricane out of your dwelling house.^[v]
4

Do not put duct record over your windows. In that location is lots of misinformation about hurricane condom, and ane persistent myth is that putting record in an X or a grid over a window provides reinforcement. This is untrue! Duct tape will not provide protection from a hurricane.^[6]

one
Order metal or plastic storm shutters. Storm shutters, or panels, come in aluminum, steel, or reinforced plastic.^[7] Plastic is more than expensive, merely volition too let in light, and so you won't be left in darkness if a hurricane blows out the lights. Depending on the kind of shutters you buy, you may demand panels the same size as your window, or panels that are several inches larger on every side.^[8]
- All hurricane shutters have a width of 15.25 inches (38.vii cm).
- Order shutters, H tracks, and F tracks from your local home construction store or from a metals or plastics distributor.
- If you are bolting your windows instead of installing tracks, you volition not need to purchase H or F tracks.
- Purchasing shutters will normally lower your homeowner's insurance premium.
- Plastic will run you nearly $xviii sq. ft, while metallic will fall around $11 sq. ft.
two
Install your storm shutters or rent a professional to install them. If you lot're doing information technology yourself, measure out the window height and the shutter acme. Decrease the window height from the panel acme, then divide the result by 2. Bolt the H runway that number of inches or centimeters higher up the window opening. Then install the F runway the full length of the panel beneath the H track.^[ix]
- For case, if your panels are six inches (15 cm) taller than your windows, install the H track iii inches (7.6 cm) higher up the window.
- Slide the shutters into the H runway. Attach the bottom department of the shutters to the F track with bolts.
- Besides the instructions, the bolts, and the wing nuts included with your purchase, you volition need a screwdriver.
three
Consider investing in fabric storm panels. Fabric storm panels are more expensive than metal and plastic panels, merely they come with some advantages. One time they are mounted, they are very easy and quick to put upward, meaning information technology won't take you long later on a storm warning to protect your windows. They're besides lightweight, so you can put them up yourself, and they fold up for storage.^[10]
- Find a dealer online or at a home comeback retailer well-nigh yous.
- In most cases, your dealer will install the cloth panels for you. If not, follow the included instructions for installation.
- Material panels are just every bit effective every bit metal or plastic shutters, and volition besides qualify you for savings on insurance.
- PVC textile runs around $12 sq. ft, whereas Kevlar volition cost you well-nigh double that.
4
Replace your windows with loftier-touch on drinking glass. Impact-resistant glass is two-paned drinking glass with a protective layer in between them.^[11] They toll more than than regular windows, only information technology will protect your home during a hurricane. It may likewise help lower your heating and air-conditioning bills.^[12]
- Purchasing high-impact glass volition likely lower your insurance premium.
- Rent a professional to requite you all-new windows.

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How do yous protect windows during a hurricane?

Steve Linton is the President of Deltec Homes, a custom dwelling house building company in Asheville, North Carolina. With nearly twenty years of experience, he oversees all dwelling building projects for Deltec Homes. He specializes in hurricane-resistant homes, green home design, and sustainable edifice. Steve holds a BS in Structural Technology from Cornell Academy and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

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There are really 3 approaches you lot tin can accept. The beginning is to attach plywood to the window frame. That volition help go on debris from breaking the drinking glass and changing the force per unit area in your home. You can also accept impact-resistant windows installed—these are made from 2 sheets of drinking glass with a protective layer between them. The third is to install a storm shutter that you can put on the window before a hurricane comes.

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Do not utilize duct tape or other household materials to protect your windows. They will not help.
Keep windows airtight during a storm.
Keep your distance from windows during a storm, fifty-fifty if y'all have protections in place.
Ever evacuate if you are in an evacuation zone, even if your house is well-protected.