Disaster Recovery – Your Home’s Resilient Comeback Starts with Stunning Exteriors

After a hurricane, fire, tornado, or mudslide, renovating or completely rebuilding your home may be a daunting task. Depending on the amount of damage, disaster recovery may require you to make significant overhauls — or start completely from scratch — which is a major undertaking. But partnering with the right team, prioritizing certain upgrades, and thinking strategically about your home’s future can help you begin your resilient comeback.

Read on for our tips on how to best handle disaster recovery to help protect your home against the harshest weather from the outside in.

You don’t have to handle rebuilding alone. Our experienced brick&batten team will help make your home’s transformation simple, allowing you to create the stunning exterior of your dreams. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services.

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Durable siding

The siding you choose for your exterior has a major impact on the look and feel. Luckily, it also can better protect your home against future damage. While certain siding — like wood siding — may look beautiful, it is a poor choice for homes in regions susceptible to natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, or flooding. 

Fiber cement siding, however, offers the same aesthetic appeal with added durability. This unique material is composed of cement, sand, and cellulose fibers to create a strong and versatile final product. Fiber cement siding is not only built to withstand moisture and temperature fluctuations, but it is also impact- and fire-resistant. These traits make it a smart choice for many regions across the country. From California and Colorado — where homes are prone to fires — to Florida and the Carolinas — where homes are susceptible to hurricane damage — fiber cement can help keep your exterior protected. Metal, brick, and stone siding are other incredibly durable, though expensive, choices. However, because they are natural materials, they offer more limited colors and finishes than fiber cement. 

Fire-proof and impact-resistant roofing

Siding isn’t the only place to invest in durability. A fire-proof, impact-resistant roof is one of the most ideal ways to ensure your home is best protected against any future damage.

Thanks to its durability, metal roofing is the most fool-proof way to protect your home. Though it requires a significant upfront investment, this roofing material is as beautiful as it is practical. Metal roofs are typically made from interlocking panels of steel or aluminum. These panels create a tight seal that is fire-resistant, impact-resistant, and can withstand high winds, making this roofing type ideal for regions that are often hit by hurricanes, fires, and tornados. 

Slate and concrete tiles are also fire-proof and impact-resistant roofing options. However, they are both extremely heavy. Their weight requires certain structural components to be in place, so they’re not always the best fit for every exterior. But no matter which roofing you choose, be sure to lay a water-resistant membrane beneath for extra protection against the elements.

Impact-resistant doors & windows

Upgrading your windows and glass doors to impact-resistant alternatives helps to ensure your home stays protected during extreme weather events like hurricanes or tornados. These durable windows and doors are crafted with laminated glass. This special glass is by sandwiching a layer of strong polymer between two layers of glass, making it stronger than regular glass. Laminated glass also helps prevent the windows from shattering in the event they do break; instead, they get spider-web-like cracks but typically remain in a single piece thanks to that layer of polymer keeping everything connected.  

Impact-resistant windows and doors, however, typically come with a hefty price tag. Though the upfront investment may be large, it can save you money in the long run. You’ll not only see increased energy efficiency but also benefit from a longer lifespan than that of regular glass windows and doors. 

Storm shutters

Whether or not you opt for impact-resistant windows, adding storm shutters to your exterior offers another layer of protection from the elements. This durable exterior feature is made in a wide range of styles and materials, ensuring that homes of all architectural types can find the perfect match.

Bermuda or Bahama shutters are commonly found in coastal locales. These fixed shutters slope at a downward angle and have angled louvers. They typically can be propped open to let more air into the home as needed. Like most storm shutters, they are usually crafted from lightweight metal like aluminum. They can also be made from wood or vinyl. 

Roll-down and accordion storm shutters offer similar protection but with a sleeker look. These shutters roll or fold up when not in use, offering a more minimal addition to the exterior and allowing for plentiful natural light. Simply unroll or unfold the shutters over your windows to amp up your protection. 

Fire-rated doors

As the name implies, fire-rated doors help stop the spread of fire. While these doors are common in commercial buildings like schools or offices, they’re rarely found in homes. As the prevalence of wildfires increases,  however, adding these exterior doors can help you keep it  — and you — safe. 

Unlike traditional doors, fire-rated doors are made from special materials to increase their resistance to extreme temperatures. They also have a special gasket and seal to make the door airtight. This prevents smoke and embers from making their way through the gaps.  In the case of an emergency, this can offer precious extra time to evacuate and help a fire from spreading.

Like regular doors, fire-rated doors come in many styles and materials. They are typically made of steel, but there are also options made from reinforced glass or treated wood. This variety ensures you don’t have to sacrifice your exterior style in order to keep your home safe if selecting a new design during disaster recovery. 

Smart-home accessories

Smart home devices may seem like high-tech add-ons that your exterior doesn’t need. Certain devices, however, can help protect you and your family in the event of a natural disaster. 

Flooding is the most common natural disaster, so installing flood sensors can help you stay ahead of any potential damage. These devices alert you when excess moisture is detected, and can be paired with a smart shut-off valve. This combination allows you to stop the flow of water through your pipes, even when you’re away. 

A smart irrigation system, on the other hand, can help stop fire from spreading. Keeping your lawn and landscaping damp makes it less likely to burn. Though not foolproof, it can aid in preventing excessive damage and offer added time to evacuate if necessary. Plus, as an added bonus, the irrigation system makes it much easier to keep your landscaping well-watered and beautiful year-round.

Landscape design & drainage 

Landscaping is a great way to amp up your curb appeal. Making smart landscaping choices, however, also plays a pivotal role in keeping your home safe.

During disaster recovery, prioritize proper draining and slope in your landscape design. Doing so will help prevent future flooding and keep moisture away from your exterior. Planting a rain garden — or a sunken area of your garden designed to capture and absorb rainwater — can also help keep flooding at bay.  

Those in fire-prone areas, on the other hand, should approach their landscaping a bit differently.  Avoid adding plants within a few feet of your exterior. Instead, opt for hardscaping in these areas so that a potential blaze can’t get as close. Keeping the rest of your yard well-watered and manicured is the name of the game in these regions. Remove dried leaves, branches, and grass as soon as possible, and prioritize native, fire-resistant plants like lavender, succulents, or bergenia. Also avoid flammable add-ons like mulch, and instead opt for decorative elements like stones or gravel.

Ready for your disaster recovery transformation?

Whether a natural disaster has home has already impacted your home or you want to prepare in advance, updating your exterior with these design elements will help keep you protected. Projects big and small can help give you added peace of mind that your space will remain safe — whatever comes your way.

brick&batten virtual exterior design services help ensure your home has all the elements it needs for disaster recovery and to weather future storms — literally. Our expert team is standing by to help upgrade your exterior and provide a photorealistic design rendering that makes the process simple. Start your project today!

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