Securing your roof for the 2021 hurricane season is perhaps the most important part of your home’s hurricane plan. The typical hurricane season in South Florida begins in June and continues until November. After the tumultuous year of 2020, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (known as NOAA) predicts an early start to the 2021 Hurricane Season.
If you are thinking of securing your roof for the 2021 hurricane season, the time is now. Many homeowners and commercial property owners don’t worry about roof hurricane preparedness until there is a major hurricane. With the tropics getting an early start this year, it will help to be extra vigilant.
The weather experts are predicting (with a 25-35% probability) that we will see 12-17 tropical storms, from 6-11 hurricanes, and 2-5 major hurricanes. These stats depend on whether or not an El Niño develops. To err on the side of extreme caution, it doesn’t hurt to begin securing your roof for the 2021 hurricane season, as well as your windows, doors, and home.
How to Go About Securing Your Roof for the 2021 Hurricane Season
In an effort to ensure the proper steps for securing your roof for the 2021 hurricane season, it is highly recommended that you check your roof hurricane preparedness plan before assuming you are ready for the unknown season to come.
Experts have always pointed to the roof as being the culprit of serious or devastating home loss in tropical conditions. The major reason for securing your roof for the 2021 hurricane season is because the changes in air pressure, brought on by tropical cyclones, act as a suction cup, pulling the roof up and down, and damaging the roofing material. Here is our professional tip for preventing a serious loss during the 2021 hurricane season.
Have a Thorough & Professional Roof Inspection
The process of a roof inspection is extremely thorough and designed to ensure your roof is as secure as possible before the tropical weather starts rolling in. Starting inside the home and in the attic, the inspection will look for leaks, moisture spots, mold, or signs of aging that could cause vulnerabilities to your roof and structure.
Next, an exterior inspection of the roof is conducted. The exterior inspection looks for missing materials (i.e., missing shingles, damage to flashings, caulk that is cracking or cracked, and signs of leaking). If there is damage that needs to be repaired in order to ensure your personal roof hurricane preparedness plan is complete, an estimate will be given for a quick and thorough roof repair.
Other Important Items to add to Your Roof Hurricane Preparedness Checklist
It is important to be completely prepared prior to a tropical storm or worse, a major hurricane. In addition to a professional roof inspection, your roof hurricane preparedness plan would benefit from:
- Being fully informed on your homeowner’s insurance policy and what the insurance policy covers in the event of hurricane damage or destruction from a hurricane. Keep these papers safe and it is recommended you put them in a zip lock bag in the event of a serious hurricane.
- Ensure that your shutters are readily accessible, offer complete coverage to your windows, and aren’t missing any of the hardware needed. Windows play a huge role in securing your roof for the 2021 hurricane season, as well as your entire home.
- Be sure to trim any trees, or remove any debris, outside furniture, or items that pose a threat to your roof
Remember, your Roof hurricane preparedness plan is just one piece of your overall hurricane preparedness plan. It is best to be prepared and it doesn’t hurt to get a proper roof inspection once in a while to keep your home secure at all times.
Some Further Reading
- Hurricane Proof House: What You Need to Protect – by This Old House
- The Only Hurricane Preparedness Checklists You’ll Ever Need – by Access Home Insurance
- National Weather Service Preparedness Guide
