The Real Danger of Flying Debris in a Hurricane

U.S. Navy photo by Jim Brooks

Window and door manufacturers are churning out costly impact-resistant products intended to protect you during severe storms. But do you know what these super-windows really protect you from? In a recent post, I wrote that impact windows primarily protect homes from flying debris in a storm. That?s only part of the story, however.

If the only danger to worry about was the small chance that a stray 2 x 4 would come hurtling through the window like a timber missile, many of us would just play the odds and pass on the expensive windows. But a broken window during an angry storm increases the risk to your home's entire structure.

In a high-wind event, even small flying debris can compromise a window or door. That creates an opening in what was previously a sealed "building envelope." If that opening is on the windward side of your home, it acts like the opening of a balloon, with massive volumes of air being forced in. And, just like a balloon, this increases the air pressure inside the envelope. If that pressure gets high enough, something?s gotta give. Pop!

The first place that will give out depends on your construction. Unfortunately it?s often the roof?and not the shingles, but the deck. The pressure in the attic literally blows the roof deck off from the inside, and once there is a hole, the wind outside continues to wreak havoc. If that wasn?t bad enough, usually these storms come with rain. And now your roof is gone. I?m sure you see the problem.

Building codes have been paying increasing attention to these issues, so chances are that your home already has a number of preventative measures to avoid a worst-case scenario. But you should know that keeping your window and door openings secure in a hurricane is about more than protecting yourself from a rare 2 x 4 missile.

Tim Layton is a home and DIY blogger for Popular Mechanics. Follow him on Twitter: @RemodelingGuy

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/how-to/blog/the-real-danger-of-flying-debris-in-a-hurricane-15648276?src=rss

Mia Love wall street journal us map Electoral Map concede Obama Acceptance Speech Prop 30