NATURAL DISASTER HAZARD MITIGATION

You should install metal screens over vents that open to the outdoors, including those in attics, crawlspaces or enclosures under decks. If you already have screens, make sure their openings are less than one-quarter inch wide. For chimneys, install a spark arrestor made from welded or woven wire mesh. This reduces the risk of embers entering the home and sparking a fire.

If installing new gutters and downspouts, choose products made from materials such as galvanized steel, copper and aluminum. You can also install metal mesh screens or hoods, often called leaf guards, which fit into the gutters. This reduces the risk of embers igniting leaves and debris in the gutter. If you have leaf guards, check them regularly to make sure they're secure and free of debris.

The underside of a home's eaves and overhangs are called soffits. You'll want to cover exposed soffits using fire-resistant materials. Or you can replace your current eave and soffit covers with fire-resistant ones. Another option is to cover soffits made from flammable materials like plywood with a noncombustible material, such as fiber-cement board.

Soffits often fail due to poor installation and attachment. To help prevent failures, you can install wood backing or supports as an attachment point for the soffits. Or you can secure the soffit at 1-foot intervals using an adhesive or other method. You also want to keep soffit covers in place since they can significantly reduce the amount of water that blows into the attic. Water entering the attic damages ceilings, interior walls and the belongings inside your home.

A gable-end wall is the section of wall that supports two sides of a sloping roof. You can hire a professional to brace any gable-end walls taller than 4 feet. Then, loads on the walls will be distributed over multiple roof trusses or rafters — through the ceiling and roof sheathing to the side walls. This helps to prevent a roof collapse during a weather emergency.

You'll want to make sure any structure attached to your home, like a carport or porch roof, can't blow away or collapse in severe weather. If winds damage attached structures, your home could also be damaged. The roofs of these structures should be attached to columns that are anchored to your home's foundation.

Replace any nonmetal ridge vents or wall louvers with metal vents. Vents that aren't metal could melt or ignite, allowing embers or flames to enter your house from outside.

When exterior siding or wall coverings are combustible, they can melt or transmit heat. You can replace this type of material with panels or siding made from fibercement. Or use wood siding that's been treated with fire retardant. You can also add concrete, stucco and masonry to your home's exterior to reduce the risk of it igniting from wildfire heat.

If you're replacing your roof, look into using Class A fire-resistive roof coverings with a high-wind rating. Coverings can be tiles, shingles or metal. Fire-resistive coverings reduce the risk of the home catching fire if embers or burning debris land on the roof. Coverings with a high-wind rating provide protection during a hurricane or storm. If roof coverings blow off, water could enter the attic and the ceiling might collapse.

Coverings with a high-wind rating provide protection during a hurricane or storm. If roof coverings blow off, water could enter the attic and the ceiling might collapse.

Protect your home from flying storm debris and wind-driven rain with products including:

• Permanently mounted hurricane shutters.
• Temporary panels made from metal or other materials.
• Products to protect windows and entry doors.

When replacing your garage doors, consider adding manufacturer bracing kits. Or use an aftermarket kit to brace a door at its mid- and quarter-points. Look for products rated for resistance to flying missiles like tree limbs or roofing materials. Products that stop internal pressurization inside the home can also help prevent a roof collapse.

Roof decking, or sheathing, refers to wood nailed to your home's frame. It's what the roofing materials are placed on and is used to support the rest of your roof. If you're having a new roof installed, the roofer can strengthen how the roof deck is attached. They can renail, add new nails or upgrade your nails to meet the current codes for high-wind areas. This reduces the risk of your roof decking blowing off. If it detaches, damaging wind and water could enter your home through the opening that's created.

When you're getting a new roof, ask your roofer to seal your roof deck to create an additional barrier against water entering the home. To do this, they can:

• Install flashing tape over the joints between the decking.
• Cover the roof with a self-adhesive membrane.
• Apply two layers of a wind-resistant underlayment using high-density, capped nails.

If you're not replacing your roof, you may be able to seal your roof deck from your attic. A polyurethane spray foam adhesive can be applied over the joints on the underside of the roof decking.

Interior fire sprinklers can help protect your home during wildfires or housefires. The sprinkler systems for single-family homes:

• Come in various styles and colors.
• Are smaller than commercial sprinkler systems.
• Can be mounted flush with the ceiling or hidden under covers.
• Help protect a home from exterior and interior fire damage.

If you're making roof repairs, it might be a good time to install interior sprinklers. Be sure to include them around windows and in your garage. Then, they can help prevent spot fires caused by embers entering through a broken window or garage door gap.