WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE A TINY HOUSE HURRICANE PROOF

In recent years there has been an increase in many people looking to downsize. Instead of moving into an apartment, many people look to build a tiny house. There are a variety of designs to select from, so finding one that meets your requirements shouldn’t be difficult.

However, there is often one question that gets raised by many: whether a tiny house is hurricane-proof or not.

Anyone who lives in areas of the US that are threatened by hurricane-force winds wants a home that can withstand such strong gusts. There are tiny houses on wheels made from materials designed to handle winds that reach up to 150 miles per hour.

So let us look further at tiny house hurricane-proof options that are available.

Before we do that, we will explain a little more about the two classifications of hurricanes that can occur in the US.

Hurricane Storm Classifications

Hurricane

With this type of storm, the speed of the wind shouldn’t exceed 74 mph. Such mph winds can cause significant damage, leading to power outages that could last several days.

Not only can these strong winds result in debris being blown into your home but they also cause severe damage to tall structures. In addition, hurricane force winds can even lead to flooding across large areas of land that can cause damage to houses on wheels.

Major Hurricanes

Once the wind speed passes 111 mph, these storms are classified as major hurricanes. These also get referred to as Category 3 or above storms. In 2003 the states of Louisiana and Florida were hit by Hurricane Katarina, which was classified as a Category 3 hurricane.

Not only can these heavy winds cause a great deal of damage to property but they also result in storm surges, heaving flooding, and destruction to large areas of land. The wind speeds are so strong that it can lead to roof damage and trees getting uprooted.

Can a Tiny House Withstand a Hurricane?

Yes, such homes can withstand hurricanes. Certain design elements are now used in the building of these properties to help protect them against strong winds.

Tiny homes are now being made using the strongest materials possible and will also come with high-impact doors and high-impact windows. There are also container homes. These homes are built from shipping containers and are very strong and durable and more than able to withstand strong gusts of wind or a lightning bolt.

What Tiny Houses Are Best When You Live in Areas Where Hurricanes Occur?

When looking to build a tiny home that will possibly survive a hurricane, choose ones made with a steel structure. These homes on wheels have been created to withstand heavy winds and rainfall.

If needed, you can quickly move them to a location where the risk of structural damage is reduced. This ensures that, if you receive a warning that a hurricane is heading in your direction, you can choose whether or not to leave your home where it is or to move it to a more secure location.

If you want to ensure that your tiny house will survive such storms, then you need to get it ready before the hurricane season begins.

Preparing Your Tiny Home for the Storm Season

Preparation to protect your home against storms should begin even before you start receiving reports that a storm is about to hit.

Below are just a few of the things you should do to help ensure your tiny home is hurricane-proof.

1. Anchor or Tie Your Tiny House Down

Using an anchor system on tiny homes is best to prevent heavy winds from blowing them over. What you need to do is to screw the anchors into your home’s foundations.

If this isn’t possible, you may find tying your home to trees or other stable structures or objects will work just as well.

Anchoring your home to the foundations will help prevent hurricane force winds from lifting it in the case that gusts of wind get underneath it.

You will find that most manufacturers suggest that a home measuring up to 40 feet in length needs at least three vertical ties and two diagonal side ties on each side. Doing this will help to prevent or reduce any house movement when being buffeted by hurricane force winds.

2. Secure The Roof

Damage often occurs to the roof of a tiny home as it is one of its most vulnerable areas when a storm breaks. To help reduce or prevent roof damage to your home, do the following:

• If your gable roof or flat roof is made of metal, put some old tires on top to prevent it from getting blown away.
• If your roof is made up of shingles or tiles, inspect it to find out if any are broken or cracked. If you find any, make sure that you replace them immediately. Doing this will help to prevent any water penetration once it begins raining.
• You could even look at fastening the tiles down to provide them with better protection against winds that reach speeds over 74 miles per hour.

3. Secure Your Windows

Like the roof, the windows on your home are very vulnerable as they have been made using lightweight materials. There is no flexibility in their design, meaning that they cannot resist strong winds.

The risk to those inside from broken glass is much higher during any storm involving high-speed winds. The best way to avoid such problems is to cover them with a sheet of plywood that you nail in position.

4. Protect Your Homes Electricity

Like the windows and roof of your home, its electrical system is at the risk of being damaged during any of the two classifications of storms we’ve discussed above. You must carry out checks regularly to ensure that no wiring is exposed or there aren’t any loose connections.

It would be best to replace your current wiring and connections with new ones that come with a weatherproofing guarantee. You need to consider this if you have installed an air conditioning unit in your tiny home.

5. Secure Items You Keep Outside

You should never leave any loose items outside your tiny house. All of your patio furniture, along with your barbecue and other external decorations, need to be brought inside. There is a good chance that they will get damaged and could even get blown away and cause damage to your home as well if left unattended.

As a general rule of thumb, anything lightweight that you can carry easily should get stored inside your house. Don’t forget that you need to bring in the solar panels that provide your home with solar energy, along with other items that aren’t screwed or tied down. Energy-efficient equipment such as solar panels and wind turbines are very susceptible to moderate and strong winds.

What Are the Odds Your Tiny House will Survive a Hurricane?

Good news! The chances that your tiny home, measuring around 600 square feet, will still be standing after a hurricane hits has dramatically improved in recent years.

This is because the companies that build these homes have access to materials designed to withstand the forces of mother nature. The companies that erect tiny houses will spend a lot of time planning out what needs to be done.

Even though these homes do not have abundant space inside them, the interior and exterior finishes are of a very high standard. These days the actual finishes on tiny homes tend to be far better compared to older properties that have been around for over 50 years or more.

You’ll find that tiny homes aren’t entirely indestructible when it comes to hurricanes or other natural disasters. Knowing what to expect can help you reduce the risk of damage to your tiny house and will allow you to prepare better for when hurricane season finally begins.

It is also essential to ensure that you have a good evacuation plan in place should the need arise, whether you leave your home behind or take it with you.

Conclusion

The only way of staying safe in your tiny home during any storm is to be ready before it even happens. Weatherproofing these homes and following the advice we’ve provided above should help you in avoiding any disasters should hurricane-force winds target your house.

We hope that this article proves useful to you and that the advice helps in safeguarding your property from any potential damages.

We would love to hear what you think of the advice we’ve provided above about how to make a tiny house hurricane-proof. We encourage you to let us know your experiences of living in tiny home and how you coped when the storm season happened where you live.