How to Proof Safe Houses From Natural Disaster
Taking steps to safe-proof houses from natural disasters is critical, particularly in the western United States and in the Great Plains region, where tornadoes and earthquakes are common. Making sure your home is protected from severe storms is important not only for keeping your home's residents safe but also for protecting against costly damage to your property. Planning ahead in several parts of your home can help make recovery efforts following a disastrous storm less stressful to handle. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Drill
- Anchor bolts
- Nuts
- Washers
- Measuring tape
- Steel plates
- Metal tie-down straps
- Two two-by-fours
- Hammer
- Nails
- Sewer back-flow valves
Instructions
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Check to see if your home's foundation has bolts, and if not, install them. First, look for the heads of anchor bolts that fasten the wooden board that sits atop the foundation -- called the sill plate -- to the foundation itself. The likelihood is that your home will not feature foundation bolts if it was built before 1950.
If you do not see bolts, drill holes through the sill plate into the foundation and install the anchor bolts every 4 feet to 6 feet along the sill plate. If not enough room exists to drill holes in the sill plate, use steel plates to attach the sill plate to the foundation instead. These devices will protect your home from damage in the event of earthquakes, floods or high winds that can threaten the stability of your foundation.
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Tie your roof rafters to the top wall of your house using metal tie-down straps. These will keep your roof from lifting up during a hurricane or other severe storm involving high winds.
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Place two two-by-fours across the inside of your garage door so that your garage door is sturdy. Do this by connecting the two-by-fours to the sides of the garage door opening on the exterior garage wall. Otherwise, your garage doors easily can be blown into your house during a storm, allowing wind pressure to damage the home.
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Purchase large appliance straps or brackets to bind any heavy appliances in your home down to keep them from falling during a flood, earthquake or other violent storm. In addition to strapping down appliances such as washing machines, dryers or even big-screen televisions, also secure fuel tanks and water heaters to keep them from spilling during a natural disaster. Purchase straps that exist for your refrigerator door as well, which can help you to preserve food you might need during an emergency following a storm.
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Install sewer back-flow valves on your property. These will ensure that sewage from sanitary sewer lines do not back up through drain pipes during a natural disaster, thus preventing damage and health hazards in your home.
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Tips & Warnings
Obtain a building permit from your local building department before installing anchor bolts.
References
- Photo Credit Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images
