When a storm, hurricane, or a tornado is imminent and you have been told to evacuate, your personal safety is the primary concern, but also as important is making sure that as little damage as possible happens to your home. Hurricanes, packing wind velocities of 74 to 155+ miles per hour, are extremely dangerous. The storm surge, strength of the accompanying winds, and other factors combine to generate a destructive power that, unless mitigated, may result in the total destruction of your home. Professional emergency board up services can mitigate the damage cause by hurricanes and storms by insulating your house’s openings with cover systems that will protect it from the force of the wind and rain.
Fire damage results in the exposure of parts of your house to the public. When the securing and protective walls of the home burn down, the contents of your home – furniture, appliances, and valuables – become a tempting attraction for thieves. Emergency board up services can provide a covering system that will prevent strangers from entering your house while you are in the process of restoring the damaged areas.
Floods have the unwanted effect of damaging your home through the gush of water that flows into the house. In many instances flooding requires that the home’s occupants evacuate, leaving the house unguarded and unprotected. Emergency board up services can minimize the inflow of water by sealing off openings in your house.
Unoccupied homes are like jewel boxes with gems waiting to be stolen. If thieves know that the house has no occupants but has furniture and other possessions inside and entry into the house is easy, you might come back to an empty house with all your possessions gone.
The first step you need to take in any of these situations is to call in an emergency board up service to seal off your home. This will protect it from the elements, as well as from undesirable people who have no business entering your premises.
Emergency board up services are used for:
Windows, doors and openings. Glass windows are most prone to damage during hurricanes and storms because of the force of the wind and flying objects. Once the glass is shattered, wind and water will damage whatever is inside. Unless your home has been specially equipped with hurricane shutters, emergency board up services are necessary. Glass windows, sliding glass doors, entry doors, skylights, and gable vents should be secured with shutters in order to prevent them from being damaged. Professional emergency board up services will install protective covering systems on your doors and windows in order to prevent wind, water and debris from entering your house. In case of a fire, these shutters will serve as protection from unauthorized entry.
Plywood is the most common material used for emergency board up, and is the cheapest option for emergency board up services for entry points. Plywood shutters may be installed by the homeowner himself, but emergency board up services will do a professional job that will ensure that the shutters are correctly placed. The lifetime of wood shutters is shorter, though, and if hurricanes and heavy storms are frequent occurrences, plywood shutters may have to be replaced after several uses.
Door and window shutters made of aluminum, steel, or clear polycarbonate panels are also used by emergency board up services. These shutter systems, although they cost more than plywood, are specifically designed to withstand the forces of strong winds and rain. Aluminum, steel, and clear polycarbonate panels are usually corrugated, and often come with an installation system that makes them easier to attach than temporary plywood panels. They may also be joined together, and are very convenient for large windows or doors. Polycarbonate panels have the added advantage of allowing light to come into the house even after they have been installed. This kind of system cannot be done as a DIY project, and professional emergency board up services are needed.
Glass doors and large windows. Floor to ceiling windows, sliding doors, and glass panels need to have protective braces aside from shutters in order to secure them from further damage. Emergency board up services usually do this by screwing plywood support beams across the wood or aluminum shutters, and then adding angled beams which are then anchored to the ground. These beams will serve as a support that will minimize the effect of whatever hits the shutters.
Garage doors. Emergency board up services reinforce garage doors by putting horizontal wood or steel braces to the panels and securing them with screws. Angled braces which are anchored to the ground are also added for additional reinforcement. Many garage doors – because of their size and design – have no support besides the beams at the side. They are also usually made of lightweight materials to allow them to be easily raised and lowered. The light material, however, makes garage doors more susceptible to damage. Protective braces will protect the garage doors from strong winds or heavy rains that can force them open.
Roofs. To protect residential roofing from natural disasters, emergency board up services can install hurricane straps. Hurricane straps are small metal braces that are used to anchor the roof to the beams, and are stronger than nails. When these are installed correctly, they can increase the strength of the roof by 50 to 75%.
High velocity winds can easily tear off roof shingles or bigger parts of the roof, and continuous heavy rains will cause leaks that can damage the attic and the roof deck. When parts of the roof fly off, the interior becomes exposed to the elements, trusses and rafters become unstable, and aside from causing water damage to the interior of the house there is the added danger of the roof collapsing. Flying shingles also become dangerous hazards because they can cause damage to other structures. Emergency board up services use plywood sheathing and impact-resistant roof coverings to mitigate the damage that these natural disasters can cause. These sheaths and roof coverings are specifically used to protect the roof from the impact of strong winds or heavy rains. Emergency board up services can also reinforce gable end walls in order to prevent major roof damage.
Outdoor items. Emergency board up services will bring your outdoor furniture and other equipment inside the house in order to secure them, and to prevent them from being flown or swept away during natural disasters. These include lawn chairs, gardening tools, toys, barbecue equipment, or other items that may easily be lifted or swept away.
Electrical services. Emergency board up services will isolate your wiring prior to natural disasters in order to prevent damage.
Utility connections. When you have to evacuate your house, there is a big possibility that in the rush to leave, you may forget to unplug and disconnect your utility services. Gas pumps, water lines, electrical appliances and equipment will be damaged if they are left on and subjected to water or wind. This will result in leakages, short circuits, and maybe even fire. Emergency board up services will make a thorough check of your house and make sure that all the utility connections have been properly closed or unplugged.
Fencing. If you have a swimming pool, pond or stream on your property, natural disasters like hurricanes and storms may cause the water in these areas to overflow. This may result in basement flooding – if that has not happened yet – or a quick rush of water towards your house. Emergency board up services provide fencing for pools and other areas of your property.
House envelope. Imagine your entire house wrapped in plastic sheathing or tarpaulin. Emergency board up services can secure your entire home by wrapping it all over – literally – with protective covering such as heavy plastic sheets or tarps in order to prevent broken walls, roofs, windows, or doors from hitting and hurting people who happen to be near the structure. The plastic sheath provides a soft wall that contains the falling or crumbing debris from landing far away from the house. This method of protection may be used before the disaster in order to minimize damage, and also afterwards to prevent damage to the surroundings while the house is being repaired.
Some emergency board up services call this service “shrink wrapping.” Plastic sheets – about 12 millimeters thick – are placed around the house, tacked down, then heated to shrink-wrap it around the structure. The sheets are around ten times the thickness of a garbage bag.
Whether it’s before or after the disaster, emergency board up services provide you with the convenience of protecting your house from impending disasters, mitigating further damage, and safeguarding the contents inside the house. Most emergency board up services are on call twenty four hours a day, and can accomplish the board up task in several hours. Emergency board up services can prevent thousands of dollars of damage by preparing your home before a disaster strikes, minimizing further damage afterwards, and preventing theft and vandalism. Just remember to crosscheck the company’s references before you hire emergency board up services, and ask questions to ensure that the company’s technicians are properly licensed and certified.
