One hundred days until the next hurricane season

Yesterday marked 100 days until the start of hurricane season. That means the countdown is on for homeowners to take action and make critical improvements to strengthen their homes to better withstand the season ahead.

The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety tells News 25 that people should start preparation with seven important steps.

These steps include inspecting your room, checking gutters, trimming trees, selecting a wind-rated garage door, protecting your windows, purchasing a whole-home generator, and reviewing your insurance policy to understand what it covers.

If it is time for a new roof, have your roofing contractor install it to the fortified standard which shows to better withstand hurricane winds. IBHS Senior Director of Product Designs and Meteorologist Sarah Dillingham said, “Taking all of these measures ensures that your home is at the best level of protection because what we want to do by taking these processes around our home is get the wind to stay outside of the home. When the wind gets inside your home, that’s when we can see those internal pressures rise and that can threaten things like your walls, your roof system and that’s when we can see more significant failures in the home.”

If you plan to board your windows, it is recommended to board them using hurricane shutters instead of wooden boards.