The Midwest is one of the most storm-heavy areas of the entire United States. It is a place where some of the most spectacular, but also some of the most dangerous natural phenomena come together. Approaching May and June, hurricane-force winds and tornadoes flare up in the Midwest. While they are beautiful, these heavy Midwest storms are a notorious danger. In these conditions, many homeowners wonder how their windows will hold up. Here are some tips that can help you protect your windows from strong storms.
Midwest Storm Season: How Do You Protect Windows from Strong Storms?
Storms throughout the Midwest in December 2021 reached record-high wind strength. This gives people all the more reason to prepare for the next storms ahead. If you live anywhere along the stormy stretch, it’s never a bad time to start preparing.
A strong storm can be terrifying, it can also present a serious structural danger to homes and office buildings. When a storm hits, the strength and durability of the windows can have a major impact on your safety.
While any storm can kick up all types of debris, the stronger the winds, the heavier the objects that can be thrown. Flying debris can be a danger to any house and can shatter the window’s glass.
How Do You Protect Your Windows During the Storm Season in the Midwest?
Strong windows can help guarantee safety, while improper preparation increases injury risks during a heavy storm. Here are some ways to fortify your windows against potential damage from strong winds and flying debris.
Use Hurricane Film to Cover Your Windows
Hurricane film is a special type of protective film that can be placed over windows. The film works to reinforce the surface of the glass if it were to be hit by any debris flying around in a storm.
This is the ideal solution for protecting your home from a broken window, shattered glass, or glass shards from hurting anyone. One of the benefits of hurricane film is that it’s generally cheap to purchase and easy to install.
Apply Storm Shutters to Your Windows
Storm shutters offer a protective barrier from outside hazards and can be used over all types of windows. They are more expensive to install than hurricane film, however, they will hold up well against even the strongest storm winds and heavy debris.
Professional storm shutter installation will give you peace of mind, knowing they are as secure as possible during a heavy storm. Another benefit of storm shutters is their speed. If weather strikes unexpectedly, the storm shutters are easy to close quickly.
Acquire Plywood to Barricade Windows
Boarding up your windows with plywood is a great way to protect windows during heavy storms. First, plywood is extremely cheap and sustainable. Therefore, homeowners can recycle or repurpose the plywood once they are done using it to cover windows. Second, plywood is known for being strong enough to withstand impact while protecting the people and belongings within homes and businesses.
Reinforce the Window Frames
Window frames are one of the weakest points in the window structure. As a result, many people choose to strengthen or replace their old window frames with new window frames that can withstand heavy storms. Reinforced window frames can prevent the entire frame from sustaining damage if it is hit by any debris from a heavy storm.
Replace the Glass with Storm Glass
Storm glass is another great option to protect your windows during a strong storm. Regular glass windows can be replaced with high-impact glass. Which results in stronger, shatterproof windows.
Impact-resistant windows are more likely to act as a protective barrier during a storm. Storm glass does not break in ways that can harm people. Instead, storm glass breaks in a way in which fragments are kept intact instead of becoming potential projectiles.
In some cases, window bars are used during a storm, but impact windows are ideal for protection against hurricane-strength winds.
With minor adaptations, you can secure your home against the damage a storm might cause, especially when you know when it’s coming.
Discount Window and Door of Omaha
At Discount Window and Door of Omaha, we are committed to providing the best quality doors and replacement windows. We employ the most skilled installers to ensure the highest standard of quality service. Our Omaha door and window installers are highly trained, certified industry professionals with years of experience, including some second and third-generation employees.