During a hurricane, glass doors can become damaged very quickly. This is due to the heavy weight of the hurricane as it passes through the building.
The force of the wind causes them to Shake and/or Roll which can break or remove components such as frames, doors, or whole doors.
This is a risk if your building is located in an exposed location because then the hurricane will have more force to it, and could cause major damage to your facility.
Fortunately, this article will talk about ways to protect your glass doors from a hurricane!
Barring scenarios where a hurricane is needed, always keep an eye out for potential problems with your glass doors.
Contents:
Use door clamps
Most professionals recommend using door clamps to prevent glass doors from being blown away by a powerful hurricane. This is due to the fact that some glass doors can be very heavy and/
overpowered by a strong wind. These doors can cost up to a thousand dollars!
By using door clamps, you greatly reduce your window of opportunity to protect your precious doors. However, do not overextend your protection. If a heavy storm does come, you still have a good chance to protect your doors. Just make sure they are secured well before the next storm!
Reuse cans as windbreaks
Many homes are built on land that was once marshland. The water recently dried out, leaving many homes with exposed wood and canned goods in place of shelter. Use what you have available in order to protect your home from the next storm.
Use duct tape
Instead of using reinforced door jambs, install ¾-inch thick tape above and below the glass. This protects the door from being torn off by a powerful wind or heavy rainfall.
Similarly, instead of reinforceeing roof joints, use ¼-inch thick tape to prevent hairline cracks in the roof. These prevent water and wind from entering the house, ensuring that your doors stay protected.
These tips can cost some money to install, but they will save you a lot of trouble in the future. By having these measures in place, you will be giving yourself a better chance of survival.
Do these tips work even during a hurricane? Yes! Even during a hurricane, use these same tips to protect your doors.
Put them in the window frame
If your windows are made of hard plastic, wood, or if the window is a door-type, then you should add some weight to the window or door to prevent it from being blown off by a hurricane.
Same goes for roofing material on houses and roofs. If there is roofing on a house, put some protection so that it does not fall off during a hurricane.
If there is any kind of door, put some protection to keep it from getting smashed in an earthquake or when someone tries to open it in a storm.
These materials can be expensive, so you should do this early in the planning stages of an earthquake. Most cities have disaster relief funds that you can contact, and they can give you funds if you need them.
Use hurricane panels
Instead of worrying about whether your door will stay closed during a hurricane, install two hurricane panels. One panel will be closed, the other open. This way, you have two ways to protect your door from the storm.
These panels are easy to install and cost around $20 for both ends. You can buy them at home improvement stores or internet sites such as Amazon.
The inner closed panel protects the door jam and the other opens for ventilation or solar power. This way, you still get your full protection, but can move between indoors and outdoors faster.
Use heavy-duty Velcro to attach the panels to the door jam. Then use something heavy to prevent any vibrations from passing through the doors.
Tape windows shut
If there is no window in your home, the next best thing to do is tape the windows shut. This gives you some protection from the storm and any water that enters your home.
If there are windows in your home, then consider putting up wet vacuums or none because those break down water and teAr.
Never put anything through a wet vacuum because that would be dangerous. If you have a roof, consider putting up threaded umbrellas to prevent any water from entering your attic.
If you have doors, build some sort of strong frame to hold them up as much as possible to the storm so they do not get beat down by the waves or wind.
Install storm shutters
A very affordable way to protect your doors from a powerful storm is by installing storm shutters. These can be purchased at most home improvement centers, or at sites such
that offer them for sale. They cost around $20 per shutter, so keep that in mind when size is a concern.
To install them, cut two lengths of 2 by 6 inch wood about eight to ten inches long. Next, glue and nail the shutters to the floor joists. You may have to add some bracings between the shutters and the flooring to ensure they are secure.
Move delicate items inside
If the hurricane does damage your door, it is a good idea to move the most important items inside before power goes out. You can do this by sliding or jamming heavy objects such as books or blankets between the door and frame.
This helps reduce the risk of water entering your home through your door. It also protects from break-ins, because if these don’t get what they want, they have no option but to go outside.
If you have pets, keep them inside until help arrives to repair or replace the doors. Don’t worry about letting visitors in during this time, since nothing dangerous will happen.
Hurricanes cause huge amounts of water to enter your home, so it is a good idea to check if anything is soaked before leaving the house.
You can also put your supplies in an emergency preparedness kit, so you have ready-made supplies.
Put heavy objects on windows
When a hurricane is coming, it is a good idea to put heavy objects on the windows to keep them protected. This is because during a hurricane, the windows may be broken or damaged in some way.
This will ensure that they are not destroyed in the storm. You can also put things like curtains or a blind on them to help prevent sun and rain from entering!
In order for this to work, though, you must first have adequate preparations made for a hurricane. By having this done early on, you will save yourself and those around you from a lot of stress.
You can do this by having window guards and/or putting up floor-to-ceiling curtains. You can also double up security systems or place high chairs or something protectable out front.