Do these five things now to protect your home. Don’t wait for hurricane to form
South Mississippi homeowners shouldn’t wait until a hurricane bears down to take action that could protect their property and belongings when — not if — a storm threatens.
The Mississippi Coast is frequently buffeted by tropical storms and hurricane-force winds, with an above-normal hurricane season forecast for 2025.
Hurricane season started June 1 and runs through Nov. 30, with the highest threat from mid-August through mid-October for the Gulf Coast, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration data shows.
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, sponsored by the insurance industry, has some of the most reliable information available on protecting homes from hurricane damage. The recommendations are based on research.
IBHS has the only lab in the world that tests one- and two-story structures in simulated wind storms, wind-driven rain, hail, and even wildfire ember storms.
A wall of fans can replicate Category 3 hurricanes with winds up to 130 miles per hour. The test chamber allows IBHS to test construction materials and systems. Based on this research, IBHS has developed a trademarked FORTIFIED Home program that recommends construction standards for homes in vulnerable areas.
New homes built to FORTIFIED standards are eligible for insurance discounts, but existing homes also can be strengthened to better withstand hurricanes.
South Mississippi residents can find professionals with FORTIFIED expertise here.
Below are tips for strengthening South Mississippi homes before hurricane season ramps up:
Prepare now for tropical storms, hurricanes
1. The roof is a homeowner’s first line of defense against water intrusion during a severe storm, tornado or hurricane.
Many insurance companies refuse to insure homes with older roofs, or will pay only cashvalue of an old roof rather than replacement cost.
“If the roof is compromised during a storm, it often leads to significant structural damage and interior water damage,” says a news release from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. “Homeowners should prioritize having their roof inspected and repairs made if needed.”
In most years, IBHS says, roof-related damage “causes an estimated 70–90 % of total insured residential catastrophic losses, depending on specific weather events.”
Roofs built to IBHS-trademarked FORTIFIED standards are an option. FORTIFIED roofs provide a higher level of protection, with stronger edges that are harder for wind to lift, a seal that prevents water entry if shingles or other outer covering is ripped off, and construction methods that will help keep the roof deck attached to the house.
South Mississippi residents can find roofers trained in FORTIFIED roofing at this link. Several of the companies are located in South Mississippi, with South Alabama and South Louisiana roofers also listed.
2. IBHS recommends that garage doors be serviced annually. They are generally the largest opening in the home. When they’re pushed inward, the roof and walls then face wind pressure than can cause collapse.
“Even if the door does not completely fail, wind leaking through a partially compromised door can produce outward forces on the roof and walls that a typical house is not designed to withstand,” IBHS says its testing and field observations have shown.
Wind-rated garage doors should be labeled as such. Homes with garage doors installed prior to 2006 are most likely not wind-rated because older building codes did not require it. South Mississippi residents can check with their local building code office to find out the wind rating requirement for their location.
3. Secure soffits, the material beneath the eave that connects roof edges to a home’s exterior walls, making sure fascia — the paneling that runs along the roofline — also is secure.
4. Use silicone caulk to seal any cracks in your home’s exterior, being sure to check around windows and doors and add any weather stripping needed. Outdoor light should not be visible from your home’s interior.
5. Don’t wait until a hurricane warning is issued. Pick up your yard and trim any trees that might pose a risk to your home in high winds. Insurers are more often insisting that policyholders trim any trees with limbs that dangle over or near the roof.
