Tips from Due south Florida's best public insurance adjuster.

Equally an experienced Due south Florida public adjuster nosotros take handled a wide range of hurricane impairment claims.  Often these claims are the result of poor hurricane window protection.  To answer the question, How to protect windows during a hurricane? Information technology's helpful to look dorsum at some of the past hurricane impairment claims we take handled.  Ofttimes our homeowners have felt that their insurance company miss treated them by denying their merits, or by underpaying the claim.  When this happens information technology'southward upward to the states to investigate the facts, reopen the claim, and get the homeowner the settlement they deserve.

We are based in South Florida and handle property harm claims in all of Broward County, Palm Beach County and Martin Canton. Over the past few years these three counties take been hit the hardest past hurricanes and storms.  Just look at the flooding that occurred in Boynton Beach last year. Flooding, windstorms and heavy nonstop pelting such as this could result in water damage resulting for poor windows maintenance.

Picture of flooded streets in Boynton Beach.
Boynton Beach had some serious flooding concluding year. In simply a affair of a few hours the streets and yards about my neighborhood were flooded. If you lot home had a compromised foundation there is a very proficient take chances flood water would enter your habitation.

We are withal a few months away from South Florida's next hurricane season.  Our advise, is to fix NOW.   Recently we participated in the Boynton Beach hurricane expo.  The goal of this event was to educate South Florida homeowners in all aspects of home protection & safety before, during and after a hurricane hit'southward South Florida.  While this expo took place in Boynton Embankment, residents of Boca Raton, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Wellington Lake Worth and other areas joined us at the hurricane expo.  Beneath are a few pictures from the Boynton Beach Mall hurricane expo.

Pictures from the Boynton Beach Hurricane Expo
By building awareness & educating local residents about hurricane rubber, home impairment command & storm domicile protection the hurricane expo provided lots of valuable information.  At Fox Public Adjusters and Become Dry, Inc.  One of our goals is to assist home owners handle the side by side hurricane or major tempest.  To help homeowners we distributed mitt charged flashlights which volition evidence to be very helpful when the power goes out during a hurricane or heavy storm.

Just last week, Federal scientists at NOAA predicted xiii to 20 with 6 to 10 hurricanes, and 3 to v of those hurricanes, Category 3 or greater. The good news is although it is predicted to be above-normal in activity,  many homeowners have learned how to prepare for dwelling damage as a issue of last flavour'southward destruction.   In our work every bit a public insurance adjuster, nosotros have found that many residents have started to prepare their homes sooner rather than afterwards.  If you are a homeowner who has not started to prep your home for the time to come hurricane flavour, the nosotros urge you lot to read some of our articles and commencement gearing upwards for the hurricane season which starts in the next few months.

Dwelling house destruction has increased due to climate change, aging homes, and the fact that more home are existence congenital in South Florida.   If you lot have non noticed, the population hither is growing rapidly.   Instead of only accepting your home volition be damaged at one point or another, outset with something you can control – your windows!  In our previous blog posts we take covered topics such as, roof impairment, broken plumbing pipes, floods, and other safe problems.   Now it'due south time to talk about windows.

What Not to Do to Windows in any Hurricane

In a directly-talking article in 2019, The Miami Herald discussed what non to do during a hurricane. Thinking about taping your windows? Don't. If debris breaks those windows, it will pause into fifty-fifty larger pieces than if you hadn't taped them at all. Those large pieces could crusade grave bodily harm. Forth with that bad idea, here'south another one: Cracking the windows during a hurricane. You're letting the wind in; information technology will demand to escape dorsum out. In the center of a hurricane, as you come across your windows bending, do not be foolish plenty to endeavor to lean on them and push them dorsum. Even with your gym workouts, yous will not succeed in straightening them out while you are in harm'due south way.

Using tape to protect your home windows from a hurricane is a bad idea. Man taping his window.
It has often been said my many unknowledgeable people that putting tape on your home's windows could prevent the window from being damaged in a hurricane. This is completely false. About of the time during a hurricane a broken window is the result of a hard impact by a solid object. A tree branch, a clay roof tile or like flying object will hands boom through a taped window.

Read: Stupid things NOT to do before and during a hurricane.

Now that yous know one really bad idea during a hurricane. Let'southward talk nigh what can yous do with your windows that make sense before hurricane flavour in Due south Florida?

Plywood May Not Be Your Best Option

Whenever people spotter hurricane coverage, residents are shown putting plyboard on businesses and residences. There is nothing inherently wrong with this option, but you will need to have your plywood sheets readily bachelor before the hurricane. You would need to adhere them mayhap multiple times during only one hurricane season using special screws or bolts. The plywood itself, per The Dwelling Depot, should be 5/viii-inch or ¾-inch thick. Yous need to measure each window, allow for overlap, employ a circular saw to cut the plywood, and maybe brace two pieces together if it is a large window. And that's just the beginning of The Dwelling house Depot's instructions. Practice y'all actually want to deal with plywood before each storm? Don't you accept other problems to retrieve about such as evacuation?   Our advise to home and business organization owners is to prepare well earlier hurricane season.  Hurricane shutters, impact glass, should be the standard.  If you are using plywood, information technology'south probably considering y'all waited until a hurricane was in the forecast.

