The summer is the season for fun activities such as cookouts, vacations, and festivals, but it is also the season for severe weather such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes.  Each of these storms has the potential to cause serious exterior and structural damage to your home, and your windows are one of your home’s most vulnerable features.  Strong winds and flying debris can break your windows, allowing in more debris, wind, and rain which can lead to much more serious damage in your home.  Broken glass and airborne debris can also put the safety of you and your family at risk.  If you live somewhere prone to severe storms, tornadoes, or hurricanes, you must do what you can to protect your windows from storm damage.

The following tips will help you storm proof your windows.

Use Storm Shutters

Storm shutters are just like regular window shutters except that they are made from stronger materials to protect your windows from strong wind and flying debris.  They are permanent features so all you have to do is shut them when a storm is imminent.  Make sure you keep the following in mind when choosing storm shutters:

• Once they are installed, you are ready to protect your home at any time. No need to install shutters each time a storm approaches.
• There are several styles available including roll-ups, accordion designs, and fold-ups.


Storm shutters locked and ready.

• Certain storm shutters allow light into your home through perforations or translucent materials.
• Storm shutters are made from several different materials including aluminum and reinforced fabric.
• Storm shutters can be expensive, but if you live in a hurricane prone area, they can prevent property damage that will end up costing you much more.
• If you cannot install storm shutters yourself, hire a professional.

Install Hurricane Impact Windows

Hurricane impact windows are specifically designed to survive impacts from strong winds and debris.  Before installing hurricane windows, you must take the following into consideration:

• Impact windows consist of two panes of tempered glass and cost more than regular windows.
• They look the same as regular windows and will not change the appearance of your home.
• You will not have to worry about putting up boards or closing the shutters in case of a storm.

Use Plywood to Board Up Windows

Boarding up your windows with plywood is an easy and cost-effective way to protect them from severe storms and hurricanes.  You must pay attention to weather reports in your area so you have time to install the plywood boards before a storm hits.  Make sure you review the following when boarding up your windows:

• Plywood boards are inexpensive and available at lumber yards and hardware stores.


Plywood boards are the most cost-effective option.

• Attach the plywood with heavy-duty anchors and screws for wooden window frames, and expansion bolts for masonry.
• Make sure you put up the boards before the storm so you are ready in time.
• Remember, the plywood will block out the natural light, leaving your home dark until the boards are removed.

If you live in an area of the U.S. that is prone to tornadoes or hurricanes, make sure you review these tips and take action to protect your windows.  Spending some time and money now to ensure that your windows are protected can save you a lot more money by avoiding significant damage and costly repairs.  Severe storms are rather unpredictable, so there is still a chance that a storm could damage your home, even if you take preventative measures.  In these cases, it is important to call an expert for storm damage restoration to help limit the damage and rebuild your home.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.