A well-built and secure home always brings a sense of safety to any individual or family. Yet no matter how secured and protected we are in our homes, there are still natural and unavoidable occurrences that can happen and cause harm or property damage. One of these natural occurrences may be a hurricane or storm characterized by strong winds which may carry and hurl debris towards glass windows and doors. A fire may also cause glass windows or doors to be broken and allow fierce weather conditions to cause more damage or draw robbers to enter your home.
While it may seem that you are helpless against these calamities, there are safety measures you can apply to minimize the damage on your property and reduce your family’s exposure to harm. One of the best things you can do is to install boards or shutters on top of glass windows, doors, skylights, dormers and all other means of entry.
Installing Shutters before Hurricanes
There are two types of shutters that can be used to board up homes before a hurricane. One is ready-made storm shutters which are available in colonial, roll down and accordion types. Any one of these types will provide a good protection against harsh winds that could be carrying debris. They only differ in terms of useful life so in choosing a ready-made shutter, you should take into account the currency of storms or hurricanes in your area and how long will the type of material the shutter was made from will last. When you go for this kind of shutter, usually contractors will install them and charge per foot. Yet, you also have the option of installing them yourself; instructions are always provided.
Apart from ready-made storm shutters, homeowners also have the option of installing inexpensive shutters made from 5/8 inch thick plywood. If this option is chosen, homeowners will have to buy plywood and have them cut according to window or doors sizes and install them on their own. But whatever type of shutter homeowners choose, they have to be installed way ahead of time before winds pick up speed and strength. Installing shutters is also a two-man job so getting someone to help from the family will make it an easy and accident-free process.
Safety measures should also be kept in mind when installing shutters. For body protection, proper tools should be used and working attire be worn. A pair of gloves will protect hands from blisters and cuts, while goggles will protect the eyes from any flying debris. And, a safe and strong ladder should be used instead of a wobbly one.
Tools needed to install storm shutters should first be prepared to facilitate a speedy installation. Anchors and ¼ or 3/8 inch bolts will be needed to keep shutters in place, while a drill and wrench will be needed to install bolts and anchors. Drill bits should match sizes of anchors and bolts/anchors should also match wall type: plastic coated permanent for wood frames and galvanized permanent expansion for masonry. A hand saw will also come in handy especially if you opt to cut the plywood yourself.
When installing plywood-made shutters, size should be the first consideration. Usually, exterior-grade plywood is available in 4 x 8 feet sizes so they have to be cut up according to needed shutter measurements. The size of the shutter should not be the same as the width and height of windows or doors. An allowance of eight inches should be made so shutters over-lap four inches on all sides. This space should be enough for bolts and anchors.
Once plywood are cut up to desired sizes, holes should be drilled 2 ½ inches from the edges and at an interval of 12 to 16 inches, depending on the size of the shutter. The interval should increase as the shutter size increase. In no case however, shall the interval exceed 16 inches. Drilling four holes in the center of each shutter will also help relieve the wind pressure and will not cause the shutter to be pushed forward nor be ripped off the bolts.
To mount the shutters, anchors should first be mounted on the walls using a handy drill. Use the drilled plywood as templates for marking the spots on the wall where anchors will be mounted. Remember to allow 4 inches overlap on each side of the window or door. Have someone hold the plywood while you make markers on the wall using the drilled holes as a guide. And in drilling the holes, make sure you use the right bit size and penetrate at the right depth. For wood frames, anchors should penetrate a depth of 1 3/4 inches for smaller windows and 2 ½ inches for larger windows. On the other hand, anchors should penetrate a depth of 1 ½ inches for masonry.
When installing the anchors, make sure that they are installed on solid wood or on masonry and not on the grout joint. Otherwise, shutters will easily be flown away at the onset of strong winds. Use a wrench to make sure anchors and bolts are tightly screwed in.
One of the challenges with installing shutters is if the window or door size exceeds the standard 4 x 8 feet size of plywood. The shutter will have to be made from two panes of plywood and locked together so it can withstand the strong winds and not break apart. Usually, it is recommended that wood bracing be screwed in the middle and bottom of both panels.
If you live in an area prone to storm and hurricanes, it will be best to store shutters for future use. Mark shutters according to window or door location so re-installing them will be much easier.
Aside from shutters or boards, other parts of the house may also need other types of reinforcements. Double wide garage doors for instance need special reinforcements so they don’t fly off and cause strong winds to enter the house and cause damages. Before a hurricane, double wide garage doors should be retrofitted with horizontal bracing; one for each panel. Tracks should also be checked if they are still firmly in place. To do this, try pulling tracks with both hands. If they budge, then they would need tightening or replacement. In addition, replacing existing hinges with heavier hinges may sometimes be necessary.
Boarding up Entrances after a Fire
After a fire, your home will also be in danger of additional damage. Fierce weather conditions may cause water damage on the house or furniture while open doors or windows may invite unauthorized access and result to theft or vandalism. If your home becomes uninhabitable after a minor fire, then it will be best to secure it before leaving. First, remove all valuables from your home and transfer them to a temporary location like a rented storage facility or home of a relative or friend. Then secure open windows, skylights, dormers, doors and all other points of entry with a board installed similarly to storm shutters.
Putting up boards after a fire is more dangerous compared to putting up shutters before a hurricane. Hot temperature during the fire initially breaks glass so you will have to walk around sharp glass debris. Also, remaining glass on windows or doors may collapse or fly off in your direction once you start installing boards. So before you install boards, make sure you wear the right gear, use the right tools and clear off working areas to avoid accidents. For your safety, it will be best to carefully remove any remaining glass from their frames and sweep off all glass debris from your working area.
If you opt to use 5/8 inch thick exterior plywood, they need to be cut up to match door and window sizes, allowing for a small allowance for nails on all sides. Although boards are being put up to avoid unauthorized entries, drilling holes in the center of each board may come in handy. You will never know if a storm or strong winds will occur while the boards are up. Wind pressure can easily rip boards or shutters off.
When securing boards, make sure that you use the right kind of screw or nail. For instance, use concrete nails for masonry surfaces. Also, making sure that nails or screws are secured to solid wood will ensure that boards don’t easily come off. If the frames of windows or doors are damaged, a wider overlap is sometimes required so boards are secured to a solid portion of the frame or wall.
Natural calamities are unavoidable occurrences that are sure to cause damage and harm. Yet, no matter how helpless we may seem to be, there are safety measures that can be adapted to minimize damages and harm. Putting up storm shutters and boards is a good way to protect your home from too much damage during a hurricane. Boards may also protect your home from theft or vandalism after a fire.
