Keeping wind and water out is critical to your home’s survival. The variety of materials on the market today means it’s easier and more affordable than ever.

Entry doors - strengthen
Strengthening solid metal and wood entry doors:

• If the door is in good condition, inspect the hinges. Three hinges are recommended.  
• Make sure the screws in the hinges are long enough to penetrate the permanent structure at least 1 inch.
• The door should have a dead-bolt lock with a minimum 1-inch bolt throw length.
• For double entry doors:
  • Install heavy-duty barrel bolt sliding latches at the top and bottom.
  • Connect the barrel bolt through the door header and threshold and into the subfloor.
• Fasteners can be added to improve the anchorage of the door frame to the wall.
  • The length of the fastener will need to be at least 3 inches.
  • Wood screws should be No. 12.
  • Nails should be 10 or 12 penny.
  • Tapcons can be 3/16-inch in diameter.
• Install the first fastener within 6 inches of the end of the frame with one fastener at the top and one at the bottom of each side. These should be placed no farther apart than 16 inches.

Garage door - wood bracing
Garage doors are susceptible to wind damage, double-wide doors more than single doors. The wind may cause it to buckle, force it out of the roller track, or the track could be vulnerable to the pressure, especially if it is light weight or the fasteners don’t penetrate the wall deep enough. Wind coming into your home through an opening this large poses grave problems for the rest of your home – especially your roof.

• Determine the model of your garage door.
  • Are there labels to indicate if it is design pressure or impact rated?
  • If not, weigh your options: Replace the door, install a shutter or retrofit the door.
• To retrofit:
  • Visit a home improvement store.
  • If the door manufacturer offers a kit to install a vertical bracing system purchase it.
  • If not, purchase a generic kit with vertical support posts.
  • If no kits are available, you can add support by installing your own wood columns.
• Installing wood columns:
  • Measure the garage door to determine how much material is needed to construct a column.
  • No. 2 grade wood is recommended. Lightweight metal girds also can be used.
  • Close the door and install the posts at the center of the door or one-third of the way in from each edge.
  • You will need to add pairs of supports, one on the inside and one on the outside, at each location where you choose to brace the door.
  • You will have to look at your particular garage door situation and then be creative in selecting the appropriate hardware to anchor the columns to the floor and to the header over the garage door.

Installing a new roof - make it stronger
When installing a new roof, making it stronger and more secure is as important as choosing the right roofing materials. Make sure the contractor removes all existing roof covering down to the decking. (Building codes generally allow homeowners to install a second layer of asphalt shingles over an existing layer of old shingles, but that is not always best for your home, especially in high wind and hail areas.)

• Have the roof decking inspected for signs of rotting, delaminating, warping or anything else that would deem it structurally unsound.
  • If any of these conditions exist, replace these sections with similar materials of the same thickness.
• Inspect the points where the roof and the foundation meet the walls of your house. Strong connections are extremely important if your home is to resist high winds and the pressures they place on the entire structure.
  • If you are building a new home, have the builder use straps and wood structural sheathing to tie the structure together and anchor it to the foundation. These con nections are relatively inexpensive when used during construction, adding three to four percent to the price of a home.
  • If you are remodeling, ask the contractor to install straps and anchors that will strengthen the house from the roof to the foundation, even if it is only in the area that is being remodeled. This should only cost a few hundred dollars for a typical 1,500 to 2,000 square foot house.
• Gable ends
  • Brace the end wall of a gable roof properly to resist high winds. Check the cur rent model building code for high-wind regions for appropriate guidance, or consult a quali fied engineer or architect.
• Check the fastening of the roof deck to the rafters or trusses that support the deck.
  • For wood plank decks: If at least two nails were installed every time one of the planks crossed a rafter or truss) you should not need to re-nail the deck.
  • For wood panel sheathing, including plywood or Oriented Strand Board, OSB:
    • Nail sizes and nail spacing commonly used, particularly along trusses and rafters in the middle of the panels, have not provided the needed resistance to uplift in high wind events.
    • Staples have been found not to hold roof sheathing down very well, regardless of how close together they may be.
    • Re-nail the roof to the rafters and trusses using 8d ring shank nails.
• Apply a secondary moisture barrier, such as modified bitumen, over the seams where the roof decking meets or apply a product that covers the entire roof.
•  Choose a roof covering that is approved for the hazards in your area, better roofing materials will be approved for high wind, hail impact and wildfire).

Roof - care and maintenance
The roof is your home's first line of defense from the elements. But sun, wind and rain all wear down your roof over time. Since your roof is the largest component of your house it can also be the most vulnerable to severe storms and the costliest single site of damage.

Recognizing signs of a roof problem

• When it rains, do too many roof granules wash away?
• Are there water stains on your ceiling?
• Even the smallest leak or curling shingle can be a sign of trouble.

Care and Maintenance

• Proper eave and ridge ventilation may help extend roof life by reducing the buildup of heat and moisture.
• Keep trees trimmed to prevent them from rubbing against the roof, or from providing excessive shade.
• Keep roof, valleys, gutters and downspouts free from leaves, twigs and other litter that can build up and prevent proper drainage.
• Preservatives available for some roof types may help limit weathering effects of moisture and retard growth of molds and mosses.

Shingle roof - Evaluation Checklist
Keeping shingles on your house is extremely important.  If edge shingles are not well fastened or extend beyond the drip edge more than the 1/4” typically recommended for high wind areas, the wind can lift them up and start a peeling process.  This domino effect leads to significant loss of roof covering, which can allow water into your home or worse.

