Prepare Your Home
Floods and Tornadoes
FIX IT YOURSELF
- Fasten exterior items securely to your house to prevent them from becoming flying debris. Move loose items indoors.
- Caulk/install weather stripping to all doors and windows to prevent wind from entering.
- Install impact-resistant shutters on all windows.
- Make all entry doors impact resistant by installing head and foot bolts with a minimum of one inch bolt length into solid material to guard against wind pressure and to improve security.
FIX IT WITH SOME HELP
- Properly brace garage doors and tracks to meet impact resistance criteria.
- Brace the roof gable end framing with interior horizontal and vertical beams to strengthen the gable against strong winds.
- If you have a fuel tank, it needs to be anchored to resist the force of floodwaters and flotation.
FIX IT WHEN BUILDING OR REMODELING
- Install tie-downs on any porch and carport columns.
- Secure wall-to-foundation and wall-to-roof connections with anchor bolts/rebar or other tie down devices to ensure wind uplift resistence.
- Install impact resistant windows and sliding glass doors.
- Anchor door frames to wall framing.
- If replacing your roof: Confirm rafters and trusses are securely connected (tied down) to the walls. Replace damaged sheathing and properly refasten existing sheathing. This should include a certified wood adhesive between the sheathing and structure members. install a roof covering designed to resist high winds and meet Class A fire-resistant specifications. Consider a double layer of heavier felt roofing paper secured with sufficient tin-tabs to keep it fastened to the roof sheathing. Conside taping the roof sheathing joints with self-adhering roofing underlayment. This tape will prevent water damage if your roof is blown off.
- If your house is more than one story, firmly connect upper story wall framing with lower framing.
- Elevate your utilities such as air conditioner, electrical box, water heater etc., above the base foot elevation or higher.
- Install sewer backflow valves to prevent sewage entry into your home during flooding.
- Construct or reinforce an interior room or reinforced shelter from high winds or tornados.