With hurricane season well underway, ensuring you’re prepared here in South Florida is now more critical than ever. One of the best ways to protect your home is through the installation of impact windows!Impact windows are designed to withstand the force of high winds and flying debris that can be created during a hurricane, providing you and your family with peace of mind that your home is safe.
What Makes Impact Windows so Special?
To begin with, impact windows are made from a material like tempered or laminated glass which helps keep them intact even when exposed to extreme weather conditions.
The frames are also designed to be durable and resist corrosion caused by salt water spray or moisture in the air, which is essential here in Florida.
These windows protect against strong winds and many other hurricane-related hazards when correctly installed.
Hiring a qualified contractor with experience installing impact windows is crucial to ensure proper installation. This will help ensure that the window frames are properly sealed and secured to withstand the pressure of high winds without breaking or becoming damaged.
Impact window installation is one of the best ways to protect your home from the dangers associated with hurricanes and other severe weather events.
By hiring a qualified contractor with experience installing these windows, you can rest assured knowing that your home will be well protected against wind-borne debris and other hazards.
Want to learn more about impact windows, this hurricane season , and how to ensure your home is ready for hurricane season? Just keep reading this helpful guide to fortifying your home!
Five Hurricane Safety Tips to Follow This Year
While Miami-Dade county is undeniably gorgeous, we all know that living in South Florida means that you are at risk of experiencing a hurricane. To ensure your safety, it is important to be prepared and know what steps to take before, during, and after a hurricane. Here are five practical hurricane safety tips to help you get ready and be prepared!
1. Make an emergency plan in advance and stick to it
Before a storm hits, create an emergency plan with your family or roommates. Discuss where you will go if you need to evacuate and how you will stay in contact with each other if separated. Make sure everyone knows how to shut off utilities such as gas and electricity (if necessary) and agree on who will be responsible for what.
2. Stock up on supplies to last multiple days!
Gather enough supplies to last at least three days including:
- Food
- Water
- Medications
- Flashlights
- Batteries
- First aid kits
- Any important other items
3. Take the time to properly secure your home
Take measures to protect your home from wind damage by boarding up windows and doors or installing storm shutters on vulnerable areas of the house such as windows or skylights. Additionally, trim trees around the property so they don’t become projectiles during high winds.
4. Stay informed of the storm updates and local news
Monitor local news reports for updates on the storm’s path and intensity so that you can make decisions about evacuation or sheltering in place accordingly. Listen for instructions from local authorities regarding evacuations or curfews that may be put into effect before or during a storm event.
5 . Always be ready to evacuate and have an evacuation plan ready.
If instructed by local authorities, have a plan ready for evacuation. It’s vital to know things like:
- Which routes are available
- Where shelters are located
- What items should be taken with you
- How you will get there
- Who will go with you
- What you will do with pets
Be sure also to have alternate plans available in case roads become blocked due to flooding.
Seven Ways to Fortify Your Home Against Hurricanes
Now that you’ve learned some practical hurricane safety tips, here are seven ways to properly fortify your home against hurricanes.
1. Reinforce Your Roof
Strengthening your roof is essential for protecting your home from hurricane-force winds. Make sure that all shingles, tiles, or other materials used on the roof are securely fastened and in good condition. Consider installing hurricane straps or clips to further secure the roof to the house's walls.
2. Secure All Outdoor Furniture
Before a storm hits, make sure that any outdoor furniture or decorations are secured so they don’t become projectiles during high winds. This includes common items such as:
- Patio furniture
- Grills
- Planters
- Swings and playsets
- Umbrellas
- Standing fire pits
Anything that strong gusts of wind could pick up should be tied down or brought inside before a storm arrives. Never wait until the last minute to secure things!
3. Trim Trees And Shrubs Around Your Yard
To reduce potential damage caused by falling branches and debris during a hurricane, trim back any trees or shrubs near your home before the storm season begins. This will help prevent them from becoming projectiles during high winds and damaging your property or injuring someone nearby if they fall over during a storm.
4. Install Storm Shutters
Installing shutters on all windows and/ or hurricane doors is another great way to protect your home from hurricanes and other severe weather events like tornadoes and hail storms.
Storm shutters provide an extra layer of protection against flying debris and help keep out water if there is flooding in the area after a storm passes through. They can also help reduce energy costs in hot climates since they block out direct sunlight when closed up tight.
5. Don’t Forget About the Garage Doors
If you have a garage door at your home, you should ensure it is reinforced with heavy-duty hardware (like an impact garage door!) so that it won’t be blown open during high winds associated with hurricanes.
