Find out how to protect your windows from high winds and flying debris during storms and hurricanes by installing plywood panels or fabric covering.

Video Transcription

How winds can wreak havoc on your home. But usually it’s not just the wind you have to worry about it’s wherever the wind is slamming against your house, windows, doors, siding, everything. But, this house is located less than a mile from the coast and the owner of this home decided to take some precautions by shielding his windows. I know what you’re thinking, how could that little piece of fabric protect this window. This window covers are made from the same kind of fabric that you used in bullet proof vest so they’re supposed to stopped flying debris and winds up to 155 miles an hour. Window is secured to a frame like this. Now they’re easy to install they don’t take up a lot of space and that kind of simplicity is so important when you’re preparing for a storm. I know from experience because I’ve had to board up my windows on more than one occasion because of an impending storm. I used plywood like many people in coastal areas. It’s simple enough but if you wait until the storm is closing in you’ll be in a long line at the home center. First, measure the window and cut a piece of plywood 1/2-inch to 3/4 inch. Plywood works best and you want to cut it about a half inch smaller in both dimensions so that it will fit into the opening very easily. Then you just fasten it to the wood trim around the windows with screws about an inch and a half or up to two inch long. This gets a little trickier if you’re windows are bordered by brick with no wood molding but you can buy special spring loaded metal clips that will hold the plywood or you can add a little edge trip to the front and drill holes through it and attached the sheet directly to the bricks with masonry screws. The downside is the plywood is heavy and bulky to store.