Is Your Home Solar System Ready for Hurricane Season?
If you live in an area susceptible to tropical storms and hurricanes, you already know the importance of being prepared. Staying up to date with news coverage and storm warnings during these times is a critical part of the planning. But there is much more hurricane preparation to do than merely staying informed. It’s equally important to make sure your home is protected and ready for when the time comes.
But how do you prepare your house for a hurricane?
There are a few ways you can strengthen your property to safeguard and shield it from water and wind damage. Below we listed some suggestions to prepare for an upcoming hurricane.
Inspect each window and door thoroughly
The windows and doors will be damaged quicker over time than those in drier climates. Check for the caulk around the frame and glazing around the panes of these components. To check if they are airtight, hold a candle near the window on a windy day to detect any air movement.
If you are looking for a long term solution, consider upgrading to impact-resistant windows and doors. These specialized designed windows and doors can withstand winds up to 200 mph, resulting in much less damage to your home.
Install shutter on all the windows
If you are going to invest in shutters, make sure they are impact-resistant and able to combat flying debris of at least 100 mph. When you install, these shutters don’t mount them to your window frame, instead securely attach them to the walls around the window.
Install a heavy-duty bolt to your doors
It’s crucial to keep the wind out of your home during a storm, Windows and doors are weak spots, and it only takes a small opening for hurricane-force winds to enter and tear your property apart from the inside out. To make the top and bottom of your doors more secure and wind-resistant, install a bolt kit. These are quick and easy to install and will keep the tops and bottoms of all doors much more secure.
Install metal roof straps
Many homes, especially older ones, have roofs that aren’t secured very well, relying on gravity more than anything else, and in the event of a hurricane, this won’t do. Instead, consider installing metal roof straps for better defense against a storm.
The better option -if you can- is to upgrade to an impact-resistant roof with specialized shingles. The roof is the cover of all your possessions inside your house, and this is the one area most likely to be damaged in a hurricane. Most Impact-resistant shingles are designed to withstand wind and hail damage and made from copper, aluminum, resin, and plastic. The cost of these storm-resistant shingles might be a bit pricy, but they could prevent extreme damage to your roof.
Install solar panels
When installed correctly and according to all local building codes, not only are the solar panels safe on your roof, but they can protect your roof. Solar panels require to withstand repeated impact of 260 miles an hour and wind speeds of up to 170 miles an hour. The solar panels protect your roof from fast-moving flying debris that could cause much damage to your ceramic tile or shingle roof during a storm. Ceramic tiles are not made to withstand much stress and will shatter on impact, leaving you with a big hole in your rin the middle of a storm. Besides, the installation process of the mounting racks for the solar panels strengthens your roof.
Other than protecting your roof during a storm, the system even protects your home when it’s beautiful and sunny out. The panels absorb much of the radiant heat energy that would otherwise be heating your roof and driving up your cooling costs. Instead of letting the Sun cook your roof, the panels capture its energy, eliminate your electric bill, and keep your home cool while doing it. So solar panels are not just an excellent choice for clean, renewable energy. They are a lot tougher than your average roof, and they do a pretty good job protecting it while saving you money.
To join the Green Revolution and say goodbye to high energy bills forever please contact us today or visit our website at https://greenhouse.solar/
At Greenhouse Solar, we offer the latest in powerful, reliable and affordable home solar systems. As a small local company, we specialize in residential solar in Morris County, NJ, and our fully-certified and experienced team is ready to design, install and maintain your solar system, ensuring you get all the benefits of clean, affordable energy. We are an authorized dealer of SunPower solar systems.