Here’s How You Can Help Prevent Hurricane Roof Damage—and Protect Your Family
Now that the calendar has turned to June, hurricane season has officially begun here in Florida and throughout the Southeast. While no amount of preparation will fully protect your home from major hurricanes, there are still precautions you can take to prevent many types of hurricane roof damage, as well as damage due to other severe storms.
If you’ve put off your hurricane preparation, it’s not too late to take key steps to avoid damage to your roof and home exterior. As leading roofing contractors in Vero Beach, My Florida Roofing Contractor is well versed in preparing for hurricanes—and repairing roofs following storms. Here are our recommendations for keeping your home and family safe.
Schedule a Roof Inspection
The best way to protect your roof from damage each year is to schedule an annual inspection—especially before hurricane season begins. Roof damage tends to build up over time. If minor vulnerabilities are left unaddressed, it can open the door to major roof damage, especially if a hurricane or other major storm passes through your area. A roof inspection will reveal problems spots and damage long before these issues become severe.
Schedule Any Needed Roof Repairs
It isn’t enough to simply know about roofing issues, of course. Following your roof inspection, it’s crucial to schedule roof repairs right away if any problems are discovered.
In particular, be sure to fix any loose shingles or missing roof tiles. These are major weak points, especially when faced with the torrential rains and high winds of a hurricane or tropical storm.
Schedule Home Exterior Repairs
As you go about shoring up your roof, don’t forget to protect the rest of your home’s exterior as well. Along with your roof, your home’s siding, gutters, windows, and other parts of your home exterior all make up your home’s first line of defense, and they’re crucial for protecting your family from the elements.
Secure Yard Furniture
During a hurricane or other major storm with high winds, roof and home exterior damage can arise from a wide variety of sources. While many of these are outside of your control, there are some types of damage you can help prevent.
One example is damage from debris flung against your home. During one of these storms, any object—from patio chairs to flower pots—can become a projectile. If you know a storm is headed your way, make sure to secure all yard furniture, lawn ornaments, toys, and other loose objects to lower the risk of damage to your roof or siding.
Trim Trees
Like lawn ornaments and furniture, trees are also sources of debris during a storm. Large branches are often a cause of major damage to your roof. The best thing you can do to prevent this is to keep trees trimmed, particularly when it comes to branches that hang over your home.
Have Tarps and Bungee Cords on Hand
When a hurricane damages your roof or home, it can leave you with areas completely exposed to the full force of Mother Nature. While a tarp is far from a long-term fix, it can help to keep exterior damage where it is—rather than allowing rainwater to damage the inside of your home, as well. Tarps and bungee cords are a must-have for the intervening time when your roof or home is damaged by a hurricane, but a contractor has not yet been able to fix the damage.
Have a Hurricane Safety Kit on Hand
Lastly, while protecting your home from damage is important, it’s nowhere near as important as keeping your family safe during—and after—a hurricane. All Florida homeowners (not just those on the coast) should keep a hurricane safety kit at the ready. There are many lists available online (such as this one), but all kits should have supplies such as fresh water, food supplies, a first aid kit, a whistle or other signaling device, a flashlight, and a battery-powered or hand crank radio.
My Florida Roofing Contractor: Standing by for Hurricane Roof Damage Repair
Just as homeowners should always be prepared for a hurricane or major storm, our team at My Florida Roofing Contractor is always ready to respond when you have home or roof damage due to major storms. As a local, Florida-based roofing company, we’re well established in the community—and we know all the ins and outs of repairing, preparing for, and preventing hurricane roof damage.
If you’re overdue for your annual inspection, contact our team today before hurricane season arrives in full force!
