Ecnomy Hurricane/Storm Prep Hacks

I thought this might make a good forum help thread..

I am pretty cagey when it comes to being inventive and resourceful, so I thought I would share a hack I recently came up with to help protect my newly enclosed back porth from storm threat. Hurricane protection is epensive... Really phucking expensive!

I needed a way to protect my back porch from:
Wind and debris impact
Compromised window wind intrusion
Wanted as inexpensive as I could get for the highest protection value
Needed to store so I would not have to do the same work over and over
Did not want to fight with others purchasing supplies everyone wanted

This ruled out plywood for many reasons and ruled out standard hurricane protections offered by hurricane protection specialists and special hurricane protection materials. I walked through Home Depot looking for ideas and found what I thought would be the perfect solution for the problem. It was five channel galvanized roofing sheet metal roofing. It checked all the boxes. This was the problem and the finalized result...
This is the unprotected southern exposure of my porch...





Here is the protected area...



As you can see, the metal roofing screwed tight to the window and will keep debis from compromising the porch from wind intrusion. The panels are 2'x6' and stack and store easily. They are relatively lightweight and can now be installed in probably 30 to 60 minutes. The only downside is the sharp edges one must take care when handling. I have three roughly 6x6 window areas I covered for $180 using the 12 foot panels and cutting them down to fit the window areas. I used self tapping screws to anchor the panels over the windows and I put the screws back into the holes to cover them and be available when the need arises. It to me and my father in law a couple hours to do the work and stow the panels.

I hope this may help others mitigate hurricane preps.

West wall unprotected...



Protected...

Good tip.

From one hurricane expert to another.

Sirscrapalot - The wind cries..Mary. - Jimmy Hendrix...not our Jimi.

Originally Posted by hobo finds

Hey, still got up your Christmas lights! Christmas in July! LOL

Well, yes and no. I picked up a big load of the old style colored lights at a yard sale for scrap price. I think I paid $3 for maybe 12 strands of those old lights. We used to use the little newer style (the little tiny pointed ones that if one bulb goes, the whole line is shot). They are actually hung around the back area of our patio and hooked to a dimmer. We use them to light our fireplace patio when we have fires and adult beverages.

Christmas lights are acceptable when you live on or near the beach. Year round!

Sirscrapalot - Clap on, clap off, the clapper!

Originally Posted by hobo finds

do these have / need to go up in a certain order? Did you number them? Also how long will it take to put them up? Good idea, and other good stuff in your thread you posted last year https://www.scrapmetalforum.com/off-...cane-irma.html and the one on gasoline as well!

They are labeled as to where they go. The idea at this point would be to take them out and screw them back into the holes they were originally mounted in so I don't wind up with the window frame looking like swiss cheese. I figure I could put them back up by myself in about 30 to 45 minutes.

Thanks for the props on the other post. Hurricanes can be a real problem and prepping for them can be a considerable cost, and being prepared to minimize damage can be the difference between discomfort and inconvenience and catastrophe.

I should do the same thing to my home. Thank you!

I never would have thought to use galvanized steel panels. My father and I always used plywood when we lived in Florida to border up the windows. Now that I live in Georgia, we are not as susceptible, nor do we get as many big storms like hurricanes. But sometime we can get derechos that throw some pretty strong winds around. Not often, but sometimes. I personally like the big storms because of getting pictures of all the lightning. That's why I loved lived in Florida. Thunderstorms all the time, and some good ones. But yeah. This is actually something I never would have thought to use. Thanks!