Orlando – With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicting an above-average hurricane season, News 6 went to a local expert to find out how to prepare your home.
“Just one inch of water in a home can cause upwards of $25,000 in damages,” said Robert Samaan, FEMA regional administrator.
The first thing you are going to want to do is make sure your gutters are cleaned out and the downspout is pushing away from the house.
“A gutter like this, can hold water and actually push it up underneath the shingles in the roof, and that’s going to get inside the house,” said Chris Moeller, vice president of operations for Paul Davis Restoration of Orlando.
“Looking at the paint job at your house is important,” Moeller advised.
He said to make sure the paint is not milking, not chalking and that there are no cracks.
If you do have cracks, “A good elastomeric paint will actually suck its way into those tiny little cracks and prevent moisture from getting into your house,” according to Moeller.
When it comes to doors, check for cracks and “make sure you got some sort of weatherstripping on the bottom,” Moeller told News 6.
He suggested also placing sandbags at the bottom of the door to help keep water out.
You can also prevent water from coming through the door, from the inside of your house.
“If you have a single deadbolt in there or a small lock, even putting a piece of plywood or lumber in here to actually hold the door,” according to Moeller.
“One of the most prone areas of damage to a house is actually the garage door,” Moeller said.
He recommended having a garage door with a good wind rating and reinforcing bars to hold the garage tight.
“Once this goes, the chances of the roof going, if the wind is that strong, are pretty great,” Moeller said.
Speaking of the roof, Moeller told us it’s much easier keeping up with maintenance and replacing it after 10 years, instead of dealing with storm damage.
“The biggest calls we get after a storm for water intrusion is the roof,” he said.
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