• Inspect a number of shingle tabs and make sure they are well secured to the roof, particularly along the roof edges.
• Use the tips of your fingers or thumbs to gently lift up on the edge of the shingle tabs.
  • Is the adhesive strong?
  • Are the tabs well anchored to the shingle below?
• As long as the shingle is still flexible enough to lift and re-set flat, roofing cement can be applied.
• Using a caulking gun, place three dabs of asphalt cement about the size of a silver dollar under each tab.
• Press the tab firmly into the adhesive.
• On gable ends, secure the three shingle tabs closest to the gable edge.  

Metal Roof - Evaluation checklist

• Using a ladder, climb up to a corner of the roof and check the metal roofing along the eaves and any edge covering.
• Gently lift up on the edge metal
  • Is it well attached?
  • Are the fasteners exposed?
  • If so, are they loose?
• Check for rust and loss of the protective coating.
• Inside the attic:
  • Go inside on a sunny day
  • Look for sunlight penetrating around vent pipes and chimneys or other roof penetration
    • If there is some light, check for signs of leaks
    • If there is lots of light, hire a professional to replace the flashing and other materials
  • Inspect the roof decking for water stains:
    • Above the chimney
    • Around vents
    • Along valleys or roof slope changes
• Look for signs of discolored or deteriorating roof deck

Tile Roof - Evaluation checklist

• Never walk on a tile roof.
• Using a ladder, climb up to a corner of the roof and check the eave and edge tiles to make sure that they are well attached to the roof.
• Do you see:
  • Loose tiles
  • Cracked tiles
  • Broken or missing tiles
• If you see any of these, call a professional for repairs.

Membrane or built-up roof - Evaluation checklist

• Using a ladder, climb up to the roof
• Gently lift up on the bottom edge of a number of shingle tabs to determine whether they are well adhered to the shingles below.
• Lift up on some shingle tabs at the edges of the roof to determine whether the shingles are adhered to the top of the drip edge metal.
• If needed:
  • Use a caulking gun to place three dabs of asphalt cement about the size of a silver dollar under each tab.
  • Press the tab firmly into the adhesive.
• Visually assess the condition of the shingles, looking for:
  • Cracks
  • Broken or missing tabs
  • Buckling or curling of tabs or shingles
  • Blistering of shingles and/or tabs with most of the granules worn off
• If any of the above conditions are present, hire a roofing professional for additional evaluation
• Inspect vent pipes, chimneys and other roof penetrations:
  • Are these well-sealed?
    • If gaps are present or sealant is missing. Reseal with flashing cement.
    • If the flashing is badly deteriorated or missing, hire a professional.
• Inspect roof vents:
  • If the vents wiggle back and forth, hire a professional.
  • If screws attaching turbines or caps are missing, add screws.
• Inside the attic:
  • Go inside on a sunny day
  • Look for sunlight penetrating around vent pipes and chimneys or other roof penetration
    •  If there is some light, check for signs of leaks
    •  If there is lots of light, hire a professional to replace the flashing and other materials
  • Inspect the roof decking for water stains:
    • Above the chimney
    • Around vents
    • Along valleys or roof slope changes
  • Look for signs of discolored or deteriorating roof deck

Shutters (Plywood) - anchor installation
If you are going to make and install your own shutters, take the time to pre-install the anchorage hardware and prepare your shutter materials before a storm threatens.

•  Pick out and purchase the plywood material you want to use.
  • BHS recommends 5/8-inch plywood as a minimum standard.
• Purchase the appropriate quantity of steel hanger bolts.
  • Anchor spacing:
    • No. 8 wood screw-based anchors should be spaced:
      • 8 inches apart for 6 to 8 foot panels
      • 10 inches apart for 4 to 6 foot panels
      • 16 inches apart for smaller panels
    • No. 10 wood screw-based anchors should be spaced:
      • 9 inches apart for 6 to 8 foot panels
      • 12 inches apart for 4 to 6 foot panels
      • 16 inches apart for smaller panels
  • Lag screw-based anchors should be spaced 16 inches apart for all panel sizes up to 8 feet.  
• Cut the plywood to fit each of your home’s windows.
• Use the wood grain as your guide for placing the fasteners.
  • Placing them perpendicular to the grain will ensure proper strength.
• Install the hangers so that you achieve a minimum embedment depth of 2 inches into the wood framing within the wall.  

Plywood shutter anchor installation for concrete block and masonry homes
If you are going to make and install your own shutters, take the time to pre-install the anchorage hardware and prepare your shutter materials before a storm threatens.

• Pick out and purchase the plywood material you want to use.
  • BHS recommends 5/8-inch plywood as a minimum standard.
• Check to see that you have the right tools.
  • Hollow block requires a 3/16-inch masonry bit.
  • Concrete will require a slightly larger 7/32-inch bit.
• Purchase the appropriate quantity of 3/8-inch steel sleeve anchors.
  • Choose from 3/8-inch acrylic or epoxy-set stainless steel threaded rods with stainless steel screen inserts or
  • 3/8-inch acrylic or epoxy-set stainless steel umbrella inserts.  
  • For solid or grouted block use a 3/8-inch acrylic or epoxy-set stainless steel threaded rod.
• Cut the plywood to fit each of your home’s windows.
• Use the wood grain as your guide for placing the fasteners.
  • Placing them perpendicular to the grain will ensure proper strength.
  • Place anchors 16 inches apart.
• Install the hangers so that you achieve a minimum embedment depth of 3.5 inches into the concrete.
  • The anchor must be set into the hollow block, not the stucco or finish; this requires checking the depth to make sure you are firmly in the block wall.
  • The hole should be blown out with forced air to eliminate excess dust otherwise the anchor may not achieve its full strength.

Source: Institute for Business & Home Safety. IBHS is a national nonprofit applied research and communications organization dedicated to reducing property losses due to natural and man-made disasters by building stronger, more resilient communities.