With Planning And Some Handiwork, Homeowners Can Reduce Storm Damages To Their Homes
Release Date: June 19, 2001
Release Number: 1370-18
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St. Paul, MN -- The tornado that struck Glenville May 1st swept through the small southern Minnesota town with little advance notice. "The storm came up so fast we had no time to react," said Wes Webb, Glenville mayor. "It formed so quickly that one of our county deputies on weather watch just about drove right into it."
That's why taking precautions long before the clouds start to form is the best answer for minimizing damage from windstorms, tornadoes, and flooding. Homeowners can protect their homes, both inside and out, against disaster damages by following steps suggested by mitigation experts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Keeping Outdoor Gear from Becoming Windborne Missiles
High velocity winds from thunderstorms and tornadoes can turn patio furniture, grills and tree branches into destructive missiles. If the area immediately surrounding your house contains trees, outbuildings, trashcans, yard debris, or other materials that can be moved by the wind, your house will more likely be damaged during a tornado or windstorm. The wind can topple trees onto your home and can pick up smaller objects and drive them through windows and glass doors.
- All storage sheds and other outbuildings should be securely anchored, either to a permanent foundation or with straps and ground anchors. The straps and ground anchors used for manufactured homes can be used for the anchoring systems for outbuildings such as garden sheds, which are not placed on a permanent foundation.
- Outdoor furniture and barbecue grills can be secured by bolting them to decks or patios or by attaching them to ground anchors with cables or chains.
- Even trash cans can be secured with cables or chains attached to ground anchors or to wood posts firmly embedded in the ground.
- High winds from tornadoes can damage garage doors or even blow them in. If wind enters a garage it can cause dangerous and expensive structural damage to the home. A garage door can be reinforced with the addition of girts across the back of the door and by strengthening the glider wheel tracks. If the existing door is old or damaged, it should be replaced with a stronger door and tracks. These modifications should be done only by a trained garage door systems technician. If your home is under construction, look into purchasing a garage door built to withstand high winds.
Minimizing Damage from Trees
Tall leafy oaks and maples beautify yards and cool homes with their shade, but they also can provide the ammunition for flying debris to break windows, crush walls, and puncture roofs. Proper maintenance and siting of trees will minimize tree loss and home damage.
The surest way to prevent storm damage on a home caused by falling trees is to locate trees far enough away from your house that they can't fall on it. The distance between your house and any nearby tree should be greater than the height the tree will reach when it is fully grown.
Proper care of trees can also prevent storm damage. Three--fourths of the damage that trees incur during storms is predictable and preventable, said Gary Johnson, associate professor of urban forestry, University of Minnesota College of Natural Resources. Trees with wounds, decay, structural defects, stem girdling roots, severed roots and soil compaction are prime targets for experiencing storm damage.
According to Johnson, some basic steps in keeping your trees healthy and beautiful, as well as limiting the damages that can be caused by flying tree debris, include:
- Plant the tree at the correct depth by making sure the roots are at the soil surface. Trees planted too deep can develop stem girdling. In this condition, tree roots encircle the stem, weakening it just below the ground and making it susceptible to snap off at the stem--girdled point in the event of a forceful wind.
- Avoid wounding trees by such things as banging with a lawn mower and cutting with a weed trimmer. Wounds lead to decay and the number one pre--existing condition which leads to storm damaged trees is decay.
- Prune trees to correct defects such as multiple leaders and weak branch attachments. Prune trees as soon as the defect is detected because younger trees will heal faster from the pruning
- More information about maintaining healthy trees, such as how to identify weak branches, can be found under the Community Resources tab at www.mnstac.org, a web site maintained by the Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee.
Preparing for a Flood
Preparing for the chance of a flood can mean all the difference in how much damage is caused when a flood actually occurs. It's less expensive to protect your home and property before they are damaged than to repair them afterwards.
- Relocate the electrical box to an upper floor or elevate the electrical box to 12 inches above the base flood elevation.
- Relocate the water heater and heating systems to an upper floor where they will be 12 inches above the base flood elevation.
- The easiest way to stop sewer backup is to plug the opening where the backup can first enter the house. Install a standpipe or a floating floor drain plug at the lowest point of the lowest finished floor to allow water to drain. When the floor drainpipe backs up, the float rises and plugs the drain. Installing an interior or exterior septic backflow valve will also prevent sewer back up from entering your home. Visit your local home improvement store for more information
- Build a floodwall around basement windows to protect the basement from low--level flooding.
- Before any alterations or repairs are made, contact your local building official to obtain any necessary permits.
For more information on protecting your home from storms, tornadoes and flooding check out the Mitigation How To Series on the FEMA web site at www.fema.gov/fima/how2.shtm.
FEMA officials stress that taking action before disaster strikes by implementing these mitigation measures to reduce property and home damage can dramatically lessen the costs in dollars and lives from floods, tornadoes, and windstorms.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 21-Oct-2003 14:32:18