4 Steps to Prevent Wind Damage

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The people who lived in Bridge Creek, Oklahoma City, Moore, Del City, Tinker Air Force Base and Midwest City in Oklahoma on May 3, 1999, can tell you a thing-or-two about heavy winds. At 6:23 p.m. CDT, a twister formed, passing over Bridge Creek about a half-hour later. That’s when mobile Doppler radar clocked the monster at 301 mph.

Other high-wind generators have blown even harder, but this is the highest speed ever officially recorded. If you’re unprepared to face something about one-quarter this scale, read on.

 

1. 1.Flashing Fix

   Be safe. Plan ahead. If you’re in the market for some new windows or doors, price some storm-resistant materials to replace the old ones.

   Wind damage can be as simple as a few fallen branches to a full-blown tornado. Check your flashing. The thin metal strips that you’ll find between the foundation and thresholds, chimneys, doors, windows and roofs are there to keep water out. Flashing that has outlived its purpose needs to be fixed. Look to see if it’s unattached. If it’s not damaged, fix it. The messed-up flashing, however, needs to be replaced.

2. 2.Roof Damage

   If you feel comfortable going up there, check your tiles or shingles. Getting a professional to do this task is safer, though.

    

   Rules of thumb are these benchmarks: If it’s under 5-years old, the roof is probably O.K. Those that are 10-years old should be fine, but may require a little touch-up. If the roof is celebrating its 10th birthday, it might be time to think about a total make-over. Have a roofing contractor look at it. After they give it the once-over ask this question, “How much longer do you think my roof will last with just minor repairs?”

    

3. 3.Trimming The Yard

   As plants, shrubs, trees, etc. grow, they need to be barbered occasionally. Regularly snip the bush. With your trusty ladder, chop-down limbs and branches from the old Elm. And don’t leave all of the remains in a pile outside. Dispose of the refuse from your greenery in a responsible manner.

    

   Winds can take a loving piece of tree and ram it right-up into your house.

4. 4.Doors And Windows

   Any opening – planned or not – is an opportunity for strong winds to blow your roof a couple of blocks away. Things like doors and windows are prime ways that strong winds can get inside. The gold standard for windows is that the glass should be able to repel a 9-pound 2-by-4 that’s driving at a speed of 34-mph. This comes from the folks that researched the damage wrought by Hurricane Andrew back in the early 90’s.

    

   In areas where you get hurricanes, the minimum pressure rating of your window should be at least 50 pounds per square foot.

    

   Tornadoes, as we talked about at the beginning of this article can be a different story. Winds from a hurricane, even the worst ones are usually 100-mph less than the biggest recorded twister.

    

   Be safe. Plan ahead. If you’re in the market for some new windows or doors, price some storm-resistant materials to replace the old ones.

    

   Did you know that the worst recorded Hurricane was actually a movie star? While it only packed winds around 165-mph, it killed over 430 people. What made it a celluloid villain? It was the setting for the movie “Key Largo.” That was the last time Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were ever in a flick together.