Your home is likely your most important personal investment, so it only makes sense that you will want to protect it from anything that can cause it harm. However, in the face of destructive natural forces like hurricanes, severe winds, and tornados, your home is unlikely to escape without any damage if it stands right in the path of these weather patterns. However, there are ways you can protect both your house and your family.
To begin with, what exactly is a tornado-proof house? Does it mean your house has to remain standing if it is run over by a tornado? In reality, tornado-proof simply means your home’s exteriors elements have to be able to withstand the flurry of debris that a tornado can hurl onto it, as per the official definition of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A tornado can launch a storm of heavy objects, often at speeds of over 200 miles per hour, so if your home’s windows and doors can’t withstand flying chunks of wood, metal, and other objects, then it’s a goner. Resistance against projectiles is the primary quality that a building component should exhibit if it is to be considered “tornado-proof.”
Even if a home fitted with tornado-rated doors and FEMA-certified windows, your home can still suffer damage because of other weak spots that weren’t very apparent previously. Light-weight garage doors or wind-penetrable walls, for instance, can prove to be weak links in an otherwise protected home. When high winds and pressure changes break through a home, they can cause the walls and the roof to collapse.
Tornado proofing an entire home might not be feasible. For one thing, tornado-rated materials can be very expensive. For another, they are not always pleasing to the eyes. Enveloping your home fully in concrete and steel can make your home suffer aesthetically if it is not designed properly, and the costs can skyrocket easily.
If a tornado gets too close to your home, your house might not completely evade damage, but it is best to always be prepared for anything. It also pays to have a reliable restoration and reconstruction contractor who can help you immediately in the aftermath of a disaster event.
If your home in Texas has been affected by a tornado or another disaster event, please call LMS Restoration at 903-229-4846. We will be more than glad to lend you a hand and help you get started with your journey to recovery.