Every region has different climates and weather conditions that can take a toll on a house. While Florida homeowners may not have to worry about snow storms and winterizing their homes, there are a variety of other environmental factors they face, including:
- Hail
- Heavy rainfall
- Flash floods
- Hurricane force winds
- Wind borne-debris
- Tornadoes
- Heat/UV Rays
- Humidity
Fortunately there are several ways homeowners in the Sunshine State can reinforce their home to ensure they experience minimal, if any, damage resulting from the severe weather patterns and conditions listed above.
Our Home Improvement Guide to Update Your Florida Home
Updating appliances and similar items, such as your plumbing fixtures, around your house can improve your home’s energy efficiency, but that won’t necessarily translate to improving your home’s stability in the event of a hurricane or when the sun’s rays consistently beat down on your home.
What are the ideal updates every homeowner should proactively do to help keep their home in great condition and even improve their energy efficiency?
The following are a few home improvements you can make to better help you reinforce your home’s envelope making it suitable for Florida’s extreme and quasi unpredictable weather conditions.
Update #1: Your Roof
Your roof arguably receives the brunt of Florida’s weather. From the sun baking it throughout the day to hail and heavy rains beating on it season after season. A roof’s durability and longevity is only as good as its structural design, maintenance, manufacturer, and quality of materials (metal, asphalt, tile, etc.). You should ideally choose materials that are rated for wind and impact resistance.
Update #2: Brace Your Garage
The garage door is likely the largest vulnerable opening in your home. If it gets damaged or torn off, it can compromise your entire home’s structure.
This is why the second update we recommend as a part of your home improvement guide is to brace your garage in order to reinforce its strength against strong winds and wind borne debris.
Update #3: Replace Your Windows & Doors
Like garage doors, your windows and doors are some of the most vulnerable parts of your home’s envelope. If your window or door gets broken, then the pressure can lead to significant damage or completely level your home to the ground.
One of the most significant updates you can make to your home is to replace your windows and doors with impact glass that are designed to withstand heavy winds and wind-borne debris.
If you live in a high velocity hurricane zone (HVHZ), such as Miami-Dade county, then installations like our Bertha Line of impact windows and doors are ideal selections that are Florida Product Approved and HVHZ approved to meet your building code requirements.
These installations are also known to improve your home’s overall energy efficiency which can lead to reduced energy bills and more money in your pocket. Click the button below to download our Homeowner’s Guide to Energy Efficient Windows and learn more about how these installations can help you in more ways than one.
