BEFORE THE STORM COMES

My wife Frances is a weather watcher. I don't mean the casual type. She's on the internet daily watching for the first sign of a slight swirling motion that might indicate the birth of a storm. As I write, Tropical Storm Eduardo is passing near our coastline. Of course she knew about it's development almost as soon as the meteorologist which brings me to my point. We still have several more months of potential tropical weather so it's important to take protective measures before one strikes. Here are some tips:

Windows: Install impact-resistant windows that have a better chance of surviving high winds and flying debris.

Sliding Glass Doors: Sliding glass doors are also vulnerable to wind damage. Consider installing impact-resistant door systems made of laminated glass, plastic glazing or a combination.

Strengthen Doors: Door frames should be securely anchored to the wall frame and have three hinges and a dead bolt lock. The bolt should be at least one inch long.

Garage Doors: Install permanent wood or metal stiffeners or contact the manufacturer for recommendations about temporary center supports that can be attached and removed easily if severe weather threatens.

Gable End Vents: These can be an entry point for wind and water. Louvers are not generally designed to keep out strong wind driven rain. Shutter it as if it were a window.

Seal Openings, Cracks and Holes: Caulk to seal cracks and holes where phone and cable lines enter your home.

It's better to make a few improvements now then to deal with costly and inconvenient damage later. Hopefully we won't have to face any bad storms anytime soon. My wife can continue to weather watch if she wants. I just hope she'll be watching any storms from a distance.