Consider installing an automatic garage door opener so you don’t have to manually open/close it every time you want to access into/out of the garage – this will save time in case an emergency evacuation order is issued due to impending severe weather conditions!
6. Think About Investing in Flood Insurance
Investing in flood insurance is another important step for protecting yourself financially against potential damage caused by hurricanes or other natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes. Flood insurance will cover damages resulting from rising water levels due to heavy rains associated with these types of events – something regular homeowner's insurance policies typically do not include coverage for. It’s a prudent item to consider, especially as a resident of Southern Florida.
7. Install Impact Windows With a Certified Contractor Like Alco
Installing impact windows provides excellent protection for your home against hurricanes. Impact windows are designed to withstand high winds and flying debris, and they can help shield your home from damage caused by storms. A professional and friendly contracting service like Alco can help assess your home needs and help you get started!
Impact Windows: Five Top Benefits
Impact windows are one of the best ways to secure your home to be ready in the event of a hurricane or severe storm. However, they offer several benefits besides storm protection as well. Here are five top perks of impact windows!
1. Increased Security
Impact windows are designed to be incredibly strong and difficult to break, providing an extra layer of security for your home. This can add some additional protection against break-ins and help provide overall peace of mind.
2. Noise Reduction
Impact windows can help reduce the amount of noise that enters your home from outside sources, such as traffic or loud neighbors.
3. Energy Efficiency
Impact windows are designed to be energy efficient, helping you save money on energy bills by reducing the amount of air that escapes through your windows.
4. UV Protection
Impact windows can help protect furniture and other items in your home from fading due to UV rays coming in through the window glass.
5. Low Maintenance
Unlike traditional wooden frames, impact windows require very little maintenance and won’t need to be painted or stained every few years like wood does.
Impact Windows Installation: The Alco Way
Ready to get started with your impact window installation? Here at Alco, we take special pride in our assessment and installation process and strive to ensure that your home needs are met each time. Here’s how we serve you– the Alco Way:
1. We’ll Always Put You and Your Family’s Safety First
From the moment we arrive at your home, our team is dedicated to keeping you and your family safe and comfortable. We’ll greet you with a smile each time and introduce ourselves so that you know who we are.
We always wear masks inside your home, practice professional behavior (no swearing, smoking or drinking on your property), and take all necessary precautions to ensure everyone's safety.
2. We’ll Protect Your Property
The Alco Way also means we prioritize your property just like we do you and your family. Our service professionals have been specially trained and take many special precautions to safeguard your property during installation! These include care and precautions such as:
- Wearing floor savers on their shoes to avoid tracking in dust or debris
- Laying down protective coverings over floors and furniture near work areas
- Using vacuums to collect dust while working (including during any drilling or demolition)
- Setting up protective screens to keep non-renovation areas from being exposed to outdoor elements
- Performing a full clean-up of work areas once the project is finished
3. We Always Guarantee Your Investment
Here at Alco, we have an enduring commitment to transparency and trustworthiness that we work hard to meet every day. To ensure your satisfaction, Alco will not consider a project complete until you are delighted with the work.
We will handle all communications with regulatory authorities and inspections and schedule a final walkthrough with you to ensure everything is done to your exact specifications. If something isn’t right, we’ll come back and fix it. We aim for you to be 100% satisfied before we close the project.
Is Your Home Storm Ready? Alco Can Help!
Hurricane preparedness is an important part of living in a hurricane-prone area. Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to homes and businesses, so it’s vital for you and your family to take the necessary steps to protect your property from these storms.
Installing impact windows with a service like Alco is critical to ensure you are as prepared as possible for hurricane season. In addition to installing impact windows, there are other steps you should take when preparing for hurricanes, such as stocking up on supplies like:
- Food
- Water
- Flashlights
- Batteries
- Medications
- Other essentials
Impact windows are designed to be strong and durable, protecting against wind-borne debris during a storm. They are made from sturdy, tested glass, ensuring that they meet all safety standards. Impact windows also provide additional benefits for your home, such as:
- Noise reduction
- Energy efficiency
- Home security
- UV protection
Installing impact windows with Alco is an easy process that requires minimal disruption to your home or business. The team at Alco will come out and measure your existing window openings before ordering and installing your new impact windows.
Once the new windows have been installed, you can rest assured knowing that your property is protected from robust winds and flying debris during a hurricane or other severe weather event.
Here at Alco, our team of trained professionals will ensure your window and home get all the storm-proofing needed this hurricane season in Florida. Our friendly, local service means we possess the intimate knowledge and experience needed to secure your home correctly.
We’re also a small business that values our customers and takes the time and cares to ensure each job is done to total client satisfaction.
Want to learn more about what we do? Get in touch with us now!
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