“Here is a very simple thing to do to reduce damage risks whether you stay or if you go.”

Coastal storm approaching?

Close all interior doors, in addition to all windows and exterior doors, to reduce damage risks.

Closing interior doors can give your roof a fighting chance in a severe wind storm. If a window or door is broken by flying debris or has blown open, your house will rapidly fill with air (imagine a balloon inflating inside your house) and cause a dangerous increase in peak forces pushing on the roof. In our testing of a 1,400-square-foot single-story home at the IBHS Research Center, we found that simply closing the internal doors reduced by 30% the amount of extra load the roof had to withstand in this situation.

Click here for additional science-based guidance to protect your home or business.