As hurricane season approaches, homeowners tend to do all that they can to make sure their property is secure.
Are your windows covered?
Do you have food and water?
How is the condition of your roof, and does anything need to be replaced?
The savvy homeowner will do everything from hoarding supplies to stocking up on propane and gasoline for their backup generators.
Still, amid all this preparation, there is one key area of the house that is consistently overlooked- the front door.
Let’s take a look at the steps you can take to keep your entranceway safe during a hurricane.
Before the Storm
Good maintenance ahead of time is vital to the protection of your home. Check your door. Are there screws missing? How do your hinges look? Make sure that every bolt is in place, and that what is there, is tightened up firmly.
Next, look at any glass that is on your door.
You are going to want to make sure your doorway and windows are covered with wood, and that any seams along the edge of the door are properly sealed. Check your threshold and make sure it is also firmly secured. After all, what good is a door if the entranceway it’s attached to breaks apart?
Finally, invest in a deadbolt.
You will want the added protection of a one-inch deadbolt when the winds and rains come, and if you have a double door, get a sliding bolt to go across both of them for the added strength and protection.
All of this is great for your front door, but you should also consider other entranceways to your home.
What about your garage door?
For many, this serves as the front door to your home, and it is also a prime candidate for being damaged in a major storm. You’ll want to make sure you have at least a 14 gauge track for your door, and that you take the time to reinforce it with some 2 x 4’s to keep it from buckling under the pressure of the winds.
After the Storm
Once the storm has passed, you’re going to want to check over your door and look for any damage to the door itself, and to the threshold. Make sure you didn’t lose any screws, and that any glass that is a part of your door hasn’t been broken.
If any part of your door seems damaged, get it repaired immediately. You will want to make sure you let nothing go unchecked. After all, if there is a structural problem now, it could turn into a massive problem in the future, or during the next hurricane that rolls through.
What to Look For
On your front door, you are going to look for missing parts such as screws. You’ll also want to see if the seam on the threshold has buckled any, and if there are cracks in your door or your frame.
On your garage entrance, you will want to check and see if the door has been pushed out of the track.
When it comes to the safety of your home, you don’t want to be caught with a problem entranceway. Remember, if just one inch worth of floodwater enters your home, it can equate to over $7,800 in damages to your property, so making sure your entrances are secure is a vital part of hurricane preparation.
If you’re unsure about your doorways, call a professional for maintenance. Your home is your castle, and while it may seem excessive to give this much attention to your doorways, it’s still cheaper than the alternative.