How To Make Your Patio Hurricane Proof
When you receive word a hurricane is approaching, be it a storm watch or warning, time is of the essence. Even if it is several days away, taking measures in advance to protect your home can mean the difference between minimal and extensive damage. When preparing for hurricane season, you need to remember to also make your patio hurricane-proof.
Buying products that are built to last, such as Rollac hurricane shutters, is always a smart investment. But along with this, here are some other crucial steps you can take to protect your patio from hurricanes and storms.
Hurricane-Proof Your Patio With These Steps
1. Secure Loose Objects
While your patio furniture, flower pots, cute statues and other items in and around your yard are great to look at when the weather is nice, they can quickly become dangerous projectiles in hurricane-force winds. Therefore, protect your outdoor furniture from the elements either by securing them to the ground or bringing what you can inside before they come crashing through doors or windows.
2. Install Hurricane Shutters
Perhaps the best protection of all that you can give your home and patio is installing hurricane shutters made by Rollac. Tested to exceed current hurricane standards, Rollac hurricane shutters are made of aluminum, making them lightweight yet still powerful. With thick double-walled slats, these roll down hurricane shutters can absorb the impact of high winds, driving rain, and any objects that may hit them without moving or becoming detached.
Source: Rollac
3. Trim Your Trees
Since you love sitting on your patio, you probably also have some beautiful trees nearby. Unfortunately, when hurricane-force winds of at least 74 mph come through, tree limbs can be ripped away and cause major damage to your property. Should a hurricane be approaching, always trim any nearby limbs from your trees, especially any that might already be weak or damaged.
4. Waterproof Patio Coverings
When many people get patio coverings, they think the terms “water-resistant” and “waterproof” are interchangeable, when in fact they are not. Thus, if you have a pergola as a patio cover, always make sure it’s waterproof and made to stand up to heavy rain and hard winds. Otherwise, you may find your patio and part of your home submerged under several inches or more of water.
5. Turn Off Your Irrigation System
Needless to say, the ground around your home or patio will not need any additional moisture when a hurricane comes roaring through. Should you have a sprinkler system in your yard, always make sure it is turned off well in advance of the storm. If you fail to do so, it is almost certain you’ll find uprooted trees on your home and patio.
6. Hinge Doors to Swing Outward
Something many people do not think about, having doors on your home that are hinged to swing outward can make a tremendous difference during a hurricane. If your home’s doors are hinged to swing inward, they may fly open thanks to hurricane-force winds, resulting in rain and debris becoming unwanted houseguests.
By having them hinged to swing outward, you may be able to avoid a mess many of your neighbors will have once the storm has passed.
Protect Your Patio Ahead of the Hurricane Season
Now that you know just how Rollac hurricane shutters can provide hurricane window protection for your home and patio, don’t wait until the last-minute and then wish you had done more to hurricane-proof your backyard and patio.
From investing in hurricane shutters to securing loose objects and trimming tree limbs, these and other steps can pay off in numerous ways. To get started learning more about Rollac hurricane shutters, contact us today to talk to an experienced professional.