Should You Choose Storm Shutters?

In a Home Depot commodity discussing storm shutters and comparing tempest shutters to plywood, the pick is obvious. They are durable and volition not warp like plywood boards volition and are also strong and more aesthetic. Plywood tin can be difficult to remove, but hurricane shutters volition exist easier to take down and put back on as needed once the initial installation is properly washed. In that location are many types of hurricane shutters, made of dissimilar materials with different features. For example, the Automatic Coil Down type are made of metallic or polycarbonate and have the reward of being permanently attached although they may cost more. They can also be manually operated if y'all lose power. Another blazon ofttimes chosen for its aesthetic is the Colonial shutters, which look more than like regular shutters when they are not being used and unfold every bit a storm approaches. Y'all volition virtually likely need assist installing near hurricane shutters. In that location are a lot of discussions on choosing the right shutters for your domicile, including a July 2020 article in, www.goodhousing.com which chooses a make of rolling shutters to be its number one choice. Keep in mind that some of these shutters will also provide additional insulation and protect against water infiltration. As for cost, information technology will depend on the type, quality, and feature of the shutters y'all cull. Per www.homeadvisor.com, the cost ranges from $five to $60 per square pes for materials and $45 to $100 per 60 minutes for labor.

What About Window Film?

On 3M's website, 3M, a maker of such film, declares that while this moving picture may make window glass more shatter resistant, it is not approved in Florida for "hurricane, windstorm, or impact protection from windborne debris from a hurricane or windstorm" and states that Florida law prohibits advertising it as "bear on resistant." So, not a good choice for Due south Florida. Even so, do not confuse this with AstroGuard hurricane textile which is xl% stronger than polypropylene and extremely lightweight. Yous must apply patented clips to attach information technology to the outside of your firm. Information technology also comes in only a few colors. A panel of AstroGuard 100 inches past 204 inches runs near $450 at Domicile Depot, which is plain a very affordable option.

Man installing window film to protect home's windows before a hurricane.
Another bad idea, is to install window motion picture thinking that will prevent your window from breaking in a hurricane. This method is equally constructive as window record. A tree limb, or hard object traveling at over 50 miles per hour will smash through a window with ease. The reality is, only a solid barrier volition prevent your home's or businesses window from breaking in a straight hit.

High-Bear on Glass Windows

If you lot are in a frequent tempest/hurricane area such as South Florida, these windows could present a great option. The windows, which use safety glass and have other condom features, must be tested and are given a rating known equally the Pattern Pressure or DP rating. They are rated from DP-20 to DP-70 and tin can withstand from 110 to 170 mile per hour winds, thus deceasing your potential damage. They also reduce outside noise while aiding against suspension-ins. Dissimilar plywood, they are permanent; you practise not have to pull out something and install it right before a storm when yous take more crucial worries to attend to. No, they are not cheap with merely 1 window running from a few hundred dollars to ii thousand or more. The installation may sometimes reduce your homeowner's insurance costs. Your peace of mind is worth a lot.

Workmen installing impact glass on a South Florida home.
Impact glass installation is a major construction job. However, installing bear upon glasss can greatly increment your homes value. The idea that a homeowner won't need to install shutters, before a hurricane is a huge plus. Too, a abode with plywood or shutters installed, will be come dark inside with no visibility to the outside. Many public workers such as firefighters, emergency workers, have touch glass installed in their homes, simply considering they do not have to time to install shutters. When a hurricane, or serious tempest hits South Florida, emergency personnel are required to work saving lives.
Tree link resting through a smashed window.
When a wind storm or hurricane hits Southward Florida, copse branches, roof tiles, and other hard items will become flying objects. Without some sort of solid covering, a homes window won't stand a take chances against an object traveling at a high rate of speed.

When comparing unlike options to protect yourself against the next S Florida Hurricane Season, consider that you could cull more than one option. For example, y'all may decide to employ AstroGuard on a very large window or French Door due to the reduced cost while replacing your smaller windows with High Impact Glass. If you take been using plywood only in the by, maybe, you should consider AstroGuard as a less difficult alternative to install, shop, and use. Consider if you lot have a Homeowner's Association and whatever rules that may utilise. Recall to have intendance of all of your windows, no matter where the storm is coming from. Don't put off your decision as hurricane season is approaching NOW! No matter what you decide, one thing is clear: the status quo is non an selection.   Every bit South Florida summit rated public insurance adjuster, we have extensive feel handling habitation impairment insurance claims.  We are based in Boynton Beach and handle home harm claims in all of Palm Beach, Broward and Martin County.  In merely that by few hurricane seasons we have helped homeowners receive settlements in, Lake Worth, Boynton Embankment, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Ft Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Greenacres, Palm Springs, Palm Beach, North Palm Embankment, Riviera Beach, Wellington, Regal Palm Beach, Plantation, Miramar, Hypoluxo, Lantana, Sea Ridge, Hallandale Beach.