How To Safeguard Your Vacation Home Against Hurricanes?

If the recent Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Irma have taught us anything, it’s that we need to make the most of the time we have. So, if the thought of building a vacation home has crossed your mind, now’s the perfect time to take advantage of the booming real estate market in South Florida and other parts of the country, and hire build-on-your-lot contractors to construct your dream R&R pad. Now, this isn’t your first rodeo, so you’re probably aware of the high cost of developing a new property. You wouldn’t want your investment to go to waste, would you? But that’s precisely what’s going to happen when a storm hits and damages your property. Considering you won’t live full-time at the vacation home, you must adopt precautionary measures to protect your home against the elements. Find out how below:

Ramp Up the Fortifications

Vacation homes are mostly situated in scenic and isolated locations. Their location makes them more vulnerable to storm damage. They need to be structurally sound so thatthey can stand against strong downpours and winds generated by hurricanes. To storm-proof your home, ask your building crew to strap down the roof of the house using hurricane clips or straps. Doing so helps ensure the roof does not detach from the frame of the house and minimizes damage.

Entry doors should also be secured using head and foot bolts. Windows are especially susceptible to strong winds, so make sure your contractor installs storm shutters or window covers. Pick the products composed of marine or exterior-grade plywood that are at least five-eighths of an inch thick for optimum protection. However, if you’re trying to cover larger glass pieces, like sliding doors, you should go for heavier, reinforced plywood.

Vacation homes in tropical areas easily sustain moisture-related damages. While you cannot prevent moisture from affecting the building entirely, you can avoid additional damage by caulking doors and windows so that moisture-laden rains stay out. Moreover, you should request the contractor to check if the porches, entry canopies, sheds, and carports are structurally sound.

Look After the Landscaping

Hurricanes can have catastrophic consequences for landscaping elements, such as trees and shrubs. Also, if a tree gets uprooted by strong winds and falls on your vacation home, the damages are astronomical. That’s why you should keep hedges, trees, and other foliage adjoining the property neat and trim always. This also prevents a windblown branch from breaking your window accidentally.

While laying the gravel for your driveway or path, ask the contractor to switch out the gravel with shredded bark. Windblown gravel is capable of inflicting serious harm to buildings, but bark decreases the damage. Finally, it’s a good idea to tie down any small shrubs and trees surrounding the property to avoid uprooting issues.

Pay Attention to Storage

Storage is not a priority when you’re in the holiday spirit. But it should be, especially if you’re vacation home is situated in a hurricane-prone area. After all, you might encounter a situation where you are trapped indoors for a few days with limited supplies. For that reason, it’s a good idea to have your contractors build a storehouse within the property. Take inventory of your possessions and make it a point to replenish the stock regularly.

If you wish to build a vacation home on your lot in Florida or some other hurricane-prone area, discuss how you can develop a property that is resistant to the elements. Planning all the details can save you a lot of hassle and prevent damage to your investment.