Minnesota is one of the known states in the infamous “Tornado Alley” within the us. The state sees a mean of forty eight tornadoes every year, most occurring within the spring-to-fall tornado season. It’s very important that you simply take precautions to guard your family and home from danger, and guarantee you’ll be safe throughout a tornado. If you are looking for some steps to take on How to Prepare Your Home for a Tornado we wrote this article for you!

Keep reading to learn some general information about tornados, and get some emergency redness tips as well for home and business owners to help you better prepare your home and families for tornados in the event that we get hit!

How to Prepare Your Home for a Tornado – Tornado Facts

A tornado is “a violently rotating column of air, [hanging below] a circular cloud and sometimes (but not always) visible as a funnel cloud.” So technically, for a vortex to be classified as a tornado, it should be twisted at the bottom and also the base of the cloud. However, rain and high winds typically come with tornados before and when a funnel cloud is visible; these intense thunderstorms that kind in conjunction with tornados often embody hail and lightning. Tornadoes will last, from many seconds to quite an hour, however the incidental, important weather dangers will last for much longer.

The type and severity of tornadoes are classified exploitation the improved F scale, rated from F0 to F5 (with F5 being the strongest and most dangerous). Tornadoes classified as F1 & F0 will have up to 3-second gusts of wind up to 110 mph, however, generally only lead to minor harm like blown-off roofing shingles and broken tree limbs.

F2 and F3 tornadoes, on the other hand will have gust of wind with speeds of up to a 165 mph, that are powerful enough to turn over cars and even mobile homes, and tear the roofs off of homes. They can even twist and uproot trees. Common tornado harm to roofing systems on structures include torn away, cracked, or bent siding or shingles, broken windows, and ruined gutter systems.

F4 and F5 tornados are the strongest and most dangerous, with wind speeds recorded up to 261 mph. they will live over a mile wide, inflicting harmful harm to entire communities by leveling homes or cacophonies them right off their foundations and hurling vehicles and scrap with deadly force. where as these account for less than one % of recorded tornados, they’re attributable with quite seventy % of tornado fatalities.

How to Prepare Your Home for a Tornado – How to Prepare for a Tornado

Having tornado resistant roofing materials from the start is the best way to prepare your home from damage. Metal roofing, as well as stone-coated steel shingles, provide a number of the simplest overall selections for tornado resistance. These merchandise resist harm higher than ancient shingles. they’re ready to stand up to the high winds that come with nearby tornados.

A steel roof is additionally extremely proof against fire; you’ll be shocked to be told it truly reduces your probabilities of injury to your roof or direct the event of a lightning strike. Your insurance corporations may even provide discounted premiums for, replacement your asphalt shingle roof with a a lot of sturdy metal choice.

In short, structures that have been engineered to meet or exceed current building codes for high-wind protection have a way higher probability of surviving tornados and wind storms. The quality codification (written and updated by the Southern, codification Congress International, Inc.) is one source for guidance, safety recommendations for structures that guarantee your home will stand up to fierce winds that are customary with tornados. However, no home will stand up to a direct hit from a a violent (category F4 or category F5) tornado, solid construction and merchandise rated for extreme winds will assist you home stand up to a lot of the milder storms.

Special storm doors will facilitate as shelter from hail, high winds, and flying debris. Steel siding is long lasting, durable, fire- and moisture-resistant and environmentally friendly. it’s a lot of proof against ripping off, cracking, buckling, or otherwise failing in an exceedingly severe weather event. Extra-durable windows will higher resist impact and wind harm.

How to Prepare Your Home for a Tornado – Tips to Follow

While looking into building a safe room or reinforcing an existing interior room for tornado shelter by adding ample wall and roof anchorage is likely the best way to prepare yourself for a tornado, not everyone has the time and money for that. There are some other things that you can do to prepare your home and family fro the worst. Here are some tips and precautions that you can take in advance to make you as prepared as possible for the next tornado:

 Prepare Your Family for a Tornado:

Stay informed. Regularly check with your local weather service to see if there are Tornado warnings or watches in effect in your area.

• Sign up for notifications. Pay attention to how your area sends tornado warnings and tune in. Sometimes, communities will use outdoor sirens and other times they will send media alerts.
• Create a plan. Get with your family and plan out an emergency meeting space, like a basement or a storm cellar… Preferably with no windows.
• Practice your plan. Get your family to practice the plan, so that when the time comes, they know exactly what to do.
• Plan Ahead – Prepare that room that you will be using for shelter with the supplies you would need for a tornado. 
• If you are in a mobile home, prepare to evacuate.

Steps to Prepare Your Home for a Tornado

• Have up-to-code storm shutters installed on your home for the best protection from a tornado.
• Having an  impact resistant garage door installed can help shelter your home from damages.
• Have a professional, secure your chimney.
• Have a professional ,secure shingles on your roof to prevent them from flying off.
• Fill any holes in the exterior of your home with caulk.
• Exterior doors should have  three hinges and a deadbolt lock for the best protection against tornados.

How to Prepare Your Home for a Tornado – Finale Thoughts

Remember that the pros are just a phone call away if you need us! We install and repair storm shutters, impact resistant garage doors, and much much more. We can help you protect your investments in the case that we do get hit by a tornado, and we would love to help out any time you are ready! Give us a call today to get your home tornado proof, and protect your investments and your family for years to come!

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