Every year, people along the East and Gulf Coasts watch weather forecasts and track hurricanes and tropical storms in an effort to be prepared for a hurricane headed their way. With June 1st and the official Hurricane Season quickly approaching, it is a good idea to develop a plan. A better way of preparing for Hurricane Season involves building a hurricane resistant or proof house. Many things can be done during construction to reduce or minimize the damage a hurricane will do to a home.

One of the most common problems for people living near the coast is the storm surge. The storm surge is the higher than normal tide which arrives with a hurricane and inflicts a large amount of damage before the worst of the storm arrives. These surges can literally batter a building to pieces, on top of flooding any other buildings that don't happen to collapse due to the force of the waves. Buildings near the coast should be built on high ground. If there isn't any, as is the case in many beach areas, houses should be built on pilings. These pilings need to be extremely sturdy.

Another tactic that is useful is constructing the ground floor walls of materials that will disintegrate completely when hit by large amounts of water. While this will result in any possessions on the ground floor being washed away or ruined, the remainder of the house will be in much better condition. The lack of walls allows the water to rush through without resistance.

People living away from the coast are usually more concerned with wind than water. Because of this, their houses need to have roofs that aren't just nailed to the walls. The roof is an integral part of a home's defense against storms. When the roof goes, the rest of the house is left much more vulnerable to the wind and rain. To combat the wind's ability to yank off roofs, it is important to anchor the roof securely to the walls of the house, if not the foundation. The better anchored a roof is, the less damage to the remainder of the house there will be.

Garages, windows, and doors are the weakest points on a home. They are most susceptible to breaking which allows everything in the house. Because of this, there are special requirements for windows in areas that are prone to hurricanes.

Windows in homes that are commonly hit by hurricanes such as all of Florida should be tested to withstand 150 mph winds. In addition, they need to be fitted with shatter-proof glass, multiple panes, or Impact Glass. These can all be used in combination with each other. In addition, they need to be anchored to the home in a more secure manner. Hurricane Shutters, steel shutters that go over windows, might be an excellent investment.

Doors that open to the exterior of a house need to open outwards. Doors that open inwards can easily be blown in which allows for wind to rush in and collapse the entire home. Doors that open outwards, while not being wind-proof, stand a much better chance of not being blown in.

If you are building a house in a hurricane-prone area and would like more information concerning hurricane proofing your house, please visit http://brchomes.com/articles.aspx Joseph Devine Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine