The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts 4 to 7 major hurricanes in 2024. How to prepare your home?

Hurricane season has officially begun.

With scientists predicting another active year of storms, making your home hurricane-resistant has become an even more valuable precaution.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its May 23 forecast that it expects an 85% chance of “above normal” activity this hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts 17 to 25 total storms with winds of 39 mph or higher. Eight to 13 are expected to become hurricanes, and four to seven of them could become major hurricanes — Category 3, 4 or 5 — with winds of 111 mph or higher.

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Eric A. said: “Severe weather and emergencies can happen at any moment, which is why individuals and communities must prepare today,” Hooks, deputy administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said in a statement issued with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's forecast.

“We are already seeing storms moving across the country that could bring additional risks such as tornadoes, flooding and hail,” he said. “A proactive approach to today’s increasingly challenging climate landscape can make a difference in how people recover tomorrow.”

Hurricanes are among the costliest natural disasters in the United States, and experts say storm-related damage is likely to become more significant as storms intensify.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that “near-record warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic” are expected to be among the factors creating a suitable environment for tropical storm formation.

A separate forecast from hurricane researchers at Colorado State University predicts a “very active” hurricane season in 2024 due to warm eastern tropical and subtropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures.

Water temperatures across the tropical Atlantic in 2024 will average about 1 degree Celsius, or 1.5 to 2 degrees Fahrenheit, warmer than normal. Although that doesn't seem like a lot, it's a big difference, said Phil Klotzbach, a senior research scientist in Colorado State University's Department of Atmospheric Sciences.

“The tropical Atlantic is now record warm,” he said. “That means more fuel for storms trying to form.”

While weather and water conditions may change, residents of storm-prone areas would be wise to consider home projects sooner rather than later.

“It's time to prepare and have a plan in place,” Klotzbach said. “You don't want to make these last-minute preparations.”

Some of the expected impacts of global warming on hurricane activity include sea level rise, increased coastal flooding, higher precipitation rates and more intense and rapidly strengthening storms, according to a research overview from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory.

“Rising sea surface temperatures are intensifying the wind speeds of tropical storms, giving them the potential to cause more damage if they make landfall,” wrote the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, a think tank.

Forecasts by reinsurer Swiss Re show that since the 1970s, expectations of residential losses from hurricanes have been on the rise, partly due to increased hurricane activity and changes in property values ​​due to population growth. However, improvements in building standards offset some of this increase.

Upgrades can help consumers protect their homes, usually one of their most valuable assets, from storms and other natural disasters.

Making your home hurricane-resistant can be a major financial undertaking. But these storms have the potential to come to fruition as such storms become more severe due to climate change.

In 2024, the national average cost to upgrade an entire home with hurricane windows is between $1,128 and $10,293, or $100 and $500 per window, including installation, according to home improvement website This Old House. And this is just one project.

About $8.1 billion a year could be saved in physical damage from windstorms if homes had stronger connections between roofs and walls, or had smaller spacing between studs, according to a 2022 MIT analysis of hurricane-resistant construction.

Part of the challenge of making home improvements with storms in mind is that hurricanes are different and unpredictable, said Jeff Ostrowski, a housing analyst at Bankrate.

“You don't know if you're going to be dealing with storms, high winds or heavy rain. You're trying to prepare for all of those things at once,” he said.

There are two essential items in your home to help prevent wind-related damage in a hurricane, says Leslie Chapman Henderson, president and CEO of the nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, or FLASH. you want to:

Make sure the structural strength between the roof and the wall can withstand the wind pressure and the impact of debris. Protect all openings in your home: doors, windows and garage.

“What we are working to prevent is pressure,” she said. “It is like a balloon that bursts, and when it blows too much… it explodes.” “This is what happens to your house when the wind comes in.”

1. Ask the inspector to evaluate your home

Having an inspector see your home is a good starting point for your projects. They will report on areas of your home that need to be redone or reinforced against harsh weather.

2. Reinforce your roof

The average cost of replacing a roof in the United States is about $10,000, but the exact cost depends on multiple factors, such as the size of the roof, according to the Department of Energy.

Fortified, a nonprofit reroofing program that helps strengthen homes against extreme weather, offers guidance to homeowners who plan to replace their roofs on how to address challenges in their area, said Jennifer Langille, president and founder of Trifecta Construction Solutions, a sustainable consulting firm in Florida. . .

“It tells you what you need to do to make your roof stronger,” she said.

If you're not ready to completely reroof your home, adding caulking or adhesive to strengthen the soffit — the material that connects the roof edge to the exterior walls — will reduce the likelihood of wind and water flowing into your attic during a storm. Chapman Henderson of Flash. Repair work to the roof and fascia, which is typically a horizontal panel outside the roof, can cost between $600 and $6,000, according to Angi.com.

She said that securing the roof to the walls in a house with an existing attic can be done by installing metal clips or straps that enhance the fastening effect. While the exact cost will depend on factors like the size of your home and the scale of the project, these retrofit costs range from $850 to $1,350, according to Keene Home Insurance.

3. Secure your windows and doors

“Do you have hurricane windows? If not, can you install them?” said Melissa Cohen, Regional Vice President of William Raveis Mortgage.

If installing new hurricane windows isn't in the budget, shutters are less expensive options for protecting windows and other openings, Chapman Henderson said.

Curtains vary according to material, installation and price. Removable galvanized storm panels made of steel cost $5 to $6 per square foot, making them the least expensive option, according to information compiled by FLASH.

It can be helpful to install shutters as an extra layer of protection, even with impact-resistant windows, says Langille of Trifecta Construction Solutions.

Meanwhile, garage doors are “the largest and weakest opening,” Chapman Henderson said. The cost to completely replace a garage door with a wind-resistant or impact-resistant version can range from $2,000 to $9,000, according to FLASH.

Emergency braces can be a less expensive solution: Temporary 2-by-4 wood braces can reinforce your wind-resistant door for about $150 for materials and installation. FLASH Data found that a garage door storm kit can cost up to $750.

“You can do all these things in terms of strengthening the house, but you're still at the mercy of whatever storm comes along,” Bankrate's Ostrowski said.

4. Talk to your insurance company about potential discounts

Hardening your home against disasters may help lower your insurance costs.

Insurance companies usually take natural disaster risks into account when deciding which properties to underwrite and at what cost. This is why some retreat in high-risk areas, or raise prices significantly.

Insurance costs also tend to be higher for existing homes than for newly built homes, because many older homes were built under less stringent building codes.

Once an inspector visits your home and recommends projects to make your home more hurricane-resistant, talk with your insurance agent about suggestions that are most likely to reduce your premium, Ostrovsky said.

“Keep in mind that each state varies in terms of what and to what extent premium reductions are available, and it depends on the risk, company exposure, and regulatory environment,” said Loretta Worters, a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute.

Homeowners' insurance premium rates are based on measurable risks, she said, and while mitigation efforts may help reduce risks, the scientific measurement of disaster risk and mitigation efforts is still evolving.

“All premium pricing analyzes related to mitigation efforts are a question of the degree of risk, not the complete removal of risk from the policy,” Worters said.

If the cost of preparing your home for hurricanes is onerous, there may be grants, tax credits and other programs to help ease the burden.

Some states have created matching grant programs for disaster retrofits, Chapman-Henderson said.

In Florida, residents may be eligible to apply for grants worth up to $10,000 for approved upgrades such as shutters, roofing, garage door reinforcement or ceiling-to-wall connections, she said. There are similar programs in Alabama and Louisiana.

To learn more, homeowners can search for loans, grants or tax credits available in their state through dsireusa.org, which lists all the financing opportunities and incentives to harden your home against disasters, Langwell said.

For people with poor credit or who live in states that don't have dollar matching programs, property assessed clean energy programs allow a homeowner to finance the upfront costs of qualifying improvements to the property and pay for the costs over time through their property tax bill. Chapman Henderson said.

Energy efficient mortgages, also referred to as green mortgages, may also be worth exploring. These loans are intended to help homeowners finance eco-friendly home upgrades or purchase homes that help reduce energy consumption and lower utility bills, though they often have strict loan limits and require additional information while applying, according to LendingTree.

Depending on your hurricane-proofing project, that may be appropriate: Sometimes, energy efficiency goes hand-in-hand with durability, Langwell says.

“Sealing the underside of your roof sheathing will also help you from an energy standpoint because it seals all the cracks and crevices,” she said, because this repair preserves your roof and helps avoid water or air leaks.

The same goes for replacing windows: “If you're going to replace your windows from a single-pane window to an impact window with better energy performance, it saves you energy,” Langwell says.

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