Canadians, especially Atlantic Canadians, know that hurricanes are becoming more intense and can be a long-term disruption long after its fury is unleashed. We’re in for a difficult hurricane season this year, and the ones to follow.
Above warm tropical waters, they feel their first spark of fury. Beginning as a tropical storm, the winds whip with ferocity and the ornery system becomes a hurricane. Wind shears and lower ocean temperatures of the North Atlantic slightly calm the hurricane…so much so, it’s downgraded to an extra-tropical storm. Yet, it still angrily hits the Atlantic provinces with winds swinging atmospheric punches at 160km/hr. and can drop 15 centimetres of rain in less than a day1. The unrelenting force can be devastatingly damaging.
According to predictions the 2024 season will pack an even stronger punch2. But you can help minimize the damaging impact on your home. Here are a few tips recommended by experts to help manage the fury and the potential damage of the hurricane season.
Secure your roof: Install hurricane ties (also known as straps) that attach your home’s truss to the structure. These steel fasteners can provide more strength than traditional methods3.
Be power protected: Consider adding surge protectors and emergency generators to your home.
Protect your outdoor property: Ensure that patio furniture and any other outdoor property is secured so that they don’t cause damage to your home.
Trim the deadwood: Keep your shrubbery trimmed and cut off any weak tree limbs and remove any dead or dying trees that can fall onto your house.
Protect your windows: Install storm shutters to protect your windows from debris flying in high winds. If that’s not possible, nail plywood panels to your window frames prior to the storm’s approach.
Install hurricane proof exterior doors: To keep them in place, ensure that they have three hinges and a dead bolt lock that is at least one inch long.
Cover glass sliding doors: Ideally, these doors should be constructed with tempered glass. Still, they will need to be covered by shutters or plywood prior to the storm’s approach.
Strengthen garage doors: High velocity winds and rain entering your home in a large garage opening can create massive problems for the rest of your home and your roof. So be sure to replace old garage doors and tracks with those that are approved for wind pressure and impact protection.
Prevent water penetration: Apply high-quality urethane-based caulk around vents, utility, outdoor electrical outlets, garden hose faucets, or where utility cables or pipes enter the home4.
Knowledge is just as powerful
Hurricanes are inevitable – every year. Though not all hurricane seasons will impact Canada, we are still quite vulnerable, especially in our Atlantic regions. However powerful these meteorological monsters can be, you can be knowledgeable, informed, and prepared for the hurricane season. So check out our hurricane companion stories “Home safe in a hurricane – the causes and costs of hurricanes” and “Home safe in a hurricane – guarding yourself upon landfall”.
Protect your home from a hurricane’s high winds and water
Empower yourself with the right tools and preventative measures to handle the hurricane season. Check out these helpful guides from the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) that focus on protecting you and your home from the perils of a hurricane – high winds and high water.
1 Hurricane Fiona Update | Government of Nova Scotia News Releases
2 NOAA warns 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could be 'extraordinary' (msn.com)
3 How To Install Hurricane Straps and Ties (9 Steps To Meet Code) (attainablehome.com)
4 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Hurricane Season | FEMA.